Harden’s inaugural art prize exhibition has been a runaway success drawing about 300 visitors from Canberra, Wagga Wagga, surrounding towns and Hilltops residents at the weekend. The $10,000 Harden Landscape Painting Prize, which attracted about 120 entries from across Australia, was won by a Melbourne artist, Domenyk Eades, with a work titled Rain-soaked Outcrop.
Domenyk is pictured centre with his artwork behind Megan. The winner was announced at the official gala opening at the Old Courthouse in Murrumburrah on Friday night. Experienced Australian art judges Sarah Gurich, director of the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, Susan Brindle, pictured right, president of Southern Tablelands Arts, and Megan Monte, pictured left, Director of Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery, praised the quality of entries and the breadth of expression of the artworks depicting landscapes.
President of Harden Art Prize Inc Rob Provan said the challenge facing the small organising committee in late November last year was to get the art prize – with a not inconsiderable offering of $10,000 to the winner – off the ground and flown to its destination in less than six months.
“It exceeded our expectations,” he said.
“We are excited to think about how this prize could grow in the next few years.”
The many visitors voted on a viewers’ choice which was John Sharman for his painting Murchison Gorge WA.
The Harden Art Prize was set up with the backing of dual sponsors Bendigo Community Bank Harden-Murrumburrah and the Kruger Trust. It is intended to promote the twin towns to the arts community of Australia and to encourage visitors as well as the local Hilltops community to view the annual exhibition of work.
To see the artworks of all the finalists, go to: Harden-Murrumburrah Landscape Painting Prize – Southern Tablelands Arts.
