Artists’ works recognised at City awards

Artists Rowena Keall Walsh and Vanessa Liebenberg were two of the winners at the City of Rockingham Art Awards on Saturday, with both saying they were delighted to be recognised at the exhibition’s unveiling.

Ms Keall Walsh was the winner of the major $5000 Open Acquisitive Award for her work titled Shack Community Dusk, which depicts the view from a friend’s shack at Point Peron.

“I wanted to highlight the importance of preserving the beauty of the area and nature — it is a real drawcard for the area,” she said.

“I spent about a year back and forwards at the shack community down there — I was really interested in the history.

“A lot of people have an affiliation with Point Peron as they went to camp there as kids.”

Ms Keall Walsh painted Shack Community Dusk specifically for the awards this year.

“Winning was a very pleasant surprise,” she said.

“I think it is amazing that cities such as Rockingham offer an art prize — it is a really good boost for artists and helps for their CVs. It is a really great thing.”

Rockingham’s Ms Liebenberg claimed the $1500 Local Resident Award for her painting New Beginnings.

“It was great — I didn’t expect it so it was really lovely,” she said.

“I have had some circumstances change recently and that has come across in my work. I have been thinking about new beginnings and starting afresh so that was on my mind while I was working.

“The piece is mixed media — I like to use quite a lot of techniques.

“It is symbolic of a new journey with the birds in the background fading away and the new birds showing new brighter beginnings.”

Ms Liebenberg does community art projects for the City of Kwinana and will host a workshop at Rockingham Art Centre in October.