Whakatane artist wins Mandy Hague wins overall national art award in Tauranga

Bird painter Mandy Hague of Whakatane was last night named the best overall artist at the inaugural New Zealand art awards in Tauranga.

 

Other winners were: best Maori – Elisabeth Maria Sparks, Tauranga; best still life, Ron Hall, Rotorua; best landscape, Hannah Riden, Christchurch; best mixed media, Debbie Tipuna, Te Puke; best still life, Ron Hall; best pastel and pencil, Peter Cramond, Tauranga; best watercolour, Nick Eggleston, Tauranga; best portrait, Valerie Beale of Tauranga; best oil, Fiona Goulding, Christchurch; best acrylic, Libby McColl, Auckland.

 

The exhibition opens to the public today and closed on Sunday, with an auction night on Wednesday. Organiser Kathy Sass said the awards would help artists launch their professional careers.

 

``My husband, Michael, is an artist. He has entered the Molly Morpeth Cannaday Awards in Whakatane for four years and has won a category three times,’’ Sass said today.

 

``When he wins he sells his painting and when he doesn't his painting does not sell as well. It showed to us that awards winners are more sought after by art buyers.’’

 

Proceeds from the auction go towards the community project Homes of Hope.