Karen Harding's Sunrise Beach Walk has been voted the People's Choice cover winner for the 2023 Surf Coast Community Arts Calendar.
Both in-person and online votes were tallied to determine which local artist's work would land the cover of next year's community calendar. The 12 artists who will feature in the calendar were determined by a judging panel.
Ms Harding is an artist whose work is inspired by shapes and colours in the local environment. She has recently started experimenting with landscapes, having previously focused on portraiture.
"I used a palette knife in a playful way to show the colour and movement in the cloudy sky reflecting the vibrant colours on the rippling waves," she said of her submission, which took out the People's Choice award with 86 votes.
Surf Coast Shire Council Mayor Libby Stapleton was delighted about 450 people had taken the opportunity to visit Anglesea Art Space to experience in-person the work of the 96 artists, while more than 5,000 viewed the exhibition online.
"It's been fantastic to see people come out to view and purchase these incredible works, as well as vote in support of their favourite piece for the cover," Mayor Stapleton said.
"I know Sunrise Beach Walk was the first piece sold on the opening night of the calendar exhibition, so it's been a popular piece in more ways than one.
"I'm always blown away by just how much incredible artistic talent there is in our shire and the community calendar is always such a great way to bring fresh talent out into the open."
The 13 artists to feature in the 2023 calendar are:
- Karen Harding – People's Choice cover winner - Sunrise Beach Walk (oil)
- Emilia Bennett – Point Addis (watercolour)
- Archie Sullivan – Sunset Boxing on our Land (collage)
- Tony Digger Gilson – Bunyip (carved sculpture)
- Daniela Rodriguez – Impermanence (photograph)
- Clancy Morrisey – Peace Dove (collage)
- Shane Jacobsen – The Joyful Spinner (mixed media)
- Kim Layton – Winter Solstice Swim (pastel)
- Pat McKenzie – Aireys' Cliffs (watercolour)
- Marion Smith – Blue Gum (sterling silver)
- Bridie Murphy – A Quiet Time (watercolour)
- Peter Day – GasBoy is the Nervous Type (Found Object Sculpture)
- Meaghan Shelton – Self Made Woman (acrylic)
The 2023 Surf Coast Community Arts Calendar will be available at outlets across the shire in the first week of December, including Council office in Torquay, visitor information centres, Anglesea Art Space, township post offices and general stores.
