6th Gawler Art Award Winners Announced

Winner: Best Work Overall, "Winter Sun" by Gerhard Ritter.

The winners of the 6th Gawler Art Award were announced on Sunday 19th of August at the official opening of the exhibition which welcomed about 80 visitors to the gallery that day.

Gallery President, Judy Ferguson, announced the category winners and runners up including the Youth Award 10-14 years (Winner: Talia Green ”First Portraits” ; Highly Regarded: Jesse Crow “A weekday inspiration”), 3D Original Art Award (Winner: Sharyn Sinclair “Getting Fit” ; Highly Regarded: Di Popovic “Carnivale"), Hanging Textile Award (Winner:  Liz Collinge “Ginko-ites” ; Highly Regarded: Trish Moores “Leafy”), Watercolour Award (Winner: Walter Gray “Lewiston Landscape S.A." ; Highly Regarded: Carol Green “Evening Stroll”), Open Theme Award (Winner: Carol Clue “Ah! That feels better” ; Highly Regarded: Norah Jones “Solitude”).

Next came the exhibition awards beginning with the Best Work with a Flora/Nature theme which Judy announced the winner as Lorraine Winchester for her work titled “Hellebores”.

Winner: Briant Mahoney Memorial Art Award
"Proud, Happy, Loyal" by  Odette Larner.

Following that announcement Member for Light, Tony Piccolo MP was invited to talk about The Inaugural Briant Mahoney Memorial Art Award which he proposed to the Gallery when he was once again invited to be a sponsor of the awards.

Mr Piccolo said he named the award in memory of the late Briant Mahoney – the man with the dog - as he had become such an integral part of the town’s character. The award is an acquisitive prize, with the winner collecting $500 for a work of art that symbolises the essence and spirit of Gawler.

Mr Piccolo went on to say that towns like Gawler have a great spirit that often wasn’t always present in less defined communities. “The purpose of this prize is to encourage artists to create a work of art that symbolises the essence or spirit of Gawler.”

Artist Odette Larner (second from left) with Don Mahoney, Shirley Sevi,
Evelyn Hall and award sponsor Tony Piccolo MP at the award
ceremony. Photo courtesy of Tony Piccolo.

The award was announced and presented by Briant’s eldest sister Evelyn Hall, assisted by brother Don and Sister Shirley Sevi with the winner being Odette Larner for her work titled “Proud Happy Loyal”

The final award for the Best Work Overall was announced and presented by the Mayor of Gawler, Brian Sambell, who was also on the Judging panel. Mr Sambell noted of the experience that although he wasn't an artist himself he was surprised that his choices were generally on par with his fellow judges (and artists), Glenda Parker and Peter McLay.

The winner of the Best Work Overall, with a prize of $2000 sponsored by the Town of Gawler was Gerhard Ritter for his work titled "Winter Sun" (pictured at the top of this post).

The Gawler Community Gallery Committee would like to thank the judges, the Mahoney family and the following sponsors for their support of the 6th Gawler Art Awards: The Town of Gawler, Member for Light – Tony Piccolo MP, Vadoulis Garden Centre, Gawler Books, Adelaide Road Clinc, Totally Framed and Textile Artist – Jelina Haines.

For more images from the official opening including photos of the winning works visit the galleries Facebook Page.