20 January to 22 February 2011

We are excited to announce the dates for the second Life Aquatic competition & exhibition (see above). The opening event (including live music, BBQ and announcements of award winners) is to be held on Sunday January 23.

Entry forms with all details will be available at the end of September, either downloadable from this website or from the gallery shop.

 As before, on payment of the entry fee you will be given a numbered blank canvas (8" x 8"). There is a limit of 4 canvases per person. If you purchased canvases for last year's competition which you did not use, please do not enter those in this year's competition. The numbering will be different. This is important for our accounting system, especially if you sell your work and would like to be paid for it! Starting afresh with new canvases also ensures that we are exhibiting brand new work.

The theme is to remain the same - a creative response by Gippsland artists to our marine and coastal environment.

Life Aquatic 2010 was a small works art competition and exhibition held at Stockyard Gallery during January/February, with prizes to the value of $2500.

To enter, Gippsland artists of any age, purchased an 8" x 8" canvas upon which they interpreted the theme: our marine and coastal environment.

On opening day, over 160 canvases lined the gallery walls in a vibrant display of creativity. Over 200 people braved 36 degree heat to attend the BBQ and find out who won the prizes provided by our generous sponsors.

Our four judges, Gary Miles (modern/abstract artist), Sharon Anderson (visual artist & art teacher), Janine Riches (contemporary artist) and Craig Stubbings (Chief Ranger with Parks Victoria) were unanimous in awarding first prize ($400 cash) to Andy McPherson for his untitled work and two 2nd prizes - Best 2D work to Jan Gallacher and Best 3D work to Pam Donellan. Each judge also awarded their own prize to four more artists:

• Gary Miles to Doug Taylor
• Sharon Anderson to Pat Butinar
• Janine Riches to Sharn Downing
• Craig Stubbings to June Riviere

The judges also awarded the Bombora Prize (best work by artist of Secondary School age) to Keira Jacobson and the Minnows Prize (best work by artist of Primary School Age) to Evan McPherson and two Highly Commended Awards to Chloe Cousins and Sean van der Steen.

At the end of the exhibition, Andy McPherson also won The People's Choice Award (I) while Kerry Spokes won The People's Choice (II) and one happy visitor from Melbourne won the Voter's Award, a Wilsons Promontory Wilderness Retreat Holiday Accommodation Package donated by Parks Victoria.

Life Aquatic 2011

Life Aquatic was such a success, and we have had so many people asking us to do it again that we plan to make this competition an annual event. If you missed the first one, watch for details later this year about how to enter Life Aquatic 2011!