PORT Macquarie artist John Edge was named winner of the Dobell Prize for his oil painting Still life at the 42nd annual Dobell Festival of Arts and Crafts on Friday night.
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The Dobell Prize, named in honour of the late and great Wangi Wangi artist Sir William Dobell, is presented to the outstanding work at the annual festival, staged at Wangi District Workers Club over the weekend.
Judge of the art section, Brad Franks, the director of Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, said Edge’s painting took a traditional subject and gave it an astonishing treatment.
“It is just so subtle. Look at the way the shadow of the bowl is cast onto the weatherboard wall,” Mr Franks said.
“There is a contemplative and peaceful feel to this painting – it’s very casually arranged – and there’s a real feel that this is a ‘homey’ place.”
Mr Franks and judge of the crafts section, Anne Kempton, agreed the works on display at this year’s Dobell festival were the best they had seen in a regional competition.
Event coordinator Keith McBurney of Wangi Lions Club said the festival’s reputation continued to be enhanced, and to spread far and wide.
“Our winner this year was from Port Macquarie, and again we had entries from Queensland, Sydney, the Central Coast and Merriwa, to name a few of the locations,” he said.
“And the standard of entries this year was higher, and the kids’ section was really well represented.”
He said the attendance for the weekend of the festival was up on last year’s 850.
More than 200 people attended the festival’s official opening function on Friday night.
“Our opening night was attended by [Lake Macquarie MP] Greg Piper and deputy mayor Luke Cubis,” Mr McBurney said.
“And Wangi Workers Club has given us a new venue and home, and a great sense of community.”
Mr McBurney said staging the festival was a major undertaking, made possible by the hard work of the Lions club and Dobell Festival Committee, as well as hordes of volunteers who assisted with everything from selling raffle tickets to setting up and dismantling the exhibition.
He thanked the event’s sponsors, including Origin, Centennial Coal, Avery Property Professionals, and Wangi District Workers Club, as well as the many minor sponsors.
Profits from the festival would again be returned to the community, he said.
“The profit will go back to local schools, women’s refuges, the Salvation Army, the Lions Cancer Appeal, and Westlakes Netball Association.”
