Year 12 student Ruby Wilson from St. John’s Sixth Form is making waves in the creative world - winning a national art competition and earning a coveted place at the London Screen Academy.
Ruby was recently announced as a winner in the Royal Academy of Art’s Young Artists’ Exhibition, beating more than 21,000 applicants from across the UK. Her winning piece, a vibrant portrait inspired by the powerful women in her life, reflects both her personal identity and deep emotional expression. The work was modelled by her friend and hairdresser and uses bright colours to symbolise her personality.
However, Ruby’s talents extend far beyond the canvas. Since the age of five, she has been involved with Jack Drum Arts in Crook, where she now volunteers behind the scenes. She’s also played a key role in film projects in collaboration with the British Film Institute, with her work being showcased at the Sunderland Short Film Festival — not only as an actor and writer but also as a makeup artist and co-director.
Ruby’s creative journey has recently reached new heights, she’s been accepted onto a highly competitive makeup prosthetics and wigs course at the London Screen Academy, where only 20 students across the UK were selected. She’s attended masterclasses with leading industry experts like Erika Ökvist (Bridgerton) and Guy Common (Cabaret and film makeup).
At school, Ruby is continuing to give back - currently painting the backdrop for the school’s production of Frozen. Her success comes as St. John’s proudly celebrates its recent Gold Artsmark Award, recognising the school’s commitment to arts education.
Assistant Headteacher, Natalie Rose, commented:
"Ruby is an exceptional student whose creativity, work ethic, and courage to be herself are truly inspiring. Her future in the creative industries looks incredibly bright."
Ruby added, “Be tenacious. Ask for opportunity and achieve what you deserve. There's no harm in asking.”