Uni graduate’s EYE on the prize

AN emerging artist has racked up some accolades following Federation University’s end of year showcase last month.

Recent graduate from the bachelor of visual arts course Katherine Douglas displayed at the EYE exhibition where she won three awards.

With five painted works and numerous prints sold, Douglas took home this year’s Soldiers Hill Artist Collective Award, the Project Eleven Visual Arts Prize, and Federation University Acquisition Award.

Douglas said she was “humbled” for the awards, and thankful that her efforts were acknowledged.

“It’s been so affirming for me. It shows me that my work is touching people and it’s making an impact and connecting with them,” she said.

“That’s what you want to do as an artist. It was an emotional response, there was one woman that was teary looking at my work.

“I’ve always been visually creative. I did a graphic design degree at RMIT and worked in advertising and copywriting, and I hadn’t scratched that itch of doing visual arts so it was great to do this.”

The Project Eleven Visual Arts Prize is a new award from the eponymous group which aims to help emerging artists to expand their practice while Federation University’s Acquisition Award is given when a work is added to the university’s collection.

Completing her degree part-time over six years, Douglas’ works throughout her final year were in response to the Black Summer bushfires.

Her art was previously showcased in the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s Backspace as a part of the Visual Artists Mothers Posse or VAMP’s NEST exhibition.

With her talents being recognised, Douglas said she feels a lot of doors are opening up for her.

“[The SHAC Award especially] enables me to be a part of the SHAC collective and exhibit with them next year and learn from their collective experience which is huge,” she said.

“I’m hoping to exhibit with them next year as opportunities come up, and to have the opportunity to be mentored by them is incredible.”