The Gold Coast's longest running painting prize, The Doyles Art Award and Exhibition, kicked off this Thursday 27 June, announcing the winners of the lucrative of $30,000 prize pool.
Celebrating its 20th year and featuring over 600 works on display, this year's award received a record-breaking number of artist submission from across Australia.
Event Director Sam Sinner says The Doyles team are thrilled to announce this year's prize winners who were judged by a three-person panel and selected from 780 adult entries and 244 junior entries.
"The 2024 winner of the major Landscape prize was award to Nick Offer for his artwork 'Remains of the Control Room at The Space Tracking Centre, Orroral Valley' in second place was Robyn Sweaney for 'AR DEE' and third was Dellene Strong for 'Natural Arch'," says Ms Sinner.
"For the Figurative category, first place was awarded to Trish Tait for 'Staring down the barrel' and second place was Megan Woodfine for 'The next chapter'.
"First place in the Still Life category was awarded to Bronwyn Searle for 'Golden Girls' and second place was Kim Grivas for 'Tale as Old as Time'.
"Honourable commendations were awarded to Vicki Stavrou and Maraika Clairfayt (Landscape), Jenny Ras (Portrait), and Sophie Duke Yonge (Still Life).
"In the junior competition, first place for the Primary category (ages 5 to 8) was awarded to Lucas Sun for 'Feline Harmony' for Middle (ages 9 to 13) was Charley Stewart for 'My Cabin' and for Senior (ages 14 to 17) was Maito Tanaka for 'The Flow Beryl'.
"We express our congratulations to the winners and our gratitude to all the artists who participated in this year's award, we are immensely proud to showcase your talent."
Named after famous Australian artist d'Arcy William Doyle, the prestigious award is the Gold Coast's longest running painting prize and carries a prize pool of $30,000 across its three competition categories – Landscape, Figurative and Still Life.
Ms Sinner says The Doyles is a free community event held in the Firth Park Community Centre and will showcase approximately 600 artworks over the 10-day exhibition.
"During the course of the exhibition, we'll have a significant number of artworks on display that encompass a wide array of mediums, styles and themes," says Ms Sinner.
"This event is a celebration of artistic talent and provides a platform for emerging and established artists to share their creativity and works.
"One of the distinguishing features of The Doyles is the opportunity to connect directly with the artists themselves and even potentially take home a piece of original art that resonates with you.
"The organising team behind the event has established an outstanding reputation for promoting new and emerging artists and last year we delivered over $70,000 back into the arts community through prizes and sales."
Originally established in 2004 by dedicated volunteers, The Doyles Art Award is held in Firth Park Community Centre, Somerset Drive in Mudgeeraba and runs from 27 June to 7 July 2024.
Now in its twentieth year, the awards featured a prestigious judging panel which included HOTA Director of Gallery and Visual Arts Susi Muddiman OAM, Director of SWELL Sculpture Festival Natasha Edwards and professional artist Hobie Porter.
The Doyles Art Award is supported by arts and culture focused sponsors which have been instrumental in the longevity of the award and the increase in prize money including Bond University, Attwood Marshall Lawyers, SkyRidge Living, Left Bank Art Group, Wings Real Estate, A Gentle Touch Funerals, The Hive Art Gallery, Friends of the Arts Foundation, Roberts Law, Canson Australia, Gold Coast Innovation Hub and HW Litigation.
