The Steam Tug Brent Trust is encouraging artists of all abilities to send in their entries, for an exhibition at St Mary's Church, Maldon, in July.

Locals are invited to draw, paint, or make any artworks inspired by the historic Brent or 'the muddy foreshore'. Entry is free and anyone is welcome to enter the art show, from 12 to 16 July.

Janet Hall, Chair of the Trust, told Nub News: "Brent is an iconic feature of the local landscape.

"It is very important for us to share it with the community – we'd like to reach as many people as possible.

"We hope people will give generously, as we are constantly fundraising for the preservation of the Steam Tug Brent."

Since Janet and her late husband bought the Brent from a scrapyard in 1971, she has worked tirelessly to maintain it for future generations. The couple raised their children on Brent and the family lived aboard the vessel for more than 20 years.

After moving to a home in Maldon, Janet founded the Steam Tug Brent Trust in 2011, to ensure residents and visitors can continue to learn the story of a unique relic of London's maritime history.

Alongside entries from the public, pieces from the renowned Wapping Group and typewriter artist James Cook will be on display.

While studying for his A-Levels, successful artist James did a project based on the Steam Tug Brent, which will be on show at the exhibition.

Art show entrants must spend no more than £5 to £20 on materials, and artworks must be a maximum of 40 centimetres in dimension. Artworks must have been produced within the last two years.

The deadline for entries is Monday 10 July.

Opening times for the exhibition can be found below:

• Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 July: 10.30am until 4.30pm
• Friday 14 July: 12 noon until 4.30pm
• Saturday 15 July: 10.30am until 4.30pm
• Sunday 16 July: 12.30pm until 4.30pm

During the exhibition, a four-foot painting produced by Kevin Flower, former Head of Art at Plume Academy, in collaboration with students, will be auctioned off to raise funds for the Steam Tug Brent Trust.

The Trust will sell a variety of refreshments, including tea, coffee, cold drinks, and cakes for visitors to enjoy. Lego tugboats will also be available for children to play with.

For more information about the art show, contact Janet via email or call 01621 855 058.

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