Five Taranaki Art Awards were taken out by national artists at the annual awards at Opunake Events Centre on Saturday night. 

More than 200 art enthusiasts attended the 8^th Taranaki Art Awards, alongside both national and local artists who entered the competition.

Five Taranaki Art Awards were taken out by national artists at the annual awards at Opunake Events Centre on Saturday night. 

More than 200 art enthusiasts attended the 8^th Taranaki Art Awards, alongside both national and local artists who entered the competition.

Judges Bill Milbank, freelance curator and Director of W H Milbank Gallery from Whanganui and Marcus Boroughs, Director of the Wairarapa Museum of Art and History were impressed by the calibre of the entries.

The competition awarded eight art categories  – Painting, Rural Taranaki, Sculpture, Water Colour, Fibre Art, Aotearoa NZ, Photography and the Taranaki Art Awards Committee’s Choice Award.

The category winners were awarded with cash prizes that were donated by local sponsors.

Taranaki Art Awards Committee Chairperson Suzie Stanley noticed the use of different colour and mediums used in many entries this year, and as received very positive feedback from artists and event attendees.

“Orange, red and brown have featured strongly this year in the painting and photography categories, along with use of steel, aluminium and different fabrics and textures within the sculpture category.”

“The Taranaki Art Awards are a fantastic opportunity to encourage artists from around New Zealand to visit coastal Taranaki and show the strength of artwork produced by our local artists. The fact that many pieces have already sold is very encouraging to all artists involved,” Suzie said.

The art entries are for sale and will be on display at the Opunake Event Centre until Saturday 7^th November.

Category winners:

Painting category – Ella Hoeflich, Three Kings, Auckland ’Paritutu’s Past’

Rural Taranaki  – Tony Rumball, New Plymouth ‘Trophies’

Sculpture – Peter Cramond, Papamoa ‘Woman Wind
Vain’

Water Colour – Barbara von Seida, Coromandel ‘Rhythm & Colour IV Castle Rock, Coromandel’

Fibre Art – Laura Muir, Wellington ‘Towards Equilibrium’

Aotearoa NZ – Potohaka, Hawera ‘Links/Whakapapa’

Photography – Cindy Flook, Nelson ‘Brunner’’

Taranaki Art Award’s Committee Choice – Sally Johnson, New Plymouth, ‘Medicine Woman, A Land Before Time’