MEDIA RELEASE
/ 6 Bay StreetPort Broughton
SA 5522
ABN53 118 338 131
To: / NEWS EDITORS / Date20/11/2009
For: / IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOCUS ON OUR PRECIOUS PAST WINS INAUGRAL PT BROUGHTON ART PRIZE
Suzanne Morizzi of WestBeach is the winner of the inaugural Broughton “Brush with our Heritage” Art Prize with her acrylic painting and collage titled “Our precious past”.
Suzanne’s sister, local resident Pat Walsh, was presented with a $1000 cheque on her behalf by the Lady Mayoress of Port Broughton, MsElizabeth Dolling, at a special function on Friday 20 November at Palate 2 Palette Restaurant and ArtGallery at Port Broughton.
All entries in the competition had to feature the 114 year old Council Chamber in HarveyStreet Port Broughton which was saved from demolition earlier in the year by community action.
The entries were judged by Russell Starke, Director of Greenhill Galleries, Daryl Parker, Arts and Community Development Officer, Country Arts SA, and Rob Locke,ArtteacherPortBroughtonAreaSchool.
“The winning entry shows imagination using fascinating fragments from historical research to create a complex collage which is aesthetically pleasing and mentally stimulating,” Mr Starke said.
According to Pat Walsh her sister regularly visits Port Broughton. “She just loves the place,” Pat says.
“Suzanne believes it is important that the town doesn’t looseall of its historic links to the past. The building may be unimposing, but it reminds us just how much the town has grown since our founding fathers met in it over 100 years ago to plan for our future,” Pat says.
The judges agreed that while there could have been more entries, the quality of the art work entered was “very encouraging”.
Bob and Marjorie Brown, long time supporters of the town and community, donated the prizemoney and funds to establish the competition. They announced today that they will support the competition in 2010.
“We want to encourage an interest in the history and heritage of Pt Broughton,” Marjorie says.
“Both of our families arrived in South Australia in the early days of settlement. One line of my family arrived overland to Wallaroo, found clay on the NorthBeach and made the first bricks to build a house and the Chimney for the mines which is still standing.
“It is because of the sacrifices of our forebears that we would like to see the history recorded in this art exhibition from different subjects chosen, not only this year, but every year and thus providing an incentive for artists both young and old to capture their own interpretation on paper or print the historical significance of Pt Broughton and its natural environs.”
Chris Neis of Kadinawas awarded $500 for a Photographic entry.
“Chris’s entry is beautifully thought out, from the grand old frame to the composition of “faded images” overlaid on a painted photograph of the façade of the Council Chamber. A very happy marriage of contemporary technologies creates a fine memento work, Mr Stake says.
A People’s Choice prize of $250 will be announced at the end of the exhibition.
The judges also made a special commendation of a photograph by local Leonie Kerley “Standing Tall and Proud”.
The entries will be on display until 13 December at Port Broughton’s Palate 2 Palette Restaurant & Art Gallery. The gallery is open to the public Thursday 5pm to 8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 10pm and Sunday 9am to 4pm.
Palate 2 Palette, located at 6 Bay Street, also offers a fresh innovative menu influenced by the tastes and flavors of Asia and Europe, fine wines, great coffee and homemade cakes, to provide …a feast for all the senses.