KORUMBURRA’S Fiona Bilbrough has again won ‘Best in Show’ at Leongatha Rotary Club’s Art & Photography Show, this time with her still life oil painting ‘Blue Gum Haze’, the announcement made in front of a large gathering at the town’s Memorial Hall on Friday night.
Greg Allen, one of Australia’s foremost watercolour artists judged the competition, offering detailed reasons for his choices across a diverse range of artistic categories.
He described Fiona’s winning work as special, noting it offers something unique, having an eye for tradition and a beautiful set of tonal and colour values.
“Your eye goes on this incredible journey,” he said, highlighting Fiona’s use of shapes and ability to combine abstract elements with reality.
“That is what I mean by cream rising to the top and that is a painting of absolute excellence,” Greg declared.
Fiona thanked those at Leongatha Rotary Club for all the work they do and the team that puts the show together, stressing it requires a huge effort.
While she is an established artist with a string of honours to her name that includes winning the renowned Camberwell Art Show, the Leongatha Art & Photography Show also offers a forum for young people to demonstrate their creativity.
Lucinda Calder took out the Best Youth category for those aged 13 to 18 for her work depicting a horse bathing in a pond with a mountainous background.
“She’s nailed sophisticated water, the skin of a horse and craggy rocks,” Greg said, emphasising her ability to use a restricted colour palette in a manner that is far better than using an array of bright colours.
Andrew Noble was declared an obvious winner of the best 3D object for his stunning chainsaw carving of a sea turtle for which he used timber from a silky oak that fell victim to February’s Mirboo North storm.
The work titled ‘Under the Sea’ incorporates other creatures such as an octopus and seahorses, Andrew saying he wanted to do justice to the tree and noting it had a long life just as turtles can.
Winner of the Best Monochrome Photograph, Sherie Howard was praised for an outstanding black and white shot titled ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’, the image captured at Blue Rag near Mount Hotham with fog rolling in.
Sherie of Boolarra said a steady hand was required in the low-light conditions.
Greg praised the photo’s design, composition and exposure.
Cathy Harris’ work ‘Playtime’ was judged Best Mixed Media exhibit, being described as “so tactile and a worthy winner of a three-dimensional prize”.
The stunning ‘Rainbow Companions’ claimed Best Pastel, Newborough artist Ling Wang inspired by parrots that visit her balcony, having had a love of drawing since childhood.
Greg highlighted Ling’s ability to make the birds appear almost larger than life and “in your face”, describing the work as “a beautiful pastel”.
Continuing the avian theme, ‘Sophie with Budgie’ was Best Acrylic, painted by Sharon Wooton, Greg commenting on the creativity shown, the mesmerising background and the understated nature of Sophie’s clothing, with her eyes the dominant subject, the budgie completing the stunning piece.
Best Ink, Pencil, Charcoal or Other went to John Reeve for ‘Boots’, celebrated for its irreverent nature and “incredibly powerful graphic composition”.
Best Flora and Fauna was a fiercely contested category with nature scenes playing a big part in this year’s show, Mary Hennekam triumphed with ‘Holly Leafed Grevillia”, her effective use of light a key element to her success.
In his own area of specialty, Greg selected Nina Volk’s ‘Leongatha Memorial Hall’, an apt setting, as Best Watercolour.
He commented on Nina and “the fun she is having with watercolour in the abstract as a medium itself, that simultaneously becomes things”, stressing that is one of the most difficult elements to get right as a watercolour painter.
The Judge explained the challenge of working with watercolour.
“It’s a ridiculously hard medium to paint in; it dries in a couple of minutes and you cannot paint over the top of it,” he said.
Best Oil also had a local setting, picked up by Adrian Johnson’s ‘Dunescape Bass Coast’.
Greg labelled the piece “disciplined”, elaborating that “It’s not trying to be everything” but is instead “a carefully selected view of our coast with gorgeous shapes and patterns”, the work providing a path for the eye, with “a shimmering light quality”.
The Art and Photography Show runs until Saturday, February 8, open from 10am until 4pm daily, with a special free Australia Day event at 2.30pm on January 26 at which there will be an afternoon tea and the Luciblooms Memorial Youth Award will be presented.
