A YOUNG artist who scooped a Pride of Reading award for her hand-painted cards has seen her success lead to two special commissions.
During covid lockdowns, Amelie Turnbull, who is now nine, started a business selling greeting cards she’d created, with half her profits shared equally with Camp Mohawk and Music Club, two charities that help her brother who is disabled.
She won The Inspiration Award at the Pride of Reading ceremony in October, after judges learnt that Little Amelie Art had raised more than £5,000.
The award was sponsored by McDonald’s, and when Reading franchise owner Richard Forte saw Amelie’s art, he was lovin’ it, and commissioned her to create a range of Christmas cards that have gone on sale in stores – one is a Big Mac with a Santa hat.
He liked them so much that he also ordered two additional non-festive deisgns from her current range.
She delivered them to the Friar Street store last month, where they are available in all 26 of Mr Forte’s stores, while stocks last – the ones in the Reading Gate branch sold out in two days.
“It’s unbelievable,” she says of seeing her designs available in the popular fast-food restaurant, adding that it makes her happy to see her work available there. “No one else has their cards in McDonald’s.”
And that’s not all. Another Pride of Reading sponsor, Reading’s Hilton Hotel, commissioned the talented watercolour artist to produce a card based on its OXBO restaurant that they could give to special guests to thank them for their stay.
Amelie’s painting is based on the greenery that can be found in the restaurant.
“We went there, and I saw lots of plants, and then I did a few trials,” she explained.
Her Mum, Davina, adds: “We had a tour of the Hilton, and Amelie was taken around the whole hotel and then shown the restaurant. They wanted her to design a card to be in the same theme.
“She really liked the terracotta pots with the plants on the table.”
John McLaughlin, area general manager for Hilton, is thrilled with the results.
“We were introduced to Amelie’s charitable art endeavours at this year’s Pride of Reading Awards and were in awe of her artistic talent and generous spirit,” he says.
“We commissioned her to design a special welcome card for Hilton Reading’s notable guests, asking her to take inspiration from our restaurant, OXBO.
“Amelie beautifully captured the ‘bound by nature’ philosophy of our restaurant and we are proud to support her efforts to raise money for charity.”
While the art has been well received, it is helping Camp Mohawk and Music Club – the charities that help her brother – that motivates her.
“We want to raise money for them,” she says.
Amelie’s cards can be found in the following stores: Derry’s Den, Benson; NOOD Stores, Caversham; The Tree Barn at Christmas Common; Fidget & Bob in Kennet Island; and The Marlow Book Shop in Marlow.
They can also be ordered online via her website, www.littleamelieart.com
