National Art prize winner reveals how birds inspired award-winning artwork

A 10-year-old artist from Rosanna’s unusual love of widely hated birds may have helped her take out two prizes at a national art competition. See her works here.

Tarah Cox, 10, with her colourful art pieces. Picture: Hamish Blair

Tarah Cox’s unorthodox love of magpies may have helped her win multiple awards in a National art prize.

The 10-year-old Rosanna artist received the first runner up award in both the drawing and painting categories for the Youth Australian Art Awards.

“I was very shocked to win,” Tarah said.

Her winning works, Australian Birdlife and Burst With Colour were created with acrylic and pastels and depicted bright, colourful birds.

“I was inspired by my love of birds, my favourite bird is a magpie,” Tarah said.

She said a family of magpies visit her balcony and she routinely fed them.

“I draw a lot of magpies and I wanted to branch out, so I drew a rainbow lorikeet,” she said.

Tarah’s mum, Sharon Kelly, is an art and drama teacher and said she was thrilled with her daughter’s win.

“It’s so great to see the passion for art come out in my daughter,” Ms Kelly said.

“She’s normally quite shy and quiet but when she won the award she was beaming.”

Tarah said her mum’s penchant for art influenced her love of drawing.

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“I have my own style of drawing though,” she said.

Unsurprisingly, Tarah said her favourite subject at St Martin of Tours Primary School was art.

“I love drawing dragons and Pablo Picasso is my favourite artist, I like his abstract stuff,” she said.

Tarah now has her sights set on the Archibald Junior Prize.

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