Variety praised at Art Awards

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 404, 17 September 1991, Page 1

Variety praised at Art Awards

Variety and individuality are the trademarks of entries in this year's Ohakune Art Awards, on display all this week at the Ohakune Primary School. Ninety-seven artists registered works in this year's competition, the number slightly up on previous years. Local artists featured strongly, taking prizes in all categories. Ohakune resident Luci Harrison won the Waimarino District Award, with former Awards patron Dot Barnes taking the Life Study award. Another well-known Waimarino artist, Dennis Fryer, Turnpage2

Variety in Art Awards praised

From page 1 won in the Open Class category. The Premier Award winner, Mervyn Turner of Taupo, won. with his study entitled 'Ruapehu Landscape', portrayed in water colours. Convenor Ellen Gould

said this year's entries were wide-ranging in subject and medium. "It is wonderful to see so much variety in work that people have put something of themselves into," she said. Both Mrs Gould and this year's judge, former

president of the Academy of Fine Arts Brian Carmody, expressed disappointment at the lack of entries for the Barnes Young Artist Award. Only two entries were received. The winner - Stephen Templer, an art student of Marton

- received a monetary prize and next year's tuition fees for Wanganui Polytechnic payed in full. His fourth time as judge of the competition, Mr Carmody was generous in his praise of individual winners and

the overall standard of this year's entries. He described painting as a "very personal experience, representing life and scenes surrounding the artist." Another guest, former Ohakune Mayor Bill Taylor, thanked organisers Margaret Home and

Ellen Gould, as well as sponsors Elizabeth Baigent and the Ruapehu District Council for their input. Ruapehu District ' Mayor Garrick Workman said the Council was proud to support both the Ohakune Art Awards and the King Country

Art Exhibition. Mrs Gould commended the efforts of care-taking staff, Ruapehu Lions, and "a million people out there behind the actual committee" for the enormous undertaking of preparing for the exhibition.