The winners for The PumpHouse Art Awards 2006 were announced at the presentation evening at The PumpHouse on Monday 20th of June. This year's awards, the 23rd annual awards, were judged by North Shore artist Alexis Neal and Sharon Wilson of Devonport's Flagstaff Gallery. The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Dianne Hale, officially opened the evening. The winners for The PumpHouse Art Awards 2006 were announced at the presentation evening at The PumpHouse on Monday 20th of June. This year's awards, the 23rd annual awards, were judged by North Shore artist Alexis Neal and Sharon Wilson of Devonport's Flagstaff Gallery. The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Dianne Hale, officially opened the evening.The theme this year was 'Time and Place' and the winner of The PumpHouse Award was Charlene Richards for her abstract work entitled 'Look Back', a well presented and slick execution that combined painting and silkscreening onto canvas. The judges were also impressed by Charlene's poetic 'Time and Place' statement where she describes her work as depicting fragments of the past; a "patchwork quilt, but also a thousand broken windows".
Charlene's prize, worth a total of $4000, consists of $2500 in cash and $1000 worth of professional mentoring by judge Alexis Neal. As part of her prize Charlene will also be offered her own solo exhibition at The PumpHouse Gallery in December 2006, to a further $500 value.

The winner of the $3000 Betty Curnow Award was Catherine Fookes for her textural, abstract collage and paint piece, 'El Rey Pascual', a work inspired by time she spent traveling in Guatemala last year. The PIC/Garrett Insurance Brokers Award was won by Wellington artist Clare McGuinness for her work entitled 'Shifting Borders'. Sanderson Kindleysides was the recipient of the Laurie Coon Foundation Award for his traditional landscape, 'Beacon's Point', the Takapuna Art Supplies Merit Award went to Samantha Wallace with 'Suspended Animation' and the Albany ArtStore Award was won by Elspeth Alix Batt with 'Leaving Number 22'.

The People's Choice Award of $500 will be presented in July after the exhibition closes. Anyone who visits the exhibition may cast a vote for their preferred artwork so take the opportunity to go on down and be a judge.

The award sponsors including The Rosser Foundation and The Becroft Foundation along with the support of Creative Communities and North Shore City ensured that the event was a resounding success.

The PumpHouse Awards Exhibition can be viewed at the Pumphouse Gallery until Friday 7th of July. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10am to 3.30pm and Sundays 10.30am to 2.30pm. The gallery is closed Saturdays and public holidays. Phone (09) 486 2386 or visit the website www.pumphouse.co.nz for further details. - ends.

Contact
Shelley Kirton
Director, The PumpHouse
(09) 487 0001
021 418 226
shelley@pumphouse.co.nz
www.pumphouse.co.nz