Winning artwork of the prized ‘Peoples Choice’ which claimed $2000 was ‘With all that I am’ by Susie Goodyear.
Photo by
Susie Goodyear
Arts Rutherglen organisers were delighted at the interest shown in this year’s 8th annual Art Exhibition and Sale which ran from March 8 to 16 in the Rutherglen Memorial Hall.
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Winner of the prized Peoples Choice for an incredible third consecutive year, and also winner of the $2000 judges prize was ‘With all that I Am’, a gorgeous depiction of a Kelpie dog by Susie Goodyear.
First prize in the Youth section was Maggie McGhee.
“There were more than 400 art pieces from 212 artists throughout Australia, particularly the North East and Riverina areas,” co-organiser Irena Webster, told The Free Press.
“There was a constant stream of art admirers over the eight days with close to 2000 people coming through our doors, but we were especially busy both weekends.
“We had many repeat artists take part as well as double the number of student entries, which was fantastic and we also saw repeat visitors come to check out the art, which is endearing to see.
“Forty of the high-standard artwork have been sold and there were more than 350 people at the official opening.
“It was just an excellent event.”
The official opening was a success with 350 people in attendance as close to 2000 visited across the entirety of the event.
The judges for the 2025 Tastes of Art Prize were Christine Cansfield-Smith from Beechworth, Dianne Kotzur from Rutherglen and Ben Eyles from Albury Wodonga who brought with them a wealth of experience and insight, assuring a compelling evaluation of this year’s entries was made.
Their task again was once again challenging as they were required to navigate the rich tapestry of creativity and innovation that defines the Rutherglen art scene.
“We thank our group of volunteers as without them, we couldn’t have conducted the Rutherglen Tastes of Art Prize,” Ms Webster said.
Coinciding with the town’s famed food and wine festival, the Rutherglen Tastes of Art Prize offers a perfect blend of artistic discovery and epicurean delights amid the mellow beauty of autumn.
First prize Youth sponsored by Indigo Shire went to Maggie McGhee.
The competition spans various categories including Painting/Mixed Media, Photography across several themes, Work on Paper, 3D Artworks, and a Youth Award, with substantial prizes up for grabs. This broad spectrum of categories reflects the diverse range of talents that the event attracts, from local heroes to interstate artists.
The support from the community and numerous local businesses, notably Destination Rutherglen, Campbells Wines and Corowa Furnishings and Floors has been instrumental in the success of the Art Prize, enabling it to offer a platform for artists and a cultural feast for visitors.
“We had our best sponsorship ever and we are immensely grateful to all businesses that got involved as they allowed us to put on an even bigger and better event,” Ms Webster said.
“We have had great feedback about the whole event and the highlight was to both hear and notice how popular of an event it has become.”
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