Glenhuntly Estate, Kurrajong Heights
Winner
The Hawkesbury Art Prize: $10,000 plus 2-week art residency at Glenhuntly Estate, Kurrajong
Highly Commended
$1,000 plus 2-week art residency at Glenhuntly Estate, Kurrajong.
Highly Commended Bendigo Bank Prize
(Hawkesbury Resident): $1,000
4 x Commended
Minor prize attached to this award
‘Packers Prize’
(selected by committee): $500
ABOUT
The Hawkesbury Art Prize Inc. is a non-acquisitive art award originally established in 2011 by Robyn Williams and Purple Noon Gallery as part of a Western Sydney University project. Presently, it operates independently as a not for profit event run by an incorporated committee of dedicated volunteers now administered by this committee and implemented through Purple Noon Gallery, in association with sponsors Glenhuntly Estate, Pieter Huveneers Bequest, Bendigo Bank and other generous sponsors.
‘First Prize’ of $10,000 plus artist residency is awarded to the winning entry. Two ‘Highly Commended’ awards of $1000 and an additional art residency are also awarded. Three eminent visual arts professionals judge the prize and select the finalists. The art prize is for a painting, drawing or work on paper that is inspired by contemporary Australian identity. Artists are invited to respond to the concept of contemporary identity in Australian life. Accordingly, the theme often helps artists explain the rapidly changing environment in which they live, or, conversely, promotes diverse portrayals of history, landscape, and ways of seeing. The ensuing exhibition showcases the freshness and vitality of the creative artists that enrich our Australian communities. The winning works form an important collection of modern and contemporary art, reflecting developments in Australian identities; landscape and arts practice in the contemporary era. The Prize has been set up in the Hawkesbury as a not for profit project,
The aim of the Hawkesbury Art Prize is to promote art locally in the Hawkesbury/Western Sydney region, and nationally, and increase awareness of art and cultural activity, to the mutual benefit of community, artists and students. Profits have led to the establishment of financial scholarships for talented and aspirational young artists in the region.
The Prize attracts a national audience and high profile participants to the Hawkesbury region, embracing the cultural and economic environment of the community. Around 40 – 50 finalists are invited to exhibit and sell their work at the Opening Exhibition, which follows the announcement of winners.
The number of entries determines the success of the event, along with finalist exhibition art sales, which in turn determines the funding available to distribute to charity, scholarship or appointed community project.
Apart from the honour of winning an art prize, artists engage with a commercial event, the public, and gain gallery exposure and a range of professional development opportunities. Art competitions are an excellent opportunity to grow as an artist and develop art careers. They can benefit an artist in a number of different ways – exposure, exhibitions, and becoming self-confident in a commercial art platform. The art prize also attracts tourists and visitors to the historic Hawkesbury region.
Historically, the Hawkesbury has a strong association with art and artists. The art prize is also a commitment to recognise these historical ties, and strengthen the cultural and artistic community ties with contemporary creative ideas. The goal is to see the Hawkesbury Art Prize become a major western Sydney event, occurring biennially, as a community partnership embracing high profile Australian artists and community leaders and identities.
Judges 2023
Angus Fisher
Judge
Artist and Winner 2021 Hawkesbury Art Prize, represented by Australian Galleries – AUS; Jonathan Cooper Gallery – UK
Julie Brackenreg
Judge
Well known Artarmon Galleries [est. 1955-2021] Director (recently retired), Darlinghurst Galleries; Curator
Linda Gregoriou
Judge
Australian Art Collector, Lecturer, Property Developer and Life Governor of the National Gallery of Australia.
PAST WINNERS
2011
Opened by The Hon. John Brown
Winner $10,000: Naomi Grant (WA) “Beachscape”
Highly Commended $1,000: Judy Brownlie “Over the Lowlands”
Highly Commended $1,000: Rob Sledge “Landscaping in Aqua Approaches to the New Bridge over Rickaby’s Creek I and II”
Commended: Guy Morgan “Tucanae”
Tanya Stubbles “Roadside Love”
Hadyn Wilson “The Way through our Town”
Josephine Blue “Unrelenting”
2011 Judges
Monica McMahon, Curator of Art University Western Sydney
Fabri Blacklock, practicing artist and PhD candidate
Paul Delprat, Principal, Julian Ashton Art School
2012
Opened by Federal Member for Macquarie, Louise Markus.
Winner $10,000: Liam Benson “Mrs Boss”
Highly Commended $1,000: Margaret Loy Purla (NT) “Anatye – Bush Potato”
Highly Commended $1,000: Neil Taylor “Remember the Sun”
Highly Commended $1,000: Graham Kuo “After Fire”
Commended: Jack Rowland (VIC) “Gazer”
Anne Hayes (QLD) “Helianthus Annuus”
Claire Primrose (ACT) “Looking for Signs”
Jennifer Roberts “Sandmining in the Hawkesbury”
2012 Judges
Emeritus Prof. Peter Pinson
Artist, Max Miller
Artist, Activist and Lecturer, r e a
2013
Opened by Hawkesbury Mayor Kim Ford
Winner $10,000: Andrews Peters (TAS) & Kate Hansen, collaborating “Washing Day”
Highly Commended $1,000: Susan J White “Hawkesbury”
Highly Commended $1,000: Greg Hansell “Wilberforce Sheds”
Highly Commended $1,000: Victoria Peel “Night Crossing”
Commended: Joan Ross “The Naming of Things”
Josie Kunoth Petyarra (VIC) “Sugar Bag St
Robert Ewing (WA) “Sky Dragons VII”
Penny Spankie “Relocation at 30 Days”
2013 Judges
Artist Wendy Sharpe
:Artist Chris Gentle
Paul Brinkman, Direct Blue Mountains Cultural Centre
2015 Opened by Susan Templeman MP
Winner $5,000 (18-40 yrs): Hiren Patel “Winter Light Sydney”
Highly Commended $1,000: Jack Rowland (VIC) “The Holy Mountain”
Highly Commended $1,000 (Hawkesbury): Taryn Malzard “Forest Giant”
Commended: Martin Claydon “Embrace and Hold”
Jack Rowland (Vic) “Munnar”
Gauri Torgaqlkar “And Just for a Moment the Parramatta River Becomes the Ganges”
Fionna Barrett-Clark “Afternoon Shadows”
2015 Judges
Artist Judy Brownlie
Art collector, investor and critic, Alex Lister
Art and cultural heritage writer, PhD candidate, Vicki Oliveri
2017 Cancelled
2019 Opened by Susan Templeman Federal MP for Macquarie
Winner $10,000 + art residency at Glenhuntly Estate: Ben Tankard “Aussie As 2”
Highly Commended $1,000 + art residency at Glenhuntly Estate: Frances Feasey “Back-burning Blue”
Highly Commended (Hawkesbury) $1,000: Greg Hansell “Thompson Square Windsor and to the North West”
Commended: Benjamin Aitken (VIC) “Wardandi Yok”
Kate Dorrough “The river is part of me”
Anh Nguyen “Pho by myself”
Clare Purser (QLD) “Towards the Island, Morton Bay”
2019 Judges
Monica McMahon, Art Curator Western Sydney University
Artist and sculptor Alan Somerville,
Artist Laura Jones artist represented by Olsen Galleries Woollahra
2021 Opened by Susan Templeman Federal MP for Macquarie
Winner $10,000 + art residency at Glenhuntly Estate: Angus Fisher ” Carrion #3″
Highly Commended $1,000 + art residency at Glenhuntly Estate: Matilda Dumas “Washing Day
Highly Commended (Hawkesbury) $1000:
Victoria Peel. “Three Mile Fire”
Commended (x4):
Laura Patterson. Ballanjui Fern Specimens
Shane Bonsujet. Sunday Arvo: snag on the way out
Catherine Parker. Road Trip Heaven
Hellie Mahony. Fowlers Gap, near the Ochre House
PACKERS PRIZE $500:
Ashley Frost. Escarpment Angophora Study
Highly Commended Packers Prize $100:
Liss Finney. Self Portrait as a Wetsuit
2021 Judges
Dr Pamela James, Adjunct Fellow, Western Sydney University
Madeleine Tuckfield-Carrano, Director Artsite Gallery Camperdown
Dan Kyle, Artist, recipient 2020 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, Represented by Martin Brown Contemporary and Edwina Corlette Gallery
2023 Art Prize
The exhibition was opened by Australia’s Special Envoy to the Arts and Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman.
Winner $10,000 and residency at Glenhuntley Estate: Katherine Barry, (QLD) “Illumine”.
Two Highly Commended prizes $1,000 (also with residencies at Glenhuntley Estate) were awarded this year to Suzie Riley (SA) “Kurank” and Camie Lyons (NSW) “Bush Telegraph”.
The $1,000 Highly Commended Hawkesbury Resident prize went to Libby Hyett “Sunlight Balances Shadows”.
The ‘Packers Prize’ was awarded to Suzie Riley “Kurank”.
Four Commended recognition prizes were awarded (there is no money attached to these prizes) to Catherine Parker (QLD) “Danger, keep children and nature out”, Joe Blundell (VIC) “Two impostors”, James Lai (NSW) “Blooming trees and paddocks”, and Meg Walters (NSW) “Moon Shaped Pool”.
Judges this year were Linda Gregoriou, Australian Art Collector, Lecturer, Property Developer and Life Governor of the National Gallery of Australia; Julie Brackenreg, Well known Artarmon Galleries [est. 1955-2021] Director (recently retired), Darlinghurst Galleries; Curator and Angus Fisher Artist and Winner 2021 Hawkesbury Art Prize, represented by Australian Galleries – AUS; Jonathan Cooper Gallery – UK.