Ari student takes top award

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 502, 7 September 1993, Page 1

Ari student takes top award

A daring use of flesh colours throughout Jane Mitchell's oil painting "Piers" was one of the things which impressed Ohakune Art Awards judge Judith Trevelleyan enough to choose the painting as the exhibition's Premier Award winner. She said she found the painting to be expressive and thoughtful, with a lovely compositionJShe said she was especially thrilled to leam that the artist was a student at the beginning of her artistic career. The painting is one of more than 150 works entered in the 15th annual Ohakune Art Awards exhibition, which was opened at the Ohakune Primary School hall on Sunday by Ruapehu mayor Garrick Workman. Mr Workman said it was pleasing to see the awards go from strength to strength. "It is great for the art awards, for the artists who want to show their work and for the district." He said it was good to see past junior award winners now winning some of the major prizes. Awards patron Bill T ay lor welcomed members of the Baigent family who attended the opening. He paid tribute to the late Elizabeth Baigent for her support for the awards through her very generous sponsorship in recent years but also her support through purchasesofpaintings andhelp with the actual setting up of the show each year. The premier award is now to be known as the Elizabeth Baigent Memorial Award.

Paul Hutchinson's "quirky" painting, which "took a less obvious view of ones self ' took the life study award with his Self Portrait With Elbows. The vibrant flesh tones all merged to produce a pleasing painting, said the judge. Open Award winners were: D L Robshaw's Twilight Dancers which was "vital, direct, thoughtful with subtle colours"; Stephen Templar's Fraser was avery distinctlikeness; and Peggy Jerram of

Taihape 's Early Taihape Image caught Mrs Trevelleyan'simagination. She said she liked the limited palette, low tones and vigorous brush work. It is easy to be impressive on a large scale with landscapes, but not so easy with small paintings, said Mrs Trevelleyan when talking of Richard Teua's The Lay OfThg Land - a landscape from the central Otago region, which won the Ruapehu District Award. j urn to page 3

Artawards

From page 1 O Far Out Man by Kane Pomare, reflected the influences of today on the youth, such as films and comics, which was totally appropriate for the Barnes Young Artist Award winner's entry. His painting was one he did as part of his sixth form art study. Mrs Trevelleyan said judging the awards was very different from look-

ing for a painting that you liked the best. "You are looking for a little more from an artist than you might find in a painting you want to hang on your wall. You are looking for an individual freshness of vision." "As well as the award winners there are many very fine, enjoyable paintings here, which I urge you to buy," she said.