Winners of the 2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award

The award-winning artworks

2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award First Overall Winner: ‘Beat’ by Nour Hassan.

2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award Highly Commended 3D Winner: ‘Repotted’ by Blue W Black.

2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award Highly Commended 2D Winner: ‘Sweet Dreams II’ by Joon-Hee Park

2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award Commended 2D Winner: ‘Transition’ by Sophie Joy Prendergast

2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award Commended 3D Winner: ‘Star Finder’ by Di West

2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award Local Artist Winner: ‘On, Upward Through the Herb-fields’ by Jean Finer

2018 Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award People’s Choice Award Winner: ‘Rising Eventers’ by Teresa Buhler

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.