Taskmaster star Alex Horne helps judge art project in Chesham

Alex, who presents the Channel 4 show and is believed to live in the town with his family, was roped in to help select some amazing pieces for the project, created by local artist and TV director Emily Brown.

The paintings are now displayed in The Elgiva Theatre foyer.

The artists each decorated a 25x25cm canvas to form ‘The Big Picture’ for the project, which Ms Brown orchestrated in collaboration with The Elgiva Theatre, Bucks Culture and Chesham Museum.

After five months of hard work, all 40 canvases – each of which make up part of the huge display – have been assembled for the first time.

Amy Huitson, an artist who took part, said: “After the year or so we have had with Covid, it was lovely to have something so creative and positive to be involved within the town.”

Alex helped to pick three winners and three runners up out of the 40 entries and, according to Emily, said: “All 40 are winners, but these three are slightly more winners.”

Alex looking at the paintings being filmed by Emily

He added: “They are ALL magnificent. I love the idea and the execution really makes the most of [Emily’s] vision.”

The winners were Steph Hudson, who used buttons and bright, painted flowers to decorate her canvas, Lou Feist, who used 3D elements and holograms, and the youngest winner, Zak, who depicted a multicultural handshake in front of the St George flag.

Speaking about the project, Emily said: “When I initially pitched this idea, I wanted to collaborate with other local artists, to tell a story on a large scale.

“However, due to the pandemic, I had to come up with a creative way for us to work together, separately, while social distancing.

Some of the artists and residents behind the project

“The answer was to orchestrate a huge, multi-canvas collaboration, that could be broken into parts, that we could each do in our own homes, and with our own piece of the puzzle that would slot together once completed, to create a bigger picture of something important to Chesham.

“So, working as a volunteer, I distributed art packs, containing art materials and a prepared canvas, which I sold at cost, with instructions to participants. I encouraged them to do something unexpected, but to leave the black lines I had pre-painted, untouched.”

She continued: “Each canvas is a piece of a huge and historical multi-canvas collaboration.

“No two canvases are the same, so when they are assembled together, they create a mosaic or patchwork effect, with the hidden, bigger design running across it, tying the canvases and artists together. “This project is about unity and putting differences aside, as well as celebrating individual voices.

The finished artwork

“One of the best things to come out of this has been meeting over 100 like-minded artists and other locals. We’ve all made lots of new friends and contacts, which has made me feel more integrated into the community and has given me more confidence and been great for my mental health.”

She added: “I’m so proud of everyone that took part. When I was unpacking each completed canvas, I got all emotional because every single one is beautiful, unique and each one has an individual story behind it.

“Everyone involved has put in so much effort and there has been such diversity in terms and backgrounds, ages, artistic abilities and styles.”