A handful of Taranaki artists have been recognised in a national arts award event.
The 16th anniversary of the Taranaki National Art Awards attracted a record breaking 330 entries from throughout New Zealand across seven categories - painting, rural Taranaki, 3D, works on paper, fibre art, Toi Tu Taranaki, and Photography.
Of these, seven artists from New Plymouth, Ōkato and Urenui took out the top spot and highly commended awards in five categories.
Fern Petrie won the painting award for her artwork "Reflections on a Grey A Room".
Reyna Henderson, of New Plymouth, and Howard Tuffrey, of Urenui, were recognised for their talents in capturing rural Taranaki.
Painter Fern Petrie, judge Dr Carol Shepheard, painter Jacqueline Elley, and 3D artist Sam Kelly.
And Ōkato artist Jenny Pullar attracted a win for her fibre art, while fellow Ōkato artist Mark Hudson earned a committee choice for his sculpture.
The Awards Exhibition will be on display from 10am to 4pm daily from until November 4 at the Sandford Events Centre in Ōpunake.
The Awards' success inspired the inaugural Arts Fest South Taranaki event, which welcomes people to wander 17 different exhibitions around coastal towns including Waverley, Manaia and Pātea from October 27 to November 5.
Michaela Stoneman, South Taranaki District Council arts coordinator said securing the affair was a real achievement for a small voluntary committee.
"The event is a great example of a small town doing it for themselves," she said.
List of award winners by category: Painting: Fern Petrie (New Plymouth) "Reflections on a Grey A Room", Highly Commended: Jacqueline Elley (New Plymouth) "Suffusion #11"; Rural Taranaki: Howard Tuffrey (Urenui) "Local Landform", Highly Commended: Reyna Henderson (New Plymouth) "Objection"; 3D: Jo Giddens (Whanganui) "Quarter Acre Dream", Highly Commended: Sam Kelly (New Plymouth) "Brooch I"; Works on Paper: Sam Dollimore (Porirua) "Misdirection, or Why Not Poke the Baby Man Baby, Man", Highly Commended: Margaret Silverwood (Whanganui) "Hover"; Fibre Art: Mark Rayner (Whanganui) "Paula", Highly Commended: Jenny Pullar (Ōkato) "Strange Things"; Toi Tu Taranaki: Timoti Pekamu (Taihape) "Spotlight Fleece", Highly Commended: Paula McNeill (Tairua) "The Farmer and His Sheep"; Photography: Judy Stokes (Auckland) "Storm out at Sea", Highly Commended: Nicky Gerard (Whanganui) "Sling/Slung"; Committee Choice: Mark Hudson (Ōkato) "Pipeline"
- Stuff