Winner of the Port Pirie Art Prize Simon Waters with his photo montage. True to form, Simon kept a camera dangling around his neck at the awards ceremony.
Art enthusiasts were spoiled on Sunday with more than 100 works being shown at the Port Pirie Regional Art Gallery.
The works were entered in the $5000 Port Pirie Art Prize and included paintings, photographs and mixed media.
Gallery director Kirstie Jamieson said it was a record number of entries.
“We had 105 artworks, from 50 artists, 23 being from the Southern Flinders region,” she said.
“We owe all this success to our sponsors – council, Independent Member for Frome Geoff Brock and The Picture Framers, and the artists because without them none of this would be possible.”
The $2500 open prize winner was Simon Waters, of Maitland, with the photo montage Down the Shack.
The Southern Flinders artist prize winner was Maryanne Scrutton, of Port Pirie, with acrylic painting Bush Flower and photographic prize winner was Lindall White, of Port Pirie, with Rusted 2.
Other prizes included the youth encouragement award won by Maddie Combe, of Port Pirie, with the photograph We as One.
The merit awards went to Noel Dansie, of Normanville, with the painting Mulga Parrot and Robert Landt, of Maitland, with the painting Wet to the West.
Mr Waters said this is the first open prize that he has won.
“I started doing these kind of photograph montages in 1988 because I feel that it expresses how our eyes really see things,” he said.
“The work that won the prize took me a year-and-a- half to finalise, moving photos around until I was happy with it.
“My grandfather taught me about photography and what I like most about it is that through a photo we can revisit our memories.”
To check the artwork visit Port Pirie’s gallery.