Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award winners and their artworks – from previous years.
Winners of the 2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award
The award-winning artworks
2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award Prizewinners:
Lysaght Watt Trust FIRST OVERALL AWARD – $3000:
Nour Hassan (Auckland) for Beat
Beat reflects a period I struggled with addiction. My interpretation of the theme ‘Rising’ is using your struggles to elevate you to another place.
“This whole experience has been so surreal. It means so so much to me. I feel I can begin to take myself seriously as an artist and work harder.
“In this tiny little corner of the world I found the support I needed and I am so thankful for it.
“What you guys are doing is amazing. It really is. I am so thankful.” – Nour Hassan
Meremere / Ohangai Rural Women HIGHLY COMMENDED 2D AWARD – $500:
Joon-Hee Park (Auckland) for Sweet Dreams II
I explore my childhood memories and dreams through my art. I wanted to float away with my squishy meringues, into my sweet dream, and rise above all the worries and fear.
“After a long, stressful day, this is the most fabulous news to hear. So amazing, I am speechless.
“I am with you tonight as it is a self-portrait… I am always the main object in my artwork as I paint about my dreams and my childhood memories.
“Thank you so much.” – Joon-Hee Park
Neil Walker & Family HIGHLY COMMENDED 3D AWARD -$500:
Blue W Black (Dunedin) for Repotted
I retreat to the studio. Troubled, obsessed with making flowers, symbolic of peace, love and beauty as plants rising from the earth.
Blue is presently in hospital and was unable to throw enough words together – other than being delighted about the news, and the pleasure of having had the opportunity to exhibit her work.
Greaves Electrical COMMENDED 2D AWARD – $250:
Sophie Joy Prendergast (Auckland) for Transition
A youthful woman, hair flowing like a river, she feels weightless. The world is her oyster and for this she will rise like the tide and take on the wonders that the world has to offer her.
“Thank you so much and what a wonderful surprise this is. After three and a half years travelling, it was time to come home and get some stability back into my life – so I decided to focus on my art and the art world and putting myself out there. So by entering this competition, I have definitely “felt the fear and done it anyway”!
“This photograph is of my sister with whom I have reconnected after being away for so long. I feel I have captured her blossoming from a child into womanhood and the emotions are captured by her facial expressions.” – Sophie Joy Prendergast
Beccard Motors COMMENDED 3D AWARD – $250:
Di West (Opua, Northland) for Star Finder
Star Finder is a bronze stylised narrative sculpture. A figure rises on a sky ladder to collect a golden star amongst the clouds. He is clearly rising to the challenge.
“For me, art is about observing. I am often deeply influenced by thing and events around me; as an artist, my endeavour is to interpret my reactions and thoughts into paintings and sculpture.
“My focus is always one of optimism, with a touch of humour and playfulness. Most often the titles for my artworks are the catalyst for the creation; its words and metaphors are what I find interesting and take inspiration from.
“In my sculpture I am fascinated by line, form and balance… all my art has a narrative.” – Di West
Tandem Group LOCAL ARTIST AWARD – $250:
Jean Finer (Hawera) for On, Upward Through the Herb-fields
The sensation of ‘Rising’ is nowhere more striking than that in climbing our lovely mountain. Up through the vegetation zones of forest, scrub, tussock zone, to the beautiful, airy natural rock-gardens of the herb and moss fields.
“There is so much amazing work in the Gallery, so it was a wonderful surprise to receive this award.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on the mountain, and this painting depicts those happy times.
“Thank you to the Gallery for the wonderful exhibition.” – Jean Finer
Normanby Fibreglass PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – $250:
Teresa Buhler (Patea) for Rising Eventers
We have rising cliffs, rising heads and a bright future of 3 rising eventers.
This prize is awarded at the end of the exhibition to the artwork with the most votes from the public.
Award Ceremony & Winners
Photos / Hawera Camera Club
All Entries
Opening Night
Photos / Hawera Camera Club
A huge thank you to our 2018 Sponsors:
Winners of the 2017 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award
Theme: Yin Yang
Lysaght Watt Trust Award First Overall Winner
Mark Rayner – Shadow Man
“in spite of its function as a reservoir for human darkness – or perhaps because of this – the shadow is the seat of creativity”
– Carl Jung
We had some very creative interpretations of the theme this year, with entries coming from all over the country.
This year’s Award was judged by Greg Donson, Curator and Public Programmes Manager for the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui. The gala awards evening was a great success, attended by approximately 70 guests.
The overall winner was Mark Rayner from Whanganui with a latch-hook wool rug on canvas, depicting the dark and light sides of his personality.
All 2017 award winners:
Lysaght Watt Trust Award First Overall Prize – $3000 – Presented by Preston Bulfin
Mark Rayner from Whanganui – Shadow Man
Meremere/Ohangai Rural Women 2D Highly Commended Award – $500
Bridget Allen from Christchurch – The Neighbour Came Over To Borrow The Lawnmower
Greaves Electrical 2D Commended Award – $250
Claudia Recorean from Tauranga – The Good, The Bad, And Everything In Between
Neil Walker Family 3D Highly Commended Award – $500
Claire Jensen from Opunake – Tubular Yin Yang
Beccard Motors 3D Commended Award – $250
Sandra Grieve from Whanganui – Entwined
Busing Russell Local Artist Award – $250
Cecilia Russell from Hawera – There’s two sides to every story, except a Möbius band
Normanby Fibreglass People’s Choice Award – $250
Leonie Sharp – Kotahitanga
The award-winning artworks:
Click on any image to enlarge & view image gallery.
First Overall Winner: Shadow Man by Mark Rayner
Meremere/Ohangai Rural Women 2D Highly Commended Award: The Neighbour Came Over To Borrow The Lawnmower by Bridget Allen
Neil Walker Family 3D Highly Commended Award: Tubular Yin Yang by Claire Jensen
Greaves Electrical 2D Commended Award: The Good, The Bad, And Everything In Between by Claudia Recorean
Beccard Motors 3D Commended Award: Entwined by Sandra Grieve
Busing Russell Local Artist Award: There are two sides to every story, except a Möbius strip by Cecilia Russell
Normanby Fibreglass People’s Choice Award: Kotahitanga by Leonie Sharp
Our Sponsors:
Winners of the 2016 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award
Theme: Daily Life
All 2016 Award Winners:
The Lysaght Watt Trust Prize
ANGELA SEFTON from New Plymouth
The Meremere / Ohangai Rural Women NZ Prize
RACHAEL BURKE from Auckland
The Beccard Motors Prize
REBECCA STEWART from Christchurch
The Neil & Helen Walker Highly Commended Prize One
ALEX PEARCE from Hamilton
The Neil & Helen Walker Highly Commended Prize Two
SHARON PAINTER-ARPS from Porirua
The Lynne Walker Local Artist Prize
MARK BELLRINGER from Eltham, South Taranaki
The People’s Choice Award was Pauline Allomes of Whanganui with her piece 95 years of Daily Life.
Winners of the 2015 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award
Theme: Self Portrait
All 2015 Award Winners:
Lysaght Watt Trust Overall First Prize Award – $3000
MEREDITH MARSONE from Dunedin
Meremere/Ohangai Rural Women ‘Public Choice’ Award $250
Hawera Rotary Trust 3D Highly Commended Award – $500
ANDRE BRONNIMANN from Wanganui
N & H Walker 2D Highly Commended Award – $500
ALEX PEARCE from Hamilton
Lynne Walker Local Artist Award – $250
SHARON LLOYD from Patea
Beccard Motors 2D Commended Award – $250
ANTONIA O’MAHONY from New Plymouth
Meremere/Ohangai Rural Women 3D Commended Award – $250
ALICE COWDREY from New Plymouth