Du Rietz Art Awards

Du rietz entries open cognito banner 2023

Annual Gympie Regional Gallery art competition honoring the architect of the beautiful historical School of Arts building where the Gallery is housed.

The Du Rietz Art Awards are the premier art awards for the Gympie Region. Finalists are displayed throughout the Gallery and feature a range of 2D and 3D artworks.

Key Dates:

Entries closing 4pm, Wednesday 24 May

Official Opening Friday 28 July, from 6pm

Exhibition viewing 21 July – 25 August

2022 Award Winners

2D Award	'Still Water' by Emma Thorp	Judges Comment: This work is elegant and semi-abstract. And yet, it holds strong emotion, especially given the subject matter of the autistic boy. In its simplicity, it contains a depth of feeling. It is a complete composition that is about capture and the beautiful contemplation of the artist on her son. The reflections in the water suggest a connection to nature within as domestic environment.
2D Highly Commended Award	'Sector-Gympie' by Terrence Gillespie	Judges Comment: This work is beautifully composed and in its abstraction is deeply engaging. Nature plays with the industrial: and what appears to be a mundane back door image of a building is a place of beauty. Can’t help seeing the air conditioning unit on the roof as a lonely reminder of our desire to tame nature, or indeed an industrial eye keeping us in order.
Locals Award	'Psithurism 2' by Ian Gunn	Judges Comment: This work keeps me asking questions. The red tone seems to move it away from naturalism and yet the natural detail is intense and delicate. It suggests to me domesticity in in decorative conception and yet, it has the depth of a closer look at dense garden.
Ceramic Award	'Garden Sketch' by Carol Forster	Judges Comment: I chose this work for its excellence in combining its functionality with its decorativeness and yet being able to reference shapes of nature; the mix of detail and larger former, and mix of pops of colour; the raw and deep colours of wood and greenery. This work provides rich viewing from all directions.
3D Budget Steel Aquisitive Award	'A quiet gentle (at Sandy Creek, Toolara Forest)' by Nicole Jakins	Judges Comment: This is an iconic work. Delicate forms reach out of solid mass – creating a strong landscape image but also something that could have been rescued in total from the creek. I love the way the artist has used found junk from the civilized world to represent a picturesque part of nature.
People’s Choice Award	‘Meet the Bells' by Joolie Gibbs	Image Credit: Christine Hall