Outstanding achievement for emerging UC artists

Outstanding achievement for emerging UC artists

Three University of Canterbury Ilam School of Fine Arts students have been recognised at this year’s New Zealand Art Show’s Emerging Artist Awards.

UC students Anna-Belle Graham, Hannah Watkins and Sam Clauge all won $2,500, as well as an opportunity to exhibit their work at the New Zealand Art Show at the end of the month.

Graham’s series of paintings on hessian impressed the panel by the way they evoked emotion through a sense of intrigue and mystery.

Watkinson’s photography pushes the boundaries of psychological landscape photography showing how scenes of familiarity are transformed after dark.

Clauge specialises in oil painting and the judging panel commented on the rawness and execution of his work depicting young New Zealand men hanging around drinking.

Director of the UC School of Fine Arts, Aaron Kreisler, says it is fantastic to see UC students receiving significant accolades and awards across the country.

“It is particularly impressive that in the first year that our students have made the emerging artist awards for the NZ Art Show, three of four recipients are from Ilam School of Fine Arts.

“This says a lot about what our lecturers and students are doing across all the studio programmes and bodes very well for what we are looking to do over the coming years,” Kreisler says.

Established in 2012, the NZ Art Show’s Emerging Artist Awards recognise and encourage emerging artists and the role of New Zealand art schools. The awards are open to students studying towards a visual arts degree or diploma at an established New Zealand art school.

ENDS

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