Christmas came early for Moree’s Amy Canfield last year when she found out she had won the People’s Choice category for Moree Plains Gallery’s inaugural Moree Portrait Prize for her stunning hyper-realistic portrait.
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The People’s Choice winner was announced on Friday, December 22, the last day of the exhibition which ran for two weeks.
Moree Plains Gallery received about 300 votes for the People’s Choice prize, worth $500.
Gallery director Vivien Clyne said while the votes were close, Amy’s oil painting, ‘Shining Down’, was a clear winner.
“It was great, it was a lovely work, beautiful use of light,” she said.
“It’s hyper-realistic – there’s lots of colour against a black background, it’s really powerful.”
Ms Clyne said it was great to see so many entries, from locals, school children and even some from the region and beyond, in the first year of the prize.
“We’re really happy,” she said.
“We’re hoping next year we get even more entries and have more of the schools involved.
“It’d be great if one day the portrait prize could fill the whole gallery.
“A lot of people also came in to the gallery during the exhibition, especially to vote for friends and family.”
Amy said she was thrilled to find out she’d won People’s Choice, especially because she’s not from Moree and doesn’t know many people.
“I couldn’t quite believe it,” she said.
“I was very, very grateful when I found out.”
Amy, who does commissioned work, had entered the competition after finding out about it at the last minute.
“I just thought it couldn’t hurt to give it a go,” she said.
Her portrait was based on a photo that she’d taken of her friend’s daughter.
“It probably took me about 56 hours,” she said.
“It took a long time. But I was quite excited about it so it took me less time than other paintings I’ve done.
“I had so many people say [that it looked like a photo]. When I’m painting I’m seeing all the faults myself and I thought ‘that’ll do’.
“I was so surprised to win.”
Originally a landscape artist, Amy now mostly does portraits after picking up a brush one day and deciding to “give it a crack”.
She said her success in the Moree Portrait Prize has inspired her to possibly take her art further.
“I do commissions for people but I never saw any way of making a career out of it,” she said.
“After doing this competition, I realised I could have a career out of it.
“I definitely will be entering again, aiming for the bigger prize this time.”
