Tatiana Amaral has struck Dark Gold, winning the coveted $5,000 overall acquisitive prize from more than 230 entrants at the City of Gosnells Community Art Awards and Exhibition.
Tatiana won for her mixed media artwork titled The Dark Gold, announced at the opening night of the exhibition on Friday 19 May.
Deputy Mayor and Presiding Member of the City’s Public Art Committee Adam Hort said it was the first time in more than six years that an artwork that was not an oil or acrylic painting had won the top prize.
“The City had an equal record number of entrants in the Community Art Awards and Exhibition this year and selecting a work from more than 230 artworks was never going to be easy,” he said.
“Judges felt The Dark Gold broke new ground with a use of materials, treatment and composition that is intriguing, skilful, surprising and confident. Congratulations to Tatiana on this well-deserved award.”
Tatiana said she had struggled financially as an artist but hoped to use some of the prize money to learn how to better photograph her work for promotional purposes.
“It’s not been easy, last week I was almost giving up but now – maybe I will try more,” she said.
Arts advisor Jude van der Merwe, who provided expert advice on the entries to Public Arts Committee members Cr Hort, Cr Dave Griffiths and Cr Emma Zhang, said the standard of entries in the Community Art Awards and Exhibition lifts every year.
“The work shown in 2023 is a testament to the breadth of imagination, thoughtfulness, awareness of our community and broader issues in society,” she said.
Winners of the following awards, each worth $500, were also announced on Friday night:
• Oil Award – Mecah White for Make Way
• Acrylic Award – John Ned Kelly, for Osmiston Gorge
• Pastel, Pencil, Pen and Watercolour Award – Angelina Crotty, for Reflections
• Photography and Digital Media Award – Sid Williams, for Under the Milky Way Tonight
• Mixed Media and Three Dimensional Sculpture Award – Jacqueline Craigs, for Simply Coral
• Youth Award – Claire Den Hollander, for Intersection
• The City in Focus Award – Jon Martin, for Maddington Homestead
• Local Artist Award – Dave Barrett, for Regeneration after the fire
• Aboriginal Artist Award – Emily Rose, for Homage
Visitors to the exhibition have until Sunday 28 May to cast their vote for the Centuria People’s Choice Award, which will be announced next week, after all votes are tallied.
The exhibition will be open at the Lyal Richardson Hall at The Agonis in Gosnells until Sunday 28 May. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturdays 9am to 1pm and Sundays 1pm to 4pm.
Most of the artworks on display are for sale.
Visit gosnells.wa.gov.au for details.
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