A woman who submitted art to competitions in The Argus is now preparing to exhibit her work in a gallery after she was sponsored by the newspaper as a child.

Sharon Fuller, from Seaford, used to colour in pictures in an old Evening Argus competition when she was five years old.

Sharon used to win so frequently that her mum received a letter from the Evening Argus asking her to enter the competitions for children aged ten and over.

Sharon said: “For this competition, you had to do a drawing or painting. One I remember putting together was of a boy on an elephant.”

Little did six-year-old Sharon know, the competition was about to determine her career.

Sharon's art piece 'Comfort', inspired by her visits to the Cafe Drury in HoveSharon's art piece 'Comfort', inspired by her visits to the Cafe Drury in Hove (Image: Sharon Fuller)

Sharon was visited at her school, Stanford Road Infants in Brighton, by an Argus journalist to verify that her drawings were being done by a child, not an adult.

Sharon, 71, said: “The journalist also visited my mum and asked that I refrain from entering the competition in return for being sponsored to go to a Saturday morning club at Brighton Art College.

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“It was an adults class, I was the only child there and I attended from when I was six to ten years old.

“I was from a very poor background, I wasn’t expected to do well in anything but this gave me some confidence in myself and a passion to pursue art.”

Sharon's print of a busker outside the Co-op in SeafordSharon's print of a busker outside the Co-op in Seaford (Image: Sharon Fuller)

Sharon went on to train as a teacher in London and taught children and adults in various schools such as St Martins School of Art, before settling in Seaford in 2022 and returning to her creative passion.

Now, Sharon is preparing to exhibit her work, centred on people, alongside two fellow artists at The Crypt Gallery in Seaford from Monday, August 5, to Wednesday, August 17.

Sharon said: “It was all made possible by The Argus.

“I ended up with a career in the arts and I helped lots and lots of other people with their art careers.

“Art has shaped my life and I will always remember the encouragement given to me when I was just a child by the Brighton Evening Argus.”

Sharon exhibits her work in The Crypt's summer show alongside Jan Reeves and Margaret Howker.

The trio met in the 1980's at St Martin's School of Art in London (now the University of the Arts). They remained friends but this is the first time all three have exhibited together.

The exhibition is a contrasting mix of all three artists' work and styles. Much of Sharon's vibrant work draws on the life and personalities of Seaford. Margaret's collages are inspired by landscape and Jan Reeves creates still-life paintings.

As well as paintings, prints and collages, 2 short animated videos by Sharon will be shown on the hour.

The gallery in Church Street will have the exhibition open from 10am to 6pm.