‘Spur of the moment’ entry lands artist $15K prize
See who won the top prize at the 45th Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards.
Gladstone
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gladstone. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A BUNDABERG artist has won the top prize at the prestigious 45th Rio Tinto Martin Hanson awards on the weekend.
Bundaberg artist Marlies Oakley won the coveted Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Award for her artwork Physical Distancing, taking home the top prize of $15,000.
Judge Sue Smith said Physical Distancing perfectly represented how the world has been "turned upside down" in 2020.
"Our world has been turned upside down this year as Marlies suggests in her original interpretation of the impact of the global pandemic," Ms Smith said.
"The hand-cutting and assembling of this work was no doubt a time-consuming process.
"The theme is ultimately sobering, but the work has small touches of humour throughout and reminds us of earlier good times which we certainly hope will return."
Ms Oakey, who was entering the awards for a 10th year, said she initially forgot about the awards, which drastically cut down her time to work on a piece for submission.
"This year has been so upside down with COVID I only started work with two weeks to go," she said.
"So over four days I put my collage together - it was spur of the moment."
Ms Oakley said she would save her $15,000 prize money and use it to visit her father in Germany once travel restrictions were lifted.
Gladstone region Mayor Matt Burnett praised all those involved who made the awards come to fruition given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19.
Gladstone region Councillor and Regional Arts Development Fund chair Glenn Churchill reminded people to vote in the QAL People's Choice Awards between now and November 26 and that all artworks would be on display at GRAGM until January 30, 2021.
"It's now time for the public to have their say on what they believe is the best artwork from the 45th Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards by voting in the QAL People's Choice Awards," he said.
The voting kiosks at GRAGM will be open between now and 5pm on Thursday, 26 November.
The 45th Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards winners list:
The Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Award ($15,000) Marlies Oakley Physical Distancing
The Pamela Whitlock Memorial Acquisitive Award Sponsored by Gladstone Regional Council
($5000) Elena Churilova Wild Swans (Bajool Weir)
The Pieter Groen-int-woud Memorial Young Emerging Artist Award Sponsored by Multitrade
($1500) Katie Hovelroud Plants and Humans
The Local Murri Artist Award Sponsored by Elizabeth & Leo Zussino ($1250) Wendy McNeil
Carnival of Flowers
The Gail Sellers Local Artist Award ($1000) Irene Sparks After the Rain
The Installers Choice Award Sponsored by Laureen Tkacik ($500) Andrea Farrow Plucky
Pelicans
SECTION 1: EASEL PAINTINGS
The Gladstone Area Water Board Award ($2000) Suyee Clifford Harbour City 2020
The Gladstone Regional Council Award ($1000) Andrea Chapman The Race Plan
The Helmut Breckwoldt Award Sponsored by Gladstone Picture Framing and Art Materials
($500) Genoveva Verity-Armero Lara
SECTION 2: WORKS ON PAPER
The Australia Pacific LNG Award ($2000) Doug Spowart HOME
The Natalia Muszkat Award ($1000) Carmen Beezley-Drake Outback Road
The Creative Gladstone Region Inc. Award ($500) Victoria Cooper Being Present
SECTION 3: THREE DIMENSIONAL & FIBRE WORKS
The Queensland Energy Resources (QER) Award ($2000) Veronika Zeil Echo Forest - Black
Summer
The Classic Hits 4CC Award ($1000) Janette Strudwick mid-summer-meltdown
The CQUniversity Award $500 Andreia Pereira Persephone
SECTION 4: DIGITAL WORKS
The Newprint HRG Award ($2000) Luke Graham Chasing Gold
The Southern Cross Austereo Award ($1000) Emma Thorp "0 to 10"
The Crow Street Creative Award $500 Christine Krebs Don't Leave Earth Without It.
‘Steadily burning’ fire near electricity towers on Fitzroy River in inaccessible country
Firefighters are at the scene of a vegetation fire that is in inaccessible country along the Fitzroy River with the smoke blowing across the water and in to Depot Hill.
The Palaszczuk supporters who have abandoned Steven Miles
An exclusive Courier-Mail poll reveals many of the voters who helped an Annastacia Palaszczuk-led Labor secure victory at the last state election have returned to the LNP.