OUDTSHOORN NEWS - The fourth annual Art on Track competition took place at The Station from 3 to 12 August. This year’s theme was 'Water' and carried a R20 000 prize.
The 52 entrants, both professional and amateur artists, submitted works in ceramics, oils, acrylics, mixed media, textiles, drawings, sculptures and photographs. Many other artists had works on display and for sale.
After the competition, the artworks were auctioned off to a gleeful public.
The three external judges were Antonie Bosman, an art dealer and former gallery owner from Johannesburg; Diane McClean a fine arts lecturer and professional artist from De Rust and Geoff Grundling from Seweweekspoort, a retired art professor from Michaelis, UCT. By unanimous decision, the winner and runners-up were chosen.
An ecstatic Helen Doherty was declared the winner and was handed a cheque by Sandy Chaitowitz, the competition curator. Helen’s ceramic vase entitled Evocation for Rain, is glazed predominantly in green and has images and text depicting the water theme. Judge Grundling described this ceramic as, "Technically excellently produced – green being a particularly difficult glaze to work with – the artwork is both whimsical and brilliant in the story it depicts."
Runner-up, Liesel von Wielligh‘s 'Vis van Dam' which was created from fabric. Photos: Peter Henochsberg
Helen, a resident of Calitzdorp, holds two MA degrees, one in English and another in Ceramics from Cardiff Metropolitan University. She fires her ceramics in her own studio.
The runners-up were Liesel von Wielligh for her textile fish entitled Vis van Dam, which also won the public’s vote as best work, and Ronel Kellerman’s acrylic on canvas entitled Youthful Reflections. The junior winner was Rolindi Graaf with My Waterfall.
Article: Peter Henochsberg
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