THE WINNER has been announced for an online competition hosted by the Quay Arts and Isle of Wight Steam Railway to celebrate the latter's 50th anniversary of moving from Newport to Havenstreet.

As part of the Off the Rails exhibition, artists were invited to submit work in response to ideas around preservation, displacement and memory.

Works included painting, drawing, mixed media, digital, print, text and sculpture, and all of the artists' work can be viewed on the Quay Arts website.

On Monday, February 15, Steve Miles was announced as the winner via social media and will hold a future solo show in the Clayden Gallery as a prize.

In addition, IW Steam Railway will be giving the artist unlimited travel on its trains for one year.

Steve's Off the Rails submission included two series of digital works, composed of eight separate pieces to represent bold graffiti on subway trains.

Speaking about his inspiration, he said: “Kids living in hard times used their imagination and creativity to produce moving vibrant (public) work, it was a way of feeling they existed and a way out of the gang culture of the times.

"If you can think past the fact it was illegal and understand the world they were living in, hopefully you will find it just as beautiful and amazing as myself.

"In such desperate and hard times, they found a way to be constructive and creative, giving birth to an amazing artform.”

The selection was made by Georgia Newman, Quay Arts’ visual arts manager, Ian Whitmore, Quay Arts’ learning, education and workshops manager, and John Paton, Havenstreet’s museum curator.