Brunswick Heads artist David Kas has won this year’s Countryscapes competition, Australia’s richest annual art prize for landscape painting.
Celebrated Sydney painter, academic and overall judge for the 2011 prize, Ian Grant, announced David, as the winner for his work White Mountain, which he described as ‘extraordinary in its complexity’.
Mr Grant said David’s work captured his attention because it had a strong presence with a hypnotic and mystic linear patterning. ‘The more I came back to the work, the more engaged I became with it. It’s […] unique.’
Mr Grant also recognised four other works with Highly Commended awards ‘reflecting the high quality and diversity of the finalists’ works’. The Highly Commended awards went to Rowen Matthews of Mudgee, Hobie Porter of Uki, Stephanie Sheppard of Cooma, and Kim Nelson of Yass.
For the first time in the competition’s history, the Youth Encouragement Award was presented to two artists – Tom Buckland from Oberon and Joel Tonks from Orange.
In its ninth year, more than 3,600 artists have entered the coveted Essential Energy Art Prize for Landscape Painting.
Finalists will be exhibited at the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery until January 15.
Image: Countryscapes winner David Kas of Brunswick Heads with overall judge Ian Grant.
