Daughter inspires winning artwork
A Horowhenua-based figure painter’s award-winning piece was based, as many of her other pieces have been, on her daughter.
Soraya Bradley was awarded the best overall award, and an $1000 cash prize, at Kapiti’s Rotary Art Show last weekend.
Her painting, The Keeper, does not directly depict Arwen, her 19-year-old daughter, but is based on photographs of her.
Bradley, based in Manakau, north of Otaki, painted the piece this year, and took about 60 hours to do so.
She said she was ‘‘shocked’’ and ‘‘speechless’’ to take the top prize.
‘‘The art industry is fickle. Any award or acknowledgement of what you’re doing is amazing. It’s humbling.
‘‘You get locked in your own world [as an artist] ... to go out and see people having a reaction is great.’’
Bradley said although the painting is open to interpretation, the fact she became the eldest woman on the mother’s side of her family in her 20s also inspired some of its themes.
‘‘I felt all this weight. All the family secrets to pass on.
‘‘Are you going to remember them? ... the history of where you came from.’’
She has entered the Rotary Art Show several times before, winning the best portrait/figure category in 2014.
‘‘They’re always so happy to see you. They remember you and they remember your work.’’
Bradley will be on this year’s Kapiti Arts Trail, presenting at 89 Aotaki St, Otaki.
The trail is this Saturday and Sunday, November 5 and 6.
Paraparaumu’s Elaine Kermode and Levin’s Ronda Turk also won awards at the show.
On the show’s opening night
Other winners
BestKapiti Coast representation: - Michael Freeman (Auckland) Best landscape/seascape:
- Susan Higginson (Waipukurau) Best portrait/people:
Elaine Kermode (Paraparaumu) Best natural fauna:
- Catherine Andrew(Upper Hutt) Best natural flora: Ronda Turk (Levin) Best townscape:
- Judy Johnstone (Feilding) Best abstract: Stewart (Featherston) Best still life: - Anna-Marie Kingsley (Carterton) Bestwatercolour:
- Judy Johnstone (Feilding) Best oil: - Leon Ramakers (Lower Hutt) Best pastel: Dolman (Whitby) Best acrylic: Taylor (Wellington) - Nicki - - Doreen - Dianne the Paraparaumu Rotary Club announced they would donate $30,000 from its art show trust, and the proceeds from the show, to the Kapiti Performing Arts Centre.
In total, 321 works were on display, from about 150 artists, some from as far away as Dargaville and Geraldine.