ART

The winners of The Doyles Art Award unveiled

WORDS: Emily Thomson PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

The Gold Coast’s longest running fine art prize, The Doyles Art Award, kicked off this Wednesday 22 June, announcing the winning paintings and recipients of the lucrative $20,000 cash pool.

This year’s award received a record-breaking number of artist submissions from across Australia for its three painting categories – Still Life, Portrait, and the coveted Landscape prize which sees first place receiving a jaw-dropping $10,000.

Event Director Gillian Grove says The Doyles team are thrilled to announce this year’s prize winners who were judged by a three-person panel and selected from approximately 720 adult entries and 270 junior entries.

“The 2022 winner of the major Landscape prize was awarded to Zac Moynihan for his majestic artwork ‘Border Range Idyll’, in second place was Kasey Sealey for ‘Autumn Tinge Mansfield’ and third was Lyn Diefenbach for ‘Bronzed Aussies’, said Ms Grove.

“For the Portrait category, first place was awarded to Chad Stevens for ‘Jono’ and second place was Louise Corke for ‘Infused in the Fabric of Life.

Anne Smerdon (Still Life)

“First place in the Still Life category was awarded to Anne Smerdon for ‘Galah on Copper Teapot’ and second place went to Scott McDougall for ‘Pincushion Protea’.

“Honourable commendations were awarded to Christine Parry, Steve Tyerman and Suannon Yeardley (Landscape), Glen Wheeler (Portrait) and Sam Suttie (Still Life),” says Ms Grove.

Chad Stevens (portrait)

Named after the famous landscape artist d’Arcy William Doyle, The Doyles Art Award has established itself as a prominent cultural event, not only for the Gold Coast community but also the national arts landscape.

In addition to the adult competition, there were also around 20 schools participating in The Doyles School Challenge, as well as the Junior Awards for school-aged artists.

“In the junior competition, first place for the primary category (ages 5 to 12) was awarded to Michelle Dan with ‘The Heart’, for Middle (ages 12 -16) was Maria Narizhzaya with ‘Bluey’ and for Senior (ages 16-18) was Katura Halleday with ‘Goose’.

Dan Moynihan (Landscape)

The Doyles exhibition is a free community event held in the historic Mudgeeraba Memorial Hall from 22 June to 3 July and displaying approximately 540 artworks, all of which are available for purchase at the venue or via The Doyles website.

Throughout the week, there will be a variety of free artist demonstrations hosted by over 10 featured artists including award-winning landscape painter Herman Pekel, 2021 Doyles prize winner Manuela Pilz, well-known local artist Rebecca Cunningham, and plenty more.

Further activities include the much-loved ‘yarn bombing’ installation by Gold Coast Spinners and Weavers appearing throughout Mudgeeraba, as well as free rock painting classes for children during the school holidays.

For more details about the prize winners, painting purchases and event activities, visit the Doyles Art Award website here.