Four Sunshine Coast locals have been announced as finalists for a prestigious portrait prize.
Holly Field, Judith Sinnamon, Peter Hudson and Nicole Voevodin-Cash are among the 64 finalists selected from more than 575 entries in the Brisbane Portrait Prize, which celebrates contemporary portraits by artists who have a connection to the city.
Finalists are eligible to share in $90,000 in prizemoney over nine categories, including the $50,000 Lord Mayor’s Prize.
Brisbane Portrait Prize chair Anna Reynolds said the portraits were based on contemporary issues.
“This year, themes include navigating life as a father or a mother, the fragility of life, the nature of memory, and the impact of screens on young people,” Ms Reynolds said.
Ms Voevodin-Cash, from Mudjimba, was selected as a finalist for her digital artwork titled Mum, using a handheld scanner to manipulate the light in the piece.
The artwork is of her 97-year-old mother Heather Voevodin, captured before she passed away.
“There is a ghostly halo the scan creates as it refracts the light around the image … this light washes in like water as though it was washing her away,” Ms Voevodin-Cash said.
She works mainly in sculptures and has had her pieces shown in exhibitions for more than 30 years, including at the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane.
Mr Hudson’s oil-on-linen piece is titled Maleny, after his hometown.
The portrait is of Nathan Shepherdson, a writer and poet, looking at two pieces of artwork Mr Hudson replicated by Mr Shepherdson’s dad, artist Gordon Shephard.
Ms Sinnamon’s oil-on-linen piece is titled Little Big Acts of Hope – Hannah Moloney, South of Timtumili Minaya (the Derwent), and honours the Gardening Australia presenter.
Ms Sinnamon, from Balmoral Ridge, is a previous finalist in the Brisbane Portrait Prize, along with the Archibald Prize and the Sunshine Coast Art Prize.
Ms Field, from Forest Glen, was selected for her oil-on-canvas piece titled Nicolette.
It is a portrait of Nicolette Johnson, a Brisbane ceramic artist, staring pensively as she sits on a couch.
Ms Field was also a finalist for the 2023 Brisbane Portrait Prize and has her work permanently showcased in places like the National Gallery of Victory and the Museum of Brisbane.
An exhibition featuring the finalists’ work will be held from August 3-November 10 at the State Library of Queensland.
The prize winners will be announced on August 2.
Kelsey Reid is a journalism intern with Sunshine Coast News.
Like stories about Sunshine Coast people doing great things? Help us deliver more by registering for our FREE daily news feed. All it requires is your email at the bottom of this article.
