Carmen Tyrer has taken out the $7,500 top prize at the Ellenbrook Art Award for her felted merino wool piece, Mire a Miro.
The Ellenbrook Art Award is an annual competition and exhibition presented by Ellenbrook Arts with the support of the City of Swan.
This year’s winners were announced on Friday night at the opening of the exhibition, which will run until October 8.
Tyrer (pictured right), who comes from a Chilean textile family, knits, weaves, spins, felts and dyes woollen fleeces in her hometown of Waroona.
She used merino fleece to create her winning piece, referencing the work of Catalan artist Joan Miro (1893-1983).
Sandra Murray, Ellenbrook Art Award judge, said Tyrer’s entry showed “exceptional technical skill”.
“It is ambitious and it succeeds in making something that is both wearable and an admirable work of art,” Ms Murray said.
The $1,000 City of Swan Prize was awarded to Ellenbrook teenager Michael Kaye for his black-and-white bushfire photograph, Flight into Oblivion.
The City of Swan Prize is awarded to the most outstanding work that was created by a City resident or reflects an aspect of living in the City.
Michael (pictured below), who is only 17, captured the dramatic image from his back fence, showing the silhouette of a plane on a cloud of smoke.
The judges described his work as a moving response to a real event in his community.
Winners were announced in five other categories, with voting now open for the $250 People’s Choice Award.
People’s Choice voting is open until 5pm on Saturday, October 7.
The exhibition is open from 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday and 1-5pm Sundays at Ellenbrook Arts, 34 Main Street, Ellenbrook.
Winners:
Ellenbrook Award ($7,500) – Carmen Tyrer
City of Swan Prize ($1,000) – Michael Kaye
Young and Emerging Artist Award ($250) – Millie Muller
Painting ($500) – Graham Harvey
Drawing and Works on Paper ($500) – Tyler Thompson
Photography and New Media ($500) – Norma Schwind
Printmaking ($500) – Nicola Cowie
Wulff Prize for Glass, Sculpture, Mixed Media & Textile ($500) – Lee-Caroline Johnson
