Celebrating Creativity: The Frank Kerslake Award’s First Winner

At this year's "We Present: Leicester Adult Education" exhibition, we were honoured to present the Frank Kerslake Award. This award was established in memory of Frank Kerslake, a valued member of our learner community who sadly passed away. You can learn more about Frank here.

Frank was a truly special part of our learner community, described by his tutors as "one of those learners that just stands out." He was not only a talented artist but also a kind and friendly presence, valued by everyone in the classroom. We feel incredibly fortunate to have been a part of his learning journey and created this award to celebrate learners who embody his passion and creativity.

On the morning of the exhibition's opening, external judges Chris Slowe (LCB Depot), Catherine Hallsworth (Leicester Museum and Galleries), and Frank's son, Chris Kerslake, arrived at Leicester Adult Education. They faced the challenging task of selecting the most impactful artwork from 15 shortlisted pieces. After much deliberation, Jo's Shane MacGowan ceramic marionette was chosen as the deserving winner.

We caught up with Jo, one of our Pay as you Go Pottery learners at Bishopdale Adult Learning Hub, to hear more about her winning marionette and what this award means to her. She was both surprised and delighted when her work was announced as the winner at the exhibition's open evening.

Jo's journey with the marionette began as a fun challenge from a friend who was creating an online Christmas advent calendar. Her friend asked for submissions inspired by a Christmas song. "Shane MacGowan is a musical hero of mine, and 'I have always been fascinated by marionettes," Jo explained, "so I thought I would give creating one a try!" For the challenge, Jo even created a video of the marionette dancing to "Fairytale of New York," and she has since crafted a matching Kirsty MacColl marionette.

On seeing her work on display, Jo said, "I was totally blown away," she shared. "The artwork in the room was fantastic, and although I thought my puppet was fun, I wasn’t convinced it was a worthy winner. When they announced I’d won, it felt very surreal and a little overwhelming." Meeting Frank Kerslake’s son at the event was also a highlight for Jo, making her feel "very proud."

For Jo, our Pay as you Go pottery sessions are more than just a creative outlet. "I love spending those two hours in a little bubble, blocking out the world for a while. It helps me decompress from my busy day," she told us. These self-paced sessions allow learners to work on their own projects with the guidance of an experienced tutor. "The tutors are great," Jo affirmed, "they are happy to help if you need it and offer encouragement and advice, but they also let you get on with it to make your own mistakes and learn at your own pace."

With her goal to "create interesting and unusual pieces of art that will eventually replace all the wonky pots on my windowsill," we eagerly anticipate what Jo will create next.

Congratulations again to Jo on her well-deserved win!