Art at the Café: The Winners are in!

We can't believe we have come to the end of our first Art at the Cafe voting period! Thank you to all of you who voted for your favourite art and a very special thank you to the artists who were brave enough to submit their art for community judging.

We are thrilled to announce our Top 3 artists, chosen by you, our loyal clients and art fans!

Aneta Pochatko

Aneta Pochatko is a freelance artist based in Wallingford, UK. Her work is inspired by animals, emotions, nature, and even everyday objects. Aneta's primary goal is to capture the textures and essence of her subjects in a style that is both playful and elegant. She creates depth and fine details by combining bold lines with delicate dotting or expressive paint splashes. By blending these techniques, she interprets the consistency and surface of each subject in a unique way. Fascinated by the characteristics of different textures, Aneta works with mixed media and acrylic paint, while also experimenting with dotting, fine lines, and markers in other mediums.

Originally from Slovakia, Aneta has been based in the UK since 2016. She is an associate and coordinator at Ayres House Studios in Wallingford, where she regularly exhibits her work and leads creative workshops. These workshops cater to all skill levels, and she also offers private sessions to help individuals explore their creativity and self-expression.

More examples of her work can be found on her website and Instagram.

Hana Fitzsimmons

Hanna comes from a small village in the Czech Republic. She left home when she was 18 to learn English and to travel the world. Hanna loved drawing from the moment she could hold a pencil. All she used to draw was animals, especially horses. In 2006 Hanna started a degree in visual art in New York. She loved all the different mediums from humble charcoal to classical oil painting. In 2016 she moved onto coloured pencils. Hanna enjoyed the detail she could create with them and the fact it fits around her busy mom schedule.

Now, Hanna draws pets portraits as well as wildlife from near and far. She also teaches kids and adult art classes in Cholsey and Wallingford.

Jo Wright

Jo has always been an artist. After a 20 year career in Marketing, she jumped at redundancy a year ago & hasn’t looked back. She set up Jo Wright Creative Ltd. to sell original artwork, prints & commissions, alongside regular freelance writing gigs & the occasion marketing consult. Her art is influenced by abstract expressionism, impressionism, futurism, & the emotive power of music. Through layers & textures her intention is to capture the

energy of movement.

More examples of her work can be found on her website and on Instagram.

What's next?

The top 3 artists will be displaying a selection of their work at our Art and Wine evening on the 14 March 2025. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet these amazing artists and see the art work for themselves, all while enjoying some delicious wine and canapés. Attendees will then vote at the event for the artist that will display their art in the cafe from 1 April to 30 June 2025.

We are so excited for the next stage of the competition and look forward to seeing you all on the 14th March.