LOCAL artist Stephanie Macfarlane's connection to the annual Dobell Festival of Art and Craft is strong.
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Ms Macfarlane's painting of sailboats on Lake Macquarie is part of the festival logo that is seen in posters and promotional material for the event.
She also helped to run the art section of the festival for four years, and has entered works in each of the last five years.
"Most years I've got a 'highly commended', but it would be nice have a winner," she said.
There were plenty of good reasons for local artists to enter their works in this year's festival, staged by Wangi Lions Club.
"Because the festival is run by the Lions, everything goes to charity so that's a really good reason to put something in," she said.
And then there's the prize money and opportunity to sell your work at the festival exhibition.
"The festival has become a very prestigious event with the best prizes in the region," she said. "And the exhibition has an excellent sales record."
The winner of this year's Dobell Prize for the most outstanding painting in the festival will receive $1500.
The winners of the four senior painting categories will each receive $1000, and the winners of the two youth categories will each receive $200.
There are also various craft section awards, for needlework/knitting, pottery, ceramics, jewellery and miscellaneous.
The cost of entering a painting is just $15.
Deciding which painting to enter in the competition is the tricky bit.
"I paint what I want to paint, not what I think somebody will particularly want," Ms Macfarlane said.
"My main thing is landscapes, but not photographic - I paint free landscapes."
She works in mixed media including ink, water colour, acrylic and oil pastels.
"I'm a fairly eclectic style of painter."
The Dobell Festival of Art and Craft, named in honour of the late Australian painter and Wangi Wangi resident, Sir William Dobell, will be held at Wangi Workers Club from Friday, May 3, to Sunday, May 5.
Entries are now open. They close on April 12.
Visit the Wangi Lions Club website for details.