The winners of the 2009/2010 Student Art Competition have been announced. We would like to congratulate our winners and thank everyone who entered the competition.

Grand Prize Winner - $5000

Eyes of the Dark Interior, Kirsten Low, University of New South Wales,

Title: Eyes of the Dark Interior
Dimensions: two small canvas's both 305mm (length) x305mm (height) with a width of 37mm, so with the canvas's together a length 610mm x height 305mm
Surface: canvas
School: University of New South Wales (UNSW) Paddington Campus, NSW, AU
Teacher/Professor/Lecturer: Nicole Ellis
Level of school: just completed my 1st year
Paint used: I used A>2 acrylic paint
What I liked about the paint: I use Chroma paints because I like the consistency and texture of the paint, not to runny and not to thick. I also like the vibrancy of the colours, and that they are an affordable price and easily accessible.

Inspiration: My art work was inspired from an offhand sketch I had previously done, which I decided I wanted to establish and turn it into a painting. I merged the sketch with a close up picture of a bird face (that I found in a newspaper), the eyes which were intensely yellow simply called to me, I just knew had to paint them and do justice to such a magnificent creature. simultaneously just wanted to create something crazy, fun and surreal, nothing to heavy so I could just let loose and paint the crap out of the canvas.

Best Oil Winner - $1000

Autopsy ( Archival Oils), Alexander Carletti, Adelaide Central School of Art, AU

Title: Autopsy
Dimensions: 40.5 x 61 cm
Surface: Board
School: Adelaide Central School of Art, Adelaide, South Australia
Level in school : finished 1st year
Teacher/Professor/Lecturer: Morgan Allender
Paint used: Archival Oils
What I liked about the paint: Consistency of Paint
Inspiration: A poem by T.S. Eliot

Best Acrylic Winner - $1000

Historical Perspective, Shannon Gilbert:, John Tyler Community College, Richmond VA, USA

Title: Historical Perspective
Dimensions: 40"X32"
Surface: un-stretched canvas
Paint used: Atelier Interactive Acrylics
School: (I would prefer to list the school I was attending when I created this painting, because my mentor there has been instrumental in developing my talents.) John Tyler Community College (this painting was created during spring term 2009 @ JTCC)
Teacher/Professor/Lecturer: Colin Ferguson
What I liked about the paint: Chroma Interactive Acrylics are the only thing in my paint box because of the versatile nature of the product. The key feature for me is the ability to rework an area that has dried, often days later! For this painting it was important that be able to actually lift and remove paint from some areas. Interactive paints are great because I don't have to wait days for oils to dry without the fast drying limitations of typical acrylics. I also have asthma which is aggravated by the strong odors from solvents, so Interactive allows me to paint in my small poorly ventilated studio safely.

Inspiration: Historical Perspective is a reflection on my experience as a guide on the canal boat tours at the James River Canal and Kanawha Canal in Richmond, VA. This artificial waterway built over 200 years ago fostered trade that shaped the future of Richmond. It is seated in one of the most historic parts of the city. It's banks are lined with the ghosts of slaves once traded in Shockoe Bottom, and punctuated by tobacco warehouses that have been converted to condos for urbanites. The soil is soaked with the blood of the Civil War. Looking to the west you are confronted by the future, punctuated by skyscrapers and tangles of interstate, looking north and south the flood wall engineered by the Army Corp of Engineers protects the city from inevitable flooding.

My work echos the indistinct recollection of history and the impossibility of truth in memory. Elements of this painting suggest this is a natural setting or a landscape, the blurred horizon allows for inference. I want the viewer to feel a sense of familiarity and disconnect when observing this innocuous scene. My process for this work is simple. I choose a limited palette of about 4 colors, permanent brown madder, sap green, cerulean blue and yellow ochre as well as black and white, Then I dilute the paints and pour them onto raw unstretched canvas and manipulate them by creasing and folding the canvas. I am inspired by artists like Edward Hopper and Helen Frankenthaler. Frankenthaler provided the inspiration for my pouring technique and I adore hoppers banal and moody scenes.

Highly Commendable ($300 worth of product)

Battle (Atelier Interactive), Mark Stewart, Tyler School of Art, USA

Study (A>2), Maryland Institute, College of Art, USA

Wonderful Day (Atelier Interactive), Academy of Art University, USA

The Wind Changed (Atelier Interactive), Liz Gridley, Monash University, AU

Viewing Round 3 Results: This competition is now closed