The opening of the Percival Portrait Competition sponsored by Xstrata was held last night (4th May) at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in Townsville, North Queensland. Exhibiting artists had to paint a subject from life, that demonstrated some link to the rural location of Townsville. The total prize money awarded to the winning artist of the competition is $40,000, and the humble exhibition hosted by the Townsville gallery is fast approaching the status of the acclaimed Archibald Portrait Prize in Sydney.
The winner of the 2012 Xstrata Portrait Prize this year was Kevin Lincoln.
Pictured here I'm standing beside my entry for the Percival Portrait Prize. It had been drawn first in pen, a tea wash was applied, and watercolour and gouache was used to add an expressive edge to an otherwise technically detailed drawing. Complimentary colours, ("candy-coloured" my Honours supervisor describes them as!) I feel express the bright and wonderful internal and external experiences of music.
Many people were drawn to the wall of framed drawings and paintings of subjects linked to Townsville...
...but the gallery was extremely packed anyway.
Both of the gallery's floors were taken up a wide range of different styles, perspectives, visions and application to the challenging subject of portraiture. There were 169 entries in total... and all were hung!
A proud face: The model of my painting, my lovely boyfriend Clinton, stands beside his portrait.
I look forward to entering the Xstata Percival Portrait Prize in the years to come.
