Winners of 2018 Rockingham Art Awards

This year’s winners are: • Local Resident Award $1500 - Andy Quilty for Winston (Young One) #2 • Youth Award $1500 -  Kitman Pik Chee Yeung for A Dancer • Emerging Award $2500 - Eugene O’Sullivan for Imago Mundi ll • Heritage Award $4000 (acquisitive for 2018) - Joanne Duffy for Hope, Escape to the Catalpa. • Indigenous Award $4000 - Theresa Walley for Wetj • Open Award $5000 (acquisitive) - Tusif Ahmad for Tree of Life

Mayor Barry Sammels announced the category awards to an audience of dignitaries, artists and local art lovers.

Judges Susan Ecker and Nalda Searles noted that the variety of media used in finalist works made their job difficult but created an interesting selection of category winners whose works included paper cut, drawing, oil and acrylic painting as well as mixed media.

Theresa Walley, who opened the exhibition with a traditional welcome to country, was named the indigenous award winner.

The judges remarked on the ‘extraordinary craftmanship’ of Tusif Ahmad’s work Tree of Life, the composition of Imago Mundi ll, the ‘painterly technique’ used by Joanne Duffy, and Theresa Walley’s unique ‘interpretation of a traditional image’.

With over 100 finalists, the judges were conflicted when deciding the six category winners so they also presented a highly commended award to Paul Green for his work Hard Times from the local category. Finalist artworks are on display now at the Gary Holland Community Centre and Rockingham Arts Centre until 19 May 2018.

Photo:  Prize winner of the Open Award, Tusif Ahmad, with his paper cutting work Tree of Life.