Shrewsbury's Doodle Boy picks fellow town lad, 10, to win Darwin drawing competition
A talented 10-year-old artist from Shrewsbury has been chosen as the winner of the prestigious Darwin Doodle competition out of over 250 entries from around the country.
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Solomon Horne's doodle celebrating the life and discoveries of Charles Darwin was selected by renowned doodle artist Joe Whale AKA The Doodle Boy who sprang to prominence after pictures of his work on the walls of a Shrewsbury restaurant went viral in 2019.
Sol is in Year 6 at Coleham Primary School and following in the artistic footsteps of Joe. who has since travelled the globe showing off his artistic skills.
The Darwin Doodle competition was organised by Darwin200, a non-profit dedicated to commemorating the 200th anniversary of the famous naturalist's ground-breaking voyage on HMS Beagle.
They were supported by the Darwin Centre in Wales, Shrewsbury Art Trail, the Soden Collection and Wakelet.
The competition invited children aged seven to 18 to submit doodles illustrating Darwin's evolutionary theories and adventures.
Andrew Fox, co-founder of Darwin200 and founder of artwork platform Artwork Platform Systems (APS) said: "There must be something in the water in Shrewsbury.
"There appears to be a disproportionate amount of artistic talent to go alongside the town's renowned scientific heritage. Of course, Charles Darwin himself hailed from Shrewsbury."
Joe Whale, whose doodle art has garnered international acclaim, said: "I was blown away by Sol's doodle and his creativity in capturing so many key aspects of Darwin's incredible journey and discoveries."
Whale was commissioned by Darwin200 in July 2023 to create his own special Darwin doodle ahead of the Oosterschelde tall ship setting sail on its global voyage retracing the path of the HMS Beagle.
The ship is serving as a floating lab for 200 "Young Darwin Leaders" from all over the world who are conducting experiments at the various ports Darwin visited.
As the Darwin Doodle winner, Sol Horne will receive Doodle Boy t-shirts, Darwin books and a trip for two to the Galapagos Islands to meet the tall ship which stays for a month. His doodle will also be featured on the Darwin200 website and social media channels.
Sol said: "I'm so excited and honoured to win this contest.
"Learning about Darwin's bold spirit of exploration and his amazing discoveries about evolution really inspired me.
"I can't wait to develop my doodling skills further and who knows, maybe unlock some new scientific insights of my own someday!"
Andrew Fox believes the abundance of youth scientific and artistic talent in Darwin's hometown bodes well for inspiring future generations.
"Charles Darwin showed us the incredible insights that can emerge from closely observing the world around us with curiosity and an open mind.
"With bright young talents like Sol leading the way, perhaps Shrewsbury will produce the next Darwin or uplift the arts to new heights of creativity."
Doodle boy Joe Whale said: "It took me quite a while to establish a winner. I went with Sol Horne from Shrewsbury.
"I think it was a very good piece of art. There is a lot of a lot of different points that I really liked - especially Darwin's presence in the picture, on the cardboard background, all the colours and his eyes especially drew me into the picture, as well as highlighting the different parts of Darwin's legacy.
"So all the wildlife and the plants and the flora and fauna that really made him look like a protector of wildlife, which is pretty much what he is".
Sol Horne says: "I was amazed when I heard I had won the Darwin200 Doodle competition. The most exciting part was winning a once in a lifetime adventure to the Galápagos Islands to see all the animals I love drawing.”
Jonathan Soden of Soden Collection says: “Sol's artwork is a testament to the boundless creativity that young minds possess.
"At just 10 years old, Sol has captured hearts and minds with their inspiring piece.
"Congratulations to Sol, and a heartfelt thanks to the Doodle Boy for recognising and celebrating their talent. The Galapagos Islands await, a fitting reward for such a remarkable achievement!”
Jess Richards, head of Shrewsbury Art Trail said: "Sol's doodle brilliantly captures the wonder and curiosity that fueled Darwin's voyage of discovery. It's inspiring to see a young artist from Darwin's hometown creating this vibrant celebration of evolution and adventure. Shrewsbury's artistic talent shines bright!"
Samantha Williams, head of the Darwin Centre in Wales, said: "We loved this entry by Sol. His use of colour and vast range of species offers us a glimpse into the imagination of a budding artist whilst also highlighting the important work of Charles Darwin who collected a range of plants, animals, and fossils on his voyage on the HMS Beagle whilst working towards his theory of natural selection and that all species are linked in a tree of life."
