Entries now closed
ENTRIES CLOSED 10 FEBRUARY 2023
Fill-in the online entry form before 5pm Friday 10 February to enter. (Hard copy entries must be postmarked on or before 3 February)
Portland Art Prize & Simply Drawing Prize
Portland Art Prize
First Prize $650 | Second Prize $350
This year artists entering the theme section are invited to interpret
CLOUDS
Artists are also asked to submit a 50 word summary of how their work interprets the theme for the judges consideration.
The Ron Bidwell Award – First Prize $650
The Mary Hampton Award – Second Prize $350
Entries Close 10 February 2023 for online entries and hard copy entries must be post marked on or before 3 February
- Artists are permitted one entry only in this section.
- Artists are asked to include a 50 word description of how their work interprets the theme.
- The prizes will be awarded after independent judging takes place.
- The judge will be announced prior to the Art Exhibition.
- The judges’ decision will be final.
Sponsored by
Simply Drawing Prize
Prize $300
Artwork must be a drawing and can be done using
pencil, charcoal or pen. Black & White only, back to basics
Entries Close 10 February 2023 for online entries and hard copy entries must be post marked on or before 3 February
- Artists are permitted one entry only in this section. Artists are permitted three entries in total.
- The prizes will be awarded after judging takes place by Joe Penn & Lesley O’Shea.
- The judges’ decision will be final.
Sponsored by Joe Penn & Lesley O’Shea
Feature Artist 2023 Barbara Karrer
“My work is inspired by my lifelong fascination and reverence for nature. The paintings are a kind of portrait, more interpretive than representational but with attention to anatomical accuracy. The aim is to capture the demeanour of the subject, the essence, it’s singular quality. It is a kind of reverie, and I hope to be able to increase my skills so that my work can truly be a celebration of the wonder of it all”
Barbara Karrer
Event Details
Exhibition times:
Special Preview
Thursday 2 March 6:00pm-8:00pm
Opening Night
Friday 3 March 6:00pm – 9:30pm
General Exhibition
Saturday 4 March 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday 5 March 10:00am – 4:00pm
Previous Featured Artists
We have had the pleasure of exhibiting some amazing artists over the years, please find details below.

The guest artist this year is Nikki Burns, who has been exhibiting in the annual exhibition for a number of years and has been a previous Simply Drawing Prize winner. Based in Millthorpe, Nikki has a love of drawing and painting with water colours, where she takes inspiration from the rural life surrounding her in her small home town. Nikki has been drawing since a young age and has a special affinity for drawing animals,
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The guest artist this year is Frank Hodgert who has been exhibiting in the annual exhibition for a number of years and has always been a crowd favourite. Based in Glenmore Park, Frank spends a lot of time in the areas surrounding Portland and has painted a number of Portland streetscapes over the years along with landscapes of the surrounding natural beauty, in both watercolour and oils. Frank, who has taught art as well as
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Natasha Daniloff is an Australian artist specialising in drawing, painting, mixed media and installation. Her work embraces a broad thematic framework referencing her Russian heritage, Iranian cultural motifs acquired when her family lived in Iran and fuses these with her experiences in the Australian landscape. These themes are explored through layers of materials and meanings. The recipient of several prestigious residencies – Bathurst Regional Gallery Hill End Residency and Launceston City Council’s A.I.R. – she
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Guenter Barth was born in East Germany and started painting at the age of 16. In 1957, with his new wife, Edel and his paints, he fled from communist Germany into Berlin. They migrated to Australia in 1960, but it wasn’t until 1994 when he retired that he could follow his dream of devoting his time to painting. He has travelled extensively throughout Australia and has been inspired by the contrast and beauty of Australian
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ANNIE JOSEPH is a long time supporter of the Portland Art Exhibition. She loves painting and drawing the landscape. “There is never any shortage of subjects, and am lucky to be able to work in my wondrous studio surrounded by beautiful hills and valleys of Old Bowenfels at Lithgow.” Her heartland is further west though, out in the central west where “the sky comes down to your boots!” Annie mostly works in charcoal, pen and
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Nicole Foxall is a colour junkie who loves injecting hefty doses of pigment and vibrancy into her paintings. Her mission is to express and create from the world around her and bring colour and happiness to people's walls. Nicole's painting process is loose and spontaneous with each piece a unique translation of the subject. Nicole works out of a backyard studio which she shares with her husband who is also a painter and creator. She
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To celebrate the 40th Anniversary, the society has chosen to choose four feature artists. JOE PENN For over 30 years he has been painting full time, working in a variety of mediums. He is well known for his Impressionistic oils of landscapes, portraits and figures, he is currently Vice President of The Royal Art Society. LESLEY O'SHEA I am fascinated by faces. The challenge to portray an individual’s personality and likeness in paint is the passion that
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Dennis Claydon – A Storyteller in pastels Dennis moved from Albury about 2 years ago and he and his wife Gae have now made their home in Orange. Dennis is a horticulturist by trade (in charge of Randwick Racecourse, Sydney Showground, Dreamworld and many others) and he commenced painting in 1993. The rest they say is history – as he had been winning major awards ever since. Some of Dennis’s achievements are: • Best Painting
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We had a great time meeting our Feature Artist Wanda Driscoll the other day, a range of her wonderful paintings will be exhibited at the Portland Art Purchase Society's exhibition. A short video from the meeting can be viewed below. // Post by Portland Art
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The focus of his paintings is often around the fringe dwellers of outback society and their eccentricities. His endeavour is to catch the spirit of these people and their landscape with all its idiosyncrasies. A strong undercurrent of dry humour finds its way into many of his works. Eris has a great interest in the history of the outback and the history of art itself. He reads extensively, especially biographies of the past greats, whether
Read moreContact Us
Chairperson: Sue Banning
Vice Chairperson: Elizabeth Irvine
Treasurer: Brian Cassell
Entry Co-ordinators: Bruce & Elizabeth Irvine
Artist Liaison: Cathy Egan
Secretary: Jodie Mason
Publicity Officer: Rich Evans
Mailing address
PO Box 43
Portland NSW 2847
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