Artist wins major prize
Artist and teacher Lauren Simpson, formerly of Horsham, has pocketed $2000 in prizemoney after winning a major award at Portland Art Show.
Ms Simpson won the judge’s choice award with an acrylic appropriated portrait painting FDOOHG µ,QÀDWH¶
She won from almost 300 entries and accepted her award at the launch of the 36th annual Rotary Club of Portland event.
Ms Simpson has been teaching at Portland’s Bundarra Primary School and will start a new job as an art and technology teacher at Heywood Secondary College next year.
The 28-year-old, a daughter of Bryce of Debbie Simpson of Horsham, has been an artist since she was a teenager and usually creates pastel drawings.
“I decided to have a go at DFU\OLF DQG LW ZDV WKH ¿UVW time I’ve really used colour in such a work. I usually work in black and white,” she said.
“I won a People’s Choice award at Ballarat’s Top Arts in the past and was shortlisted in Top Arts in Melbourne but WKLV LV WKH ¿UVW WLPH , KDYH entered a Rotary show. I was very surprised.”
Ms Simpson said she was now exploring using the winning artwork as part of a portrait series while using same colours.
“I have another seven boards so it looks like I’ll be busy during the summer holidays,” she said. the