Environmental art award winners

Please contact Esther Mae at Environment Bay of Plenty for photographs of artworks or to set up interviews with your local winners.

A painting with “cheerful impact”, another that reflects cultural pride and a third using strong and vibrant colour have caught the eye of the artist judging this year’s Environment Bay of Plenty environmental art awards.

But Manawahe’s Helen Lees says she had a tough job picking out the winning artworks. She was impressed by the overall high standard and the skill and originality of entries.

About 400 primary, intermediate and junior secondary students from all over the Bay of Plenty contributed to the awards this year.

A range of artworks will be on show at venues around the region over the next few weeks, including Mount Maunganui’s Bayfair Shopping Centre this weekend (October 11 and 12). They will also be displayed in the Rotorua District Library from October 14 to 21 and in the Whakatane District Library from October 23 to 31.

Art awards results are:

Primary: Jackie David (Rotokawa School, Rotorua) 1, Shayden Bell (St Josephs School, Whakatane) 2, Becky Hodgson (Tauranga Primary School) 3. Highly Commended - Courtney Smith, Sam Corkery, Alex Murray, Robbie O’Hara, Daniel Tom, Olivia Chance, Reighan Marr, Teagan Ryan, Conor Sinclair, Curtis Reed.

Judges comment: Jackie David’s entry was a delightful painting portraying a sunny image. The expressive bold lines of the felt pen have been drawn with confidence and flare, the splash of red being a good focal point. This painting has a cheerful impact with the focus on the environment.

Intermediate: Taydia Heta-Morris (Kaitao Intermediate, Rotorua) 1, Daniel Coates (St Josephs School, Whakatane) 2, William Mangos (Otumoetai Intermediate School, Tauranga) 3. Highly commended - Michael Martin, Carla Bindon, Richard Manks, Rangitahi Kawe, Sam Griffin, Cameo Hika, Olga Korduke, Michele Morris, Fergus McCool, Mitchell Atkins.

Judges comment: Taydia Heta-Morris put lot of thought and background research into this painting, with careful placement of line and detail, giving this picture balance meaning and energy. A painting full of expression with references to heritage, environment and cultural pride. Good control and use of colour and strong on design. Skilfully painted.

Junior Secondary: Kathryn Bell (Bethlehem College, Tauranga) 1, Finn Geoghegan (Mount Maunganui College) 2, Genevieve Armstrong (Mount Maunganui College) 3. Highly commented - Tracey Dorset, Daniel Smiley, Kris Goto, Le’Tania Cortesi, Claire O’Callaghan, Tiria Iles, all of Mount Maunganui College.

Judges comment: Kathryn Bell’s well painted picture of Mauao has been decoratively framed with objects found along its coastline. A loosely painted sky brings the picture align with movement. Good use of strong vibrant colour and reference to heritage.

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