Show runs from: Friday 17th - Friday 24th January, 2025
Online Show: 19th - 26th January, 2025
BEST EXHIBIT (any medium) #1646 Low Tide, St Paul's Beach, Jo-Anne Seberry
This pastel painting shows an artist in full control of her medium. The subtle use of warm and cool colour and restrained tonal extension enrich the sense of aerial perspective, creating a convincing sense of space and light. The many textures of land, sea and cliff are skilfully managed throughout while exploiting the natural charm of soft pastel's inherent characteristics. The artist has achieved a delicate and harmonious lace-like quality across the surface, unifying and enhancing the success of this work. A very worthy winner.
BEST MORNINGTON PENINSULA SCENE #1534 Diamond Bay, Mornington Vivi Palegeorge
The direct and clean application of oil paint drew my attention in this work. The effect of sunlight is well depicted while a sense of movement is achieved in the water by confident brushwork and well-seen transitions of colour and tone. I was also impressed by the nature of the composition and it's relatively intimate focus on foreground elements in this work.
BEST OIL #1658 Flinders Cliffs Peter Smales
A powerful and commanding painting executed with great skill and understanding. The artist's skill is easily seen in the confidence of his economical mark-making, the clarity of colour arising from exceptional observation, the direct hit of the brush and the sense of immediacy of application. A very impressive work.
BEST ACRYLIC #1517 Passing Through Country Susan O'Brien
I was drawn to this work by the interplay of representational and abstract elements of landscape. A tactile work of incidental and intimate surface interest contrasted by broad tonal planes, this composition is enhanced by a wider landscape concept and sense of aerial perspective. A very satisfying composition.
BEST WATERCOLOUR #1059 Pellestrina, Venice John Orlando Birt
A beautiful essay in limited colour and tone. There is a real dignity to this painting, and a wonderful sense of atmosphere, light and depth achieved by the artist's control and understanding of tone and silhouette. A fine water colour indeed.
BEST DRAWING and/or OTHER MEDIUM #1546 In Amongst the Banksias
A very pleasing work and fine example of printmaking. The strong diagonal on the left lends much to the design and composition, enhanced by the engaging and convincing textures of feather and banksia. A worthy winner.
BEST PASTEL #1758 A Perfect Day Maxwell Wilks
A dynamic and energetic application of the pastel medium enhances this colourful composition. The vertical landscape format is always a challenge and the artist invites the viewer into this work via the central light passage of sand and wave. The play of cast shadows on the sand discreetly links the foreground rocks to the mass of vegetation on the upper right and invites the viewer to explore further. With pleasing and rich colour throughout. This is a very successful work.
BEST CONTEMPORARY #1767 Inlet Dunes Ray Wilson
This strong and confident painting exposes nature's intrinsic abstraction and the artist's reasoned interest in the visual and natural appearances. Slicing diagonal planes of light and shade play together in reflection while contrasted and stabilised by a strategic and static horizontal in this well-seen and well-chosen subject.
BEST ABSTRACT #1302 Ironbark#13
A very engaging piece with carefully managed washes and applications. The fascination of the ironbark and it's natural characteristics are effectively conveyed in this pleasing two-dimensional work. Well done.
BEST VCE Artwork Alice Rose 2024 by Naomi Lee
I was particularly impressed by this artist's commitment to the portrait as an art form. She has shown much skill and ability in managing the many difficulties that arise in depicting the portrait head seen both in monochrome and colour. Each work represents a different characteristic of the model sympathetically and engages the viewer's natural human response. Great work.
