ID :
208884
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 16:17
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/208884
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Stevens wins Portia Geach Award
SYDNEY (AAP) - Braidwood, NSW-based artist Kate Stevens has won the 2011 Portia Geach Memorial Award - Australia's most prestigious female arts prize.
The 31-year-old collected the $18,000 prize at the official opening of the exhibition for her portrait, Indian Dream, of animator, video and street artist Willy Bernardoff, in Sydney on Thursday night.
Already a finalist in 2009, Stevens topped a field of 52 portraits painted from life of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters and Sciences, to take out this year's top place.
Talking about her portrait, Stevens said: "This painting is about the dream of India - the romanticisation of the East. The epic road trip as a rite of passage; the idea of something surpassing the actual experience of it.
"It is about pin-ups and Bollywood soundtracks; about boys and bikes; about longing and wanderlust, and beauty and dust and distance," she said.
Jane Watters, speaking on behalf of the judging panel, said: "The winning artist has achieved an accomplished painting which brings the sitter to life on canvas.
"This bold and audacious portrait demonstrates an understanding of tonal painting and use of colour and the judges were in agreement that Kate Stevens is a deserved recipient of the 2011 Portia Geach Memorial Award."
Michelle Dawson was also highly commended by the judges for her Sparrow Man with its compelling and memorable imagery, strong composition and painterly application.
Prominent Australians painted for this year's exhibition include actress Rebecca Gibney, jockey Glen Boss, politician Pru Goward and retired High Court Judge Michael Kirby.
* The 2011 Portia Geach Memorial Award Exhibition is at the S.H. Ervin Gallery, in The Rocks and runs from September 23 - November 6
* The exhibition will tour to the Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah from February 3 to March 18, 2012.
The 31-year-old collected the $18,000 prize at the official opening of the exhibition for her portrait, Indian Dream, of animator, video and street artist Willy Bernardoff, in Sydney on Thursday night.
Already a finalist in 2009, Stevens topped a field of 52 portraits painted from life of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters and Sciences, to take out this year's top place.
Talking about her portrait, Stevens said: "This painting is about the dream of India - the romanticisation of the East. The epic road trip as a rite of passage; the idea of something surpassing the actual experience of it.
"It is about pin-ups and Bollywood soundtracks; about boys and bikes; about longing and wanderlust, and beauty and dust and distance," she said.
Jane Watters, speaking on behalf of the judging panel, said: "The winning artist has achieved an accomplished painting which brings the sitter to life on canvas.
"This bold and audacious portrait demonstrates an understanding of tonal painting and use of colour and the judges were in agreement that Kate Stevens is a deserved recipient of the 2011 Portia Geach Memorial Award."
Michelle Dawson was also highly commended by the judges for her Sparrow Man with its compelling and memorable imagery, strong composition and painterly application.
Prominent Australians painted for this year's exhibition include actress Rebecca Gibney, jockey Glen Boss, politician Pru Goward and retired High Court Judge Michael Kirby.
* The 2011 Portia Geach Memorial Award Exhibition is at the S.H. Ervin Gallery, in The Rocks and runs from September 23 - November 6
* The exhibition will tour to the Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah from February 3 to March 18, 2012.
