Artists celebrated at Dampier Art Awards presentation evening hosted by the Dampier Community Association

The talent and creativity of local artists was celebrated at the Dampier Art Awards presentation evening. The fan-favourite annual art spectacular, hosted by the Dampier Community Association on May 6, celebrated the hard work of local emerging and established artists. Korrina Bastion claimed the top prize for her work A Memory in Time which featured a silhouetted father with his son on his shoulders, with clocks carefully painted in the background. Judge Jayne Rolinson described the work as “thought provoking”. “Strong composition with the silhouette of the son on his father’s shoulders speaks volumes about relationships,” she said. Meanwhile Muriel Muir won the landscape category for her piece Millstream Lily Pond and Talitha Sprigg took out the portrait category. Carrie McDowell was the winner of the 3D Art/sculpture category for her work Feathering the Nest and Victor Bellotti took out the Indigenous category for his piece Mangrove Jack. DCA president Gill Furlong said it was fantastic to put on the presentation night despite concerns over COVID. “We didn’t know we could pull it off, but we’re really happy that we did,” she said. Ms Furlong said the artwork that was entered this year was “ridiculously good”. “It’s gotten better and better and better,” she said. “The diversity, the variety and the different mediums that are now used, it’s sensational.” Ms Furlong said she was blown away at the quality of the pieces entered by the artists. “Our artists are considered grassroots because it can be the first time they exhibit and it takes a lot of courage to exhibit your art,” she said. “So they walk in putting their heart on their canvas and we go ‘oh my gosh, why have we not seen you before?’.”