Musical Memories adorn COPC’s winning lion

On the day Portsmouth officially turns 100 (April 21), COPC is proud to announce its winner for the Pride of Portsmouth Lion Trail design competition!

Level 2 Art & Design student Amelie Bampton, 16, has had her bright and colourful design chosen after a vote of students and staff.

Her lion is titled Musical Memories, and features her own treasured memories of music and community events across the city.

“I have attended events such as the kite festival, Southsea firework display, Victorious and other music gigs at Guildhall since I was little,” she said. “I love how these events bring people of all ages and backgrounds together to create beautiful long-lasting memories. For this reason, I have incorporated these into my design. I also added some roses to represent the rose gardens in Southsea, as this is one of my favourite places to visit, especially when the roses are in bloom.”

Amelie’s passion for art grew in her early years of home education where she had time to explore many different areas of art including sculpture, jewellery making, needle felting, pottery and many varieties of drawing/painting. After starting at COPC she has been able to grow and develop her creative skills even further.

Orla Crean, Curriculum Manager Visual Arts & Media, said: “Amelie’s design is a wonderful homage to Portsmouth’s vibrant musical and community culture – and she even managed to add COPC’s brand colours to the kites within her art. I’m so excited to see her design come to life this summer.”

The Pride of Portsmouth Lion Trail is a flagship event within the Portsmouth 100 celebrations taking place through July and August. Lions will line the streets, and locals and tourists able to follow the trail via a map and app, unlock rewards, and discover new parts of the city.