A TALENTED young artist has been acknowledged after using her work to raise money for people in need during lockdown.

Hexham Middle School pupil Pia Ponsford won two prizes as part of the International Womens' Day Awards, in conjunction with Northumberland County Council.

The Year 6 pupil achieved first place in the Art Award with her impressive watercolour painting of the British heroine Grace Darling, the Northumberland lighthouse keeper's daughter who helped to rescue survivors from a shipwreck in 1838.

The 11-year-old was also nominated by the school's art department at Hexham Middle School in the Inspirational Young Woman category, for her Fimo jewellery work, after Pia made and sold her own designs to raise vital funds.

For her remarkable efforts, Pia has won a total of £325, which includes money for the school’s art club, and an iPad for her selfless creative work in the community.

Pia started working with fimo (polymer clay) when she was nine. She started by making miniature sweets and cakes for her toys.

When she was around 10 she started making 'canes' - a technique for creating patterns similar to how words go through a stick of rock. This led her to making beads, which then led to her making jewellery.

Early in 2020, Pia spent time experimenting with designs and made hundreds of beads with a huge range of designs and styles.

When the first coronavirus lockdown happened, Pia decided to sell her jewellery so she could raise money for the West Tynedale Foodbank in Hexham.

She sold to relatives, family, friends, neighbours and even the post lady - and during this period raised over £180 for the foodbank.

In December 2020, Pia was invited to have a stall at a local craft fair in Hexham. It was an exciting and nerve-wracking experience as she was testing her jewellery on the public for the first time.

By now, Pia was making her own designs - drawing on nature for inspiration – using imprints of oak leaves, the texture of wood imprint. She also made fridge magnets and keyrings.

Pia only wanted to use her new designs for the fair as she felt these were truly her own ideas. It was a great experience for her to meet other craftspeople, and to talk to people about her work. She raised a further £120 for the foodbank, bringing the total proceeds and donation to £300.

Pia has been invited back to have a stall at a summer fair and is coming up with lots of new ideas for that – including covers for ballpoint pens, and she has further plans to make toy food.

Sarah Lawton, art teacher at Hexham Middle School has spoken highly of the youngster, who is also the latest recipient of the Hexham Courant's Person of the Week honour.