Hamilton students dominate art awards placings

5 May 2017

Hamilton students dominate art awards placings

Two of the top three winners in an art competition for high school students are from Hamilton Christian School.

Hamilton Christian School student Ella Rose Uren-Louisson took out first place in the Paterson Burn Optometrists 2017 Excellence in Art Competition while fellow student Cassia Ten Hove was awarded third place. Second place was awarded to Amy Barnes of Sacred Heart Girls’ College.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at Creative Waikato last night.

The public was invited to vote for the People’s Choice Award on Paterson Burn’s Facebook page. The winner of that award was Hillcrest High School’s Alana Muntz-Walsh.

The competition, which was launched by Paterson Burn Optometrists in 2013, was open to all Year 12 and 13 art students attending secondary schools or who are home schooled in the Waikato, Coromandel, Newmarket and surrounding suburbs of Auckland.

First prize was $1000 ($500 to the student, $500 to school), second prize was $600 ($300 to student, $300 to school) and third prize was $400 ($200 to student, $200 to school).

Ten other entries received commendation awards (Note: see below for the list of commendations).

This year’s theme was ‘The world through the eyes of another – past, present, future’. Artists were asked to choose any person living, dead or fictional and tell a story through their eyes using paint and mixed media on canvas.

This year’s judges are three highly respected Waikato art personalities: the chair of MESH Sculpture Hamilton Nancy Caiger, University of Waikato art collection curator Steph Chalmers and Raglan artist Yaniv Janson.

Caiger said she was impressed with the standard of the works.

“The entrants have demonstrated their proficiency with the use of good colour palettes, strong compositions and handled their medium well producing aesthetically pleasing works, with most being able to give a good interpretation of the theme.

“It was a pleasure and a challenge to be part of the judging panel with so many excellent works to choose from.”

All 68 entries have been on display at Creative Waikato since April 12. From May 8-12 the entries will be displayed at Paterson Burn Optometrist practices.

The public could bid on the artworks online with 80 per cent of the sale going to the student and 20 per cent donated to Diabetes NZ Waikato.

Just under $500 was raised for Diabetes Waikato.

“We are delighted at the level of interest in the competition this year from schools all around the Waikato, Coromandel and Auckland,” said Paterson Burn Optometrists director Adrian Paterson.

“The calibre of work these young artists have produced is outstanding and we’re also pleased we can support Diabetes Waikato as part of this creative forum.”

The entries will be on display at Creative Waikato from April 12 until May 5. They will also be displayed at Paterson Burn Optometrist practices from May 8-12.

To view all the entries, visit http://www.patersonburn.co.nz/artwork.

First place: Ella Rose Uren-Louisson, Hamilton Christian School

Ella’s artwork is inspired by her who is battling cancer as well as an auto immune disease.

“In hopes of sending her into remission my aunty is going through the process of a stem cell transplant. During this process the patient is left neutropenic and has little contact to family members for days at a time. This is symbolised through the 'sterile' room in which she stays during her sessions in hospital. In the eyes of my aunty, all she can do is wait on what is to come. It is as if her heart is being played by the strings of God, who is ultimately in control of keeping our hearts beating.”

Judge Nancy Caiger said Ella Rose’s work made good use of perspective to draw the viewer into the painting.

“It creates a three dimensional effect that takes you into a journey. The strong haunting image keeps you in there and makes you search for meaning in the work. The artist use of biblical text collage helps to reinforce the thought process of her aunty, the person through whose eyes we are viewing this world – a shrinking one that she has to surrender control to. This work is strong, well-executed, and answers the theme.”

Second place: Amy Barnes, Sacred Heart Girls’ College

Amy’s work is inspired by individuals and their point of view to be "Mother Earth". “With issues like climate change, deforestation and pollution beginning to change our present and future I wanted my art to reflect these problems. Although my theme is quite heavy and intense I wanted to incorporate it subtly through my work.”

Third place: Cassia Ten Hove, Hamilton Christian School

Cassia’s work was inspired by Erin Hanson, a 21-year-old poet born in Australia. “I attempted to illustrate a simple, yet key, part to every poet's life or story. Built upon an open book as a background I used the skeletal structure of the eye to hold a mirror reflecting the poet, as if she is looking at herself. By juxtaposing the physical image of a human - what any person may see, and the ink dripping from the person to form the words of the poem I hoped to communicate how the poet appears to themselves figuratively. That the poet puts their very being or soul into their work, and that they are essentially the source of the poem.”

People’s Choice winner: Alana Muntz-Walsh, Hillcrest High School

Alana’s work is inspired by those from the past and the present who fight for equality and social progress. “This piece shows we have come so far, but the fight is not yet over.”

© Scoop Media