Moose Allain, a Devon-based artist, cartoonist, writer and tweeter, is this year’s winner of the Evolver Prize 2015. The winning artwork ‘Positivopolis’ is featured on the front cover of the July/August issue of Evolver Magazine, the Wessex Arts and Culture guide.

“It was a really tough decision for the judges this year, with several stand-out works worthy of winning the prize. For me, as someone who cares passionately about every single Evolver front cover, seeing ‘Yes’ for the first time was the visual equivalent of hearing that perfect pop song that you can’t believe you haven’t heard before. I was still repeating the title of the work, with a low clenched fist, days later!” commented Simon Barber, from the judging panel and editor of Evolver.

For many years Moose worked in London as an architect specialising in public consultation & urban regeneration. He moved to the coast in 2006 to concentrate on his art and to bring up his family by the sea.

“Making my drawings is about losing myself in an imaginary world. I start from the bottom and work upwards, seeing where my pen takes me,” explained Moose. “This 'start at the bottom’ approach is one that I have adopted for ‘Positivopolis’. It was drawn freehand and initially I had no idea where it was going, but knew I wanted to convey a positive message to counter all the negativity around us. I like the idea of a city built on positivity!” 

The winning artwork forms the centrepiece of the ‘Evolver Prize 2015’ exhibition at Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton alongside the 49 runners up from 4 July to 29 August. The artworks offer a broad spectrum in different media, all of which are for sale.

Angela Blackwell (THG Curator) commented “We love hosting the Evolver Prize, it’s the ideal way to discover the diverse talents of Wessex-based artists.Visitors always enjoy this exhibition as they get the chance to vote for their favourite cover too.”

Running alongside this exhibition, in the Project Space, there is a display of Evolver covers created by adults attending ROC Creative Honiton, a developmental arts project supporting and involving people with a learning disability.