Best in Show
Winner
“The Clearing”
by Sue Vance
Image 1: “The Clearing”
Image 2: Sue (LHS) and President Terry O’Keeffe
A diamond-shaped centre path leads the way into a smokey pink haze, and into the antithesis of a focal point, where a focus point ordinarily ought to be. The artist has created beautifully textured foliage through lovely use of brush strokes and mark making.
Best Still Life / Flora & Fauna
Winner
“Zebras”
by Amanda Nicoll
Well-rendered beasts with their monochrome patterned bodies sit calmly in striking contrast to an unfocused background. The warmth of the day is evident through the choice of colour palette, and the languid repose of the animals.
Highly Commended
“Proteas”
by Don Hammond
A highly striking choice of colours. The work is made more interesting by the artist’s confidence to crop the foliage on the left and resist any obligation to fit the subject within the constraints of the canvas sides. The work has been expertly executed.
Best Figure / Portrait
Winner
“Walking Home”
by Eddie Moses
A lovely work full of impressionistic intent through the use of colour and light. The artist has employed an X-shaped composition to great effect, with thoughtful details such as the light pole which contributes to the work’s balance.
Highly Commended
“Himself”
by Pam Herman
Well executed, the work conveys tenderness and warmth. A lack of sharpness suggests the split second before the sitter shifts and sits back, while the triangle of pattern at the mid to lower right mirrors an inverse triangle created by the back of the sitter’s neck.
Best Abstract / 3D
Winner
“Textured Vase”
by Wendy Swan
A textured belt wraps this lovely vase. The darker glaze has pooled beautifully in the belt grooves. The groove patterns are regular in their repetition but irregular in execution, evoking eroded B&W film footage flickering across a screen.
Highly Commended
“Moroccan Market”
by Jan Jeffrey
A compelling exploration of amorphous forms reminiscent of amphoras and other vessels. Negative space is as fluid as the positive spaces, and the artist has created well-balanced and intriguing forms that feel as though they might start shifting at any moment.
Best Landscape / Seascape
Winner
“Winter in Melbourne”
by Helene Oberman
Executed with a clearly experienced and confident hand, the artist has used the lithographic process to great effect, creating scrubby detail, and depth. The work has a lovely tonal range, effecting an eerie atmosphere brimming with familiarity.
Highly Commended
“Old City, Tallinn”
by Paul Evans
Excellent composition; the artist leads the viewer’s eye around the full canvas employing visual pathways and balance. The long shadows and cool colours evoke a chilly, but bright, northern European day, and the shadowed areas of the branches are well executed.
Hangers' Prize
Winner
“Hunting Boat”
by Brendan Hackett
Image 1: “Hunting Boat”
Image 2: Brendan and President Terry O’Keeffe
This was a piece that we emphatically agreed on – The Skill, Materials, Asymmetry, Drama, and sense of narrative. Just timeless. Satisfying and powerful.
