Easter Exhibition 2015 – Wrap Up & Results

Figure-it-now

Visual Arts Award for Best Human Figure sponsored by anonymous sponsors

Judge Peter Biram’s Comments: The criteria for judging the works are based on the following questions: Does the work reflect a TIME & PLACE? ie. Is the work relevant? Is the work reflective & relevant in 2015? In other words, is it contemporary?

Highly Commended
Title: ‘Bacchante II’
Artist: Marian Quigley
Comments: Excellent play of colour & shape to convey form.

2nd Prize
Title: ‘Beach Girl’
Artist: Bill Binks
Comments: The figure conveys a sense of humour and fun.

1st Prize
Title: ‘ Figure from 1950’
Artist: Heather Fahnle
Comments: Even though the title reads ‘Figure from 1950’, the materials and placement of the tiles give the piece a very contemporary feel.

Themed Award – ‘A Sense of Place’- sponsored by PurpleX

Highly Commended
Title: ‘Gorse at Sunset No. 2’
Artist: Julie Adam
Comments: The ‘expression’ of the sunset in the reflection of the water
against the shapes of the ‘water plants’ describe the feeling of a time
and place well.

Equal Winners
(i) Title: ‘Western Port no. 1403 ‘Day’’
Artist: Warren Nichols
Comments: This painting is engorged in a strong sense of ‘LIGHT’.
Many times I have driven along the coast road towards Melbourne and
looked towards Phillip Island across the water late in the afternoon. This
painting both captures the PLACE, TIME and the mood of the LIGHT
(the sun setting and ‘dancing’ of the water).

(II) Title: ‘Yellow Beach’
Artist: Marian Quigley
Comments: This painting captures the ‘heat of a summer’s day’. That is
to say the broad colours in flat form breaks down the elements to basic
form and expresses a hot summer’s day at the beach – the HOT SAND,
BLUE SKY.

Peoples’ Choice Award:

‘Smiths Beach’ by Jenny Jackson

Raffle Winners

1st Prize: Watercolour by Diana Edwards – Elise Rizzato
2nd Prize: Dinner Voucher from The Palms Restaurant, Kaloha Resort – Gay Mosby
3rd Prize: Easter Basket – Dave Mosby.

FIN Writing Awards 2015

Sponsors: Paul Watson & Lois Gaskin of Turn the Page Bookshop & Lesla Saraghi, arts patron

Judge’s Comments (Judith Morrison)

Firstly, let me state that I believe most judges of writing competitions are subjective in the decisions they make! This is the case with me. I chose the voices that spoke to me. The poems and short stories were very varied on what the human experience can be and reflective of the human experience. I read each submission three times.

Short Story – Winner
‘A Christmas Story ‘ by Christine Grayden – was extremely evocative . It highlighted many aspects of what is to be human i.e. love, loss, violence, the impact of emotional vulnerability that a parents can have on children, the place of women in the home. I felt the story, while placed in the past, is still very relevant today, especially around domestic violence.

Poetry – 2 Winners
‘Cabinet of Bones’ by Josephine Allen & ‘On Art’ by Heather Tobias

‘Cabinet of Bones’ – I found very powerful and my reading of it placed it in a cultural environment that also evoked, love, loss, violence and emotional vulnerability. It bought to mind issues of being exiled in one’s own land, loss of language, a denial of one’s history – profound human experiences.

‘On Art’ – I also found this poem very evocative. It highlights the contrast between artificiality in life, and the surprises that spring up in life. This can often consolidate dreams in the pursuit of what can bring meaning to an individual, as a way of self-expression.