A Bourke artist is among the winners of Dunedoo's Art Unlimited 2022 competition, which opened last Friday.
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Merren Turnbull's 'Run for Your Money' was chosen out of 200 entries to take out the ABC Western Plains Prize, which best depicted the western region.
A large and enthusiastic crowd of 240 people attended the opening night of the exhibition at Dunedoo to applaud the winners and admire 300 entries from artists, photographers and ceramicists from across Australia.
After thanking the judges and sponsors and acknowledging the contribution of the school's food technology students who made and served delicious finger food, he introduced Member for Barwon Roy Butler to officially open the exhibition.
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Roy Butler paid tribute to the volunteers and Lions Club members who each year make the event possible.
He praised the quality of the works on show and expressed admiration for the way they were presented.
This was his second experience of Art Unlimited and he said not only were the works exhibited of an exceptionally high standard, but the positive vibe of the guests in the hall made the evening even more special.
Mid-North Coast artist Rod Spicer was named the major regional art prize winner taking home the $3000 Peabody Wilpinjong Prize for Hanging Art.
Rod's oil painting 'At Strike-a-Light (Property)' was by judge Lizzy Galloway, Gallery Curator at Mudgee Art Precinct.
She described the work as "a beautifully executed landscape which highlights the artist's confident use of oil paint, varnish and palette knives".
"There is an underlying understanding and love for the Australian countryside. I was drawn to the Australian impressionist style and the nod to Tom Roberts' use of blue and golden hues," Ms Galloway said.
Rod Spicer lives in the historic village of Tinonee on the Manning River near Taree.
He describes his work as depicting "a romance with country life, initiated by remembrance with thoughts from my past emerging as images".
The images he says are so intense that they become feelings he is urged to create.
Dubbo was among other works that were highly commended in the Hanging Art category with 'Isaac' by Jaymee Hyland, along with 'Country Link' by Don Talintyre of Appin, and 'Approaching Storm' by Eugenia Dunlevie of Newcastle.
Winner of the $3000 RES Prize for photography was Kate Barclay of Canowindra for her work titled 'Hibiscus Ballet'.
Highly commended were 'Desert Illumination' by Andrew Batey of Terrigal, 'Bawi-li Dhunbarrbila-li dhuwarr' by Lorraine King of Coonamble and 'Portrait in Clay' by Lise Edwards of Lithgow.
Susie McMeekin of Katoomba won the $3000 Art Unlimited Ceramics Prize for her 'Snow on basalt vase', while highly commended in this category were Geoff Thomas of Gilgandra for 'Anagama Jar', Anne Mossman of Elanora for 'Raining Celebrations' and Pamela Welsh of Mudgee for 'The Princess and the Glass Piano 1'.
Deutscher Contracting packing room prize was won by Pauline Welfare of Portland for ceramic work 'Dragonfly Pot 1' and the Janace Holmes Family Memorial prize was won by Geraldine Taylor of Peakhurst for her artwork 'Dawn Guardian'.
The Dunedoo Rural Hardware People's Choice prize will be announced when votes are counted at the end of the exhibition on Sunday, May 29.
Judges were Lizzy Galloway, Gallery Curator of the Mudgee Art Precinct, Jude Morrell, photographer, film-maker and teacher of photography at Dubbo TAFE, and Peter Wilson, internationally-acclaimed potter and senior lecturer in creative arts at Charles Sturt University Bathurst.
The exhibition will be open again this Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29 from 9.30am - 4pm (3pm Sunday).