Monaro artist wins $50k portrait award, aspiring young artists win Sherbies

Monaro artist wins $50k portrait award, aspiring young artists win Sherbies. The award was announced at SECCA in Bega on the NSW Far South Coast.

Transcript

00:00And we're here today to celebrate the launch of not one, but two very exciting events.

00:05The return of the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award,

00:09which is on show here for the first time at the South East Centre for Contemporary Art,

00:15and the launch of the inaugural Shirley's Kids Portrait Prize,

00:19the companion event for the Shirley Hannan for young aspiring artists of the Bega Valley.

00:24I'd like to acknowledge our award patron here tonight, Peter Hannan.

00:29As well as David Hannan and Lisa Herbert, who unfortunately couldn't be here.

00:42So let's begin. I'd like to call upon Councillor Helen O'Neill

00:46to officially open on behalf of the Bega Valley Shire Council.

00:49I think what the Hannan family, David and the beautiful Lisa, have done is just so wonderful.

00:56They're part of SECA, they're part of our community,

00:59and they're also connecting us nationally with the arts through this award.

01:03So tonight we're also announcing the winner of our inaugural young portrait artist competition,

01:12the Shirley's Kids Portrait Prize. We're going to keep you all in suspense.

01:18Well, I admire anyone brave enough to attempt to paint a portrait,

01:22particularly in the realistic genre specified in this prize.

01:27Even more do I admire the tenacity and self-belief of anyone prepared to show that portrait to anyone else.

01:36It's audacious, because painting a portrait is so hard.

01:43Everyone knows that hands are terribly difficult to paint.

01:47And a lot of people have two of them.

01:51The beauty of the artist, too, having made a decent effort with one,

01:54has to turn to the other, which may be in a completely different position.

01:58Much more difficult.

02:00Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award.

02:03Lucy Kellerton.

02:27I think I just had the biggest dream.

02:29That's why I won.

02:33I just won.

02:39Well, they didn't tell me.

02:41They didn't tell me.