2025 Awards
Best In Show
Artist: David Taylor
Title: “Shades Of Evening Weymouth Harbour”
Judge’s Comments: An exceptional traditional watercolour. The transparent washes carefully overlaid to create luminous atmospheric study reminiscent of the romantic JMW Turner.
Its restrained tonality and sophisticated composition results in a work showing complete control of the medium, where forms subtly dissolve and appear while not over-stating the subject.
Best Non Traditional
Artist: Matthew Petrucci
Title: “Secret Rendezvous #3”
Judge’s Comments: A deceptively simple design which cleverly mixes pure abstraction with figurative elements – its obvious strength is gained from the saturation of hot colour.
Best Traditional
Artist: Peter Smales
Title: “Point Roadknight Glimpse from Urquharts Bluff”
Judge’s Comments: Peter is an impressionist of the highest integrity. His plein air method of working directly from the motif is itself problematic and fraught with difficulties.
Decisions have to be made between the palette and the work, and the subsequent freshness of his vision produces accurate tonal and colour range – which could be lost in studio work.
His brush work is spontaneous and gives the work its life and sparkle.
Best Non Traditional Under $1500
Artist: Robert Knight
Title: “Eucalypt Evening”
Judge’s Comments: A small and unpretentious study which works equally as well as abstraction and atmospheric realism.
A lovely feeling for the paint surface.
Best Traditional Under $1500
Artist: Julian Bruere
Title: “Rustic Abandonment”
Judge’s Comments: This study of an unremarkable rustic subject belies extraordinary draughtsmanship; his calligraphic handling of form is completely descriptive of time and place. He seeks out the every day to produce the extraordinary.
Best Oil/Acrylic
Artist: Frank Chi
Title: “Relaxing”
Judge’s Comments: This is what I describe as a formal studio life study in the academic tradition. The naked figure is the most difficult of subjects and as such has been used for centuries. This work shows faultless anatomical structure and beautiful technique. It recalls the studies of George Bell and Charles Wheeler – it has a timeless quality and could’ve been painted 100 years ago.
Best Watercolour
Artist: Herman Pekel
Title: “Studley Park”
Judge’s Comments: A vibrant, fresh and broadly handled study of light and atmosphere. Its simplicity of form and composition is its great strength,
Best Oil/Acrylic Under $1500
Artist: Joe Blundell
Title: “Forest Light (Study 2)”
Judge’s Comments: A fine painter – his love of paint surface and painterly application is complemented by an equally sensitive depiction of bush.
Best Watercolour Under $1500
Artist: Nina Volk
Title: “Melbourne University End of Autumn”
Judge’s Comments: A loose and direct sketch using the water colour medium to advantage in an unlaboured directness of technique.
Best Pastel Under $1500
Artist: Diane Hill
Title: “Summer at Lake King Metung”
Judge’s Comments: A confidently handled pastel broadly laid down in a medium which often becomes too tightly controlled in detail. A clever design simply and effectively stated.
Senior Art Suplies Best Drawing Award
Artist: Sarah Acland
Title: “Walking Tree”
Judge’s Comments: A clever study of a tree root system which takes on almost human form in its design. The differing handling of textures is very successful.
Highly Commended
Ray Hewitt – “The Boat Builder”
Harris Smith – “Touch Of Light”
Angelo Quabba – “Sorrento”
Hong Fu – “Venice 3”
Lisa Wang – “Art In Stone”
Amanda Hyatt – “Cornwall”
Joanne Seberry – “Low Tide St Pauls Beach”
Joanne Jemmeson – “Home Harvest”