NEWS and AWARDS
2022 June Camberwell Art Show I was very pleased to be awarded BEST Oil/Acrylic under $1500 with my portrait ‘In praise of older men’. Oil on board 54x44cm plus frame. This portrait was painted live over 4 hours or so in the Friday Group, Victorian Artists Society, and completed in my studio. It is of Andrew Pendlebury, musician and member of the former rock group, The Sports and other groups.
Judges for the Show were chief judge Vincent Fantauzzo, winner of many art awards, finalist in the Archibald Prize and painter of many noted Australians also his wife actor Asher Keddie; Assistant Judge Ev Hales well known water colourist and Raelene Sharp, painter of many portraits many of which have been finalists in the Archibald Prize.
Judges comments were as follows: ‘A charismatic character filled depiction laid within a foundation of good composition’.
2021 October MSWPS (Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors) at their annual exhibition, I was delighted to be awarded Highly Commended by judge Sophie Gerhard, Assistant Curator NGV Australian Collection. This is a portrait titled ‘Uncle Jack’. He is Uncle Jack Charles, actor, activist, raconteur, member of the Stolen Generation and Australian National Treasure. The painting is oil on board, 50x40cm plus frame, painted from life at the Friday Group Victorian Artists Society and completed in my studio.
Judge Sophie Gerhard’s comments were as follows: ‘An interesting and expressive rendering of a true legend! The dappled effect of Charles’ skin really captures his pensive expression, and the wonderful hints of blue in his wavy hair and beard give him personality, texture and movement. I particularly like the chiaroscuro background, allowing the limelight to be deservedly on his face’.

Uncle Jack.
2021 March First Prize Local Content in the Kensington/Flemington Rotary Art Show.
This is a pens (Posca and black ink) and watercolour sketch on floating Arches paper 50x40cm + Tasmanian Oak frame. It is FOR SALE.
2020 December MSWPS MEMBERS AWARD 2020
For the third time, I have been honoured to be awarded the MSWPS Members Award, a peer voted award. As in the first year that I received this, it was jointly awarded, this time with another artist and a sculptor.
The painting which won the award is ‘A Portrait of Sam’ oil on composition board 44x55cm including frame. Sam is the receptionist at the Victorian Artists Society and works as receptionist there for events and weekends. He sat as a model for the Friday Group, VAS for two consecutive Fridays.
The entire exhibition can be seen here: http://www.mswps.com.au/changing-perspectives-2020 and I also sold one painting during this virtually held exhibition. Here is my winning painting, also for sale:
2019 December MSWPS MEMBERS AWARD 2019
I was very honoured to be awarded the MSWPS Members Award 2019, as this is a peer voted award. My awarded painting is called ‘Collective Wisdom’ and is of important current MSWPS members. (See below). It is oil on Belgian linen, 95x64cm and framed and is FOR SALE. It is based on one which hangs in the Ola Cohn Centre where MSWPS meets. This painting is by Rollo Thompson and is of significant early members (see last image below).
‘Collective wisdom’ (left to right): Marion Chapman, Jo Reitze and Joan Richard.
Rollo Thompson’s painting of early MSWPS members: (left to right): Marjorie McChessney Mathews, Annie Davison Oliver and Ola Cohn.
2019 October HIGHLY COMMENDED
Awarded Highly Commended by judge and artist Peter Smales at the Rotary Club of Altona art exhibition for ‘Autumn Forest Nuremburg’.
2019 September VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED
Awarded Very Highly Commended at The Royal Melbourne Show for ‘Wild Lilies’. This painting was also sold at The Show.
2019 September THIRD PLACE
Awarded Third Place in the figurative section at The Royal Melbourne Show with ‘Blue’.

‘Blue’ oil on composition board
2019 August HIGHLY COMMENDED
I was pleased to be awarded a Highly Commended by Judge Jaq Grantford for ‘A portrait of Kerry Greenwood, author’ at the Victorian Artists Society annual Portrait Exhibition.

A portrait of Kerry Greenwood, author.
2019 July BEST UNDER $1500 OIL OR ACRYLIC
I was pleased to be awarded the $1000 prize for ‘Time off, Chef Paul Le Noury” for Best oil/acrylic of a price less than $1500 at the Camberwell Art Show. This painting is now SOLD.
2018 September SECOND PLACE
I was pleased to be awarded ‘Second Place’ in the Figurative section for ‘The next move, chess’ at the Royal Show Melbourne.
2018 September BEST IN SHOW AND FIRST PLACE PORTRAITURE
I was very pleased to have been awarded $1000 ‘Best in Show’ AND ‘First Place’ in the Figurative section for ‘Time off, Chef paul Le Noury’ at the Royal Show, Melbourne.
2018 September HIGHLY COMMENDED
Very pleased I am to have received this award at The Spring Exhibition of The Victorian Artists Society!
2018 March HIGHLY COMMENDED
I am delighted to have learnt that this painting called ‘Autumn forest, Nuremberg’ has been awarded a Highly Commended at The Victorian Artists Society’s annual Contemporary Exhibition! Being in the Western Isles of Scotland of course I wasn’t there to receive the award. I’m hoping they will keep it for me till I return…
2018 JANUARY ‘FOUND’ on the RedBubble title page!
This is exciting! My work ‘Wild callas’ has been featured on ‘Found’ page on the Redbubble site which means it is on the first page of products available for sale through the Redbubble page for anyone in the world to see! (Scroll down to the ‘Feed’ then ‘Found’ to see the ‘Wild callas’ iPhone cover featured and click to see further works of mine). I’ve also sold 29 products today and the day is still young. Is this the post Xmas rush? Thank you to all who appreciate my artwork, and the products you have kindly bought with my work on them. Much appreciated.
https://www.redbubble.com/found?utm_campaign=published_to_found&utm_medium=email&utm_source=RB#_=_
2017 NOVEMBER ‘THE CONSTANCE WU AWARD’, MSWPS
2017 NOVEMBER HIGHLY COMMENDED
I was awarded a Highly Commended for this portrait, ‘Felicity, city woman’ at the annual MSWPS (Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors) exhibition by Melbourne Twenty Painters artist Clive Sinclair.
SEPTEMBER 2017 HIGHLY COMMENDED
I was awarded a Highly Commended for my painting of ‘Haughty’ at The Royal Melbourne Show
AUGUST 2017 HIGHLY COMMENDED
I was awarded a Highly Commended’ for my ‘Portrait of Jack’ at The Victorian Artists Society annual Portrait Exhibition.
2017 JULY
I SOLD two of my artworks, ‘Autumn, Tiergarten Berlin’ and ‘Bear Friends’ at the prestigious ‘Camberwell Art Show’
2017 FEBRUARY
My artwork to be used on a flyer/program notes of a noted Melbourne classical music group, Progetto Corelli! It is ‘The jetty at sunset’
2016 NOVEMBER
20 illustrations completed for a book of heartfelt and quirky poems soon to be published! More to come
2016 AUGUST HIGHLY COMMENDED
I was pleased to be awarded ‘Highly Commended’ at the Victorian Artists Society at their annual portraiture competition. This was for my ‘Portrait of Anne’. There were around 115 entries and some great artists had their work there. Commission me to do your portrait!
Leave a Reply