Daniel Phillips A Finalist In Adam Portraiture Award

From 429 entries, 43 artists have been shortlisted by international judge Jude Rae. The selection brings together a dynamic mix of subjects and stories. Familiar New Zealand faces appear alongside intimate portrayals of friends, whānau and colleagues, as well as a number of striking self-portraits.

Jude Rae commented on the calibre of the entries and said there were many that could easily have been selected. “This was an enormous challenge but testament to the high regard I have for artists here after a decade spent in Aotearoa.”

Learn more about the Award finalists

Daniel Phillips is a prolific artist, who has been attending Mix Connecting, Creating Living three days a week in Lower Hutt since 2011. Asked why he loves to make art so much, Daniel says: “Art makes me happy and so does travelling on planes and boats and trains.

“It makes me feel more extremely super wonderful”

“I like to sell my art and win prizes so I can travel. My goal is to travel completely independently.

This is a very special award that makes me feel more extremely super wonderful.”

MIX art tutor Rachel Silver says everyone at MIX is very proud of Daniel. “Being selected for such a prestigious exhibition as the Adams Portrait Award shows that he is being taken seriously as the dedicated artist he is. He truly deserves this kind of recognition, and we can’t wait to see ‘Seat F’ on the gallery wall.”

Producing vibrant, upbeat works day after day

Rachel says Daniel’s joy is apparent in how confidently he knows his craft, continually producing vibrant, upbeat works day after day.

“Daniel has built quite a following and his colourful, charming artworks are in collections in Aotearoa and abroad,” she says. “He loves to save money from the sale of his art to go on big journeys like ship cruises and flights to Europe to travel on every type of transport he can.

“His strong sense of design takes the viewer on a whimsical ride full of bright colourful swirls, and magical twists and turns in paint and pen. Daniel also loves portraits, and lately this has seen him doing live portraits at events such as exhibition openings and art markets.”

Creative spaces foster talent

Daniel’s talent has been fostered over the years by attending several creative spaces in the greater Wellington region, including the former Petone Art Space, Vincents Art Workshop and MIX.

Presented biennially by the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata and supported by the Adam Foundation, the Adam Portraiture Award continues to be one of the country’s most significant and long-standing art prizes. This year, the first prize has increased to $30,000, reinforcing the award’s role in supporting and elevating New Zealand artists.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday 20 May, with a $30,000 first prize awarded alongside a $2500 runner-up prize and a $2500 People’s Choice Award.

All finalist works will be exhibited at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata, Shed 11 on Wellington’s waterfront, from 21 May to 9 August 2026, after which most of the works will tour nationally.

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