'Live Life' Winning Portraits

Below are the fantastic portraits that won our 'Live Life' competition this year:

The winning entry, by Arabella Say, aged 17

Artwork Title: Angela (Nanny), 2012

Medium: lead pencil and charcoal drawing on A1 paper

Artist Statement: This artwork is based on my 85 year old Italian grandma (my Nanny), who is currently staying at a dementia facility. Less than 5 ft tall, she claims that the food at her nursing home is no match for her famous spaghetti. Her face is beautifully aged and she has a sweet button nose passed on to all her daughters who she speaks curiously of, in her forgetful state. It was a pleasure to draw such an experienced and elderly face and the dripping represents the inevitability and persistent evidence of aging and decrepitude.

2nd Prize went to Victoria Haynes, aged 15

Artwork title: Vietnam Veteran
Medium: Acrylic paint 

Artist Statment:The senior I chose is Colin Field, he is 67 years old and an active member in Warrimoo's society. I chose him because he is a well known character in the area I live and because he has an interesting life history. He served in Vietnam during the war for a year as a Royal Australian Mechanical engineer. He has also served in the local RFS fire service since 1985 and was captain for five years. He was captain through the Warrimoo 2001 bushfires and shook hands with HRH Prince Andrew. He is a well known face in and around Warrimoo and Blaxland and is an all around good guy.   

3rd Prize was awarded to Darcy Bonett, aged 15

Artwork Title: My Grandma's Eyes

Medium: Photograph

Artist Statement: My grandma has not had the easiest life. Just like so many others her age, she has lived through many losses and seen many awful things.

Sometimes you can see the pain in her eyes, but usually she hides it all away behind the love, and the hope and her dreams...

Lindsay Harper, aged 15, was awarded the ‘Highly Commended’ prize

Artwork title: Timm Murany 

Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Artist Statement: My portrait is of a local artist from the Blue Mountains – Timm Murany. Timm Murany started drawing and painting when he was 10 years old. He grew up in central Europe, Czechoslovakia, and emigrated to Australia in 1971. Shortly after, he purchased a block of land in the Blue Mountains because of it beauty and freedom. He was and is inspired by the ever changing colours of the bush caused by the fogs and distant mists. He paints vivid, colourful oil paintings and teaches art students in his Blue Mountains art studio the craft of the art. I have been a student of his for 4 – 5 years now, and he has been helping me develop my own work.