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Painting of star-lit petrol station wins art award

Dianne Griffiths Close up of the painting. The painting shows the red Texaco petrol station on the side of the road. The painting shows a night sky. Two street lamps and two cars light up the painted road. Dianne Griffiths
The piece, called Driving Home, was bought by the petrol station featured

A painting of a petrol station under a star-lit sky in Cornwall has won an art award.

Driving Home, a painting of a Texaco petrol station on Trevemper Road near Newquay, won the People's Choice Award 2024 as a part of the British Art Prize.

It was painted by Cornish landscape artist Dianne Griffiths.

She told BBC Radio Cornwall: "The original painting itself is actually being bought by the garage. It's a really fitting end to the story."

Diane Griffiths Diane Griffiths stands on the forecourt of the Texaco petrol station holding her artwork. Ms Griffiths is wearing a black jacket. She has brown hair. The painting is in a black frame. The painting shows a dark starry sky over a red and white petrol station. Street lamps are lit up and cars have their head lights on.Diane Griffiths
Dianne Griffiths at the Texaco petrol station in Newquay featured in her artwork

Ms Griffiths said she was in the top 50 finalists of the British Art Prize competition, which is run by Artists & Illustrators magazine.

She said her win in her category left her "jumping up and down".

"I couldn't sit still. I couldn't eat for a little while, I was too excited," she said.

"I just kept reading the email."

Part of the prize was a six-page feature in the February issue of Artists & Illustrators, said Ms Griffiths.

She added it was "lovely" the garage wanted to buy it.

"The painting will be coming full circle, back home to Newquay," she said.

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