THE winner of this year\u2019s prestigious Poets of Penola (POP) Acquisitive Art Prize is Xavier Mouche for his work \u2018A Ballad of Rhythmic Patchwork\u2019, an artistic interpretation of the poem \u2018The Hoofs of the Horses\u2019 by William Henry Ogilvie.<\/p>\n
The $12,000 art prize was awarded during the opening night of the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival (PCAF), hosted at the new home of the Festival, Still Water Studio in the heart of Penola on May 16.<\/p>\n
Formerly known as the John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize, the newly named Poets of Penola Acquisitive Art Prize celebrates the literary and artistic heritage of Penola.<\/p>\n
The new prize invites artists to create works inspired by the poetry of three poets associated with the region \u2013 John Shaw Neilson, Adam Lindsay Gordon, and William Henry Ogilvie.<\/p>\n
Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival president John Mossop said this year marked the perfect time to broaden the prize\u2019s scope with the opening of the new home of the arts festival – Still Water Studio.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe POP art prize and the studio would simply not have been possible without the generous support of a local benefactor, The Mary Skene Kidman Fund,\u201d Mr Mossop said.<\/p>\n
With 47 entries received locally and from across Australia, the response to the expanded prize has been enthusiastic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese artworks and the new format are breathing new life into the legacy of Penola\u2019s poets,\u201d said Mr Mossop. \u201cBy pairing poetry and visual art, the POP Prize invites creatives to explore our cultural heritage in a dynamic and accessible way.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to the POP Prize, awards presented on the night included the Limestone Coast Local Art Award and the Packer\u2019s Prize.<\/p>\n
Still Water Studio is open Friday to Monday, from 10am to 3pm and all through the week after the festival.<\/p>\n
Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival coordinator Peta Baverstock said like the festival, this space is entirely volunteer-run, and we welcome the public to enjoy these extraordinary artworks and a small donation during your visit helps support the studio.<\/p>\n
The entries for this year\u2019s Poets of Penola Acquisitive Art Prize, including the winners, will be open for exhibition until the end of the Long Weekend on June 9 at Still Water Studio, 45B Church St, Penola.<\/p>\n
The Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival acknowledges and thanks the Art Gallery of South Australia for its continued support, and especially Tansy Curtin for her generous contribution as this year\u2019s judge.<\/p>\n
2025 PENOLA COONAWARRA ARTS FESTIVAL<\/strong><\/p>\n PRIZE WINNERS<\/p>\n POETS OF PENOLA ACQUISITIVE ART PRIZE<\/p>\n SPONSOR<\/p>\n Mary Skene Kidman Fund<\/p>\n ARTIST NAME<\/p>\n Xavier Mouche<\/p>\n ARTWORK<\/p>\n TITLE<\/p>\n A Ballad of Rhythmic Patchwork<\/p>\n POEM NAME<\/p>\n The Hoofs of the Horses<\/p>\n POET NAME<\/p>\n William Henry Ogilvie<\/p>\n WHAT THE JUDGE SAID (Art Gallery of SA acting artistic director, artistic programs)<\/p>\n \u201cXavier has successful captured the rhythm and movement of Ogilvie\u2019s poem \u2018The Hoofs of the Horses\u2019. The patchwork of colours reminds us of the landscapes of regional and rural South Australia when viewed from above, and the tonal qualities of the colours are evocative of the severe drought we find ourselves. The flattened picture plane and layering of elements is indicative of the immersive and all-consuming nature of life on the land and has a timeless quality \u2013 we the viewer could be seeing Penola of the late nineteenth century or the Penola of today.\u201d<\/p>\n HIGHLY COMMENDED PRIZE<\/p>\n SPONSOR<\/p>\n Katnook Estate<\/p>\n ARTIST NAME<\/p>\n Lorna Beagan<\/p>\n ARTWORK TITLE<\/p>\n Always There<\/p>\n POEM NAME<\/p>\n A Dedication: To My Brother<\/p>\n POET NAME<\/p>\n Adam Lindsay Gordon<\/p>\n WHAT THE JUDGE SAID (Art Gallery of SA acting artistic director, artistic programs)<\/p>\n \u201cBoth painting and poem are imbued with a sense of inherent connection. There is a quiet introspective quality to the work but, just like Gordon\u2019s poem, there is a deep sense of love and respect. The artist has captured her sitter with bold brush strokes and a muted colour palette to draw our attention to his face. She, like Gordon, invites a wholly personal experience with the work.\u201d<\/p>\n HIGHLY COMMENDED PRIZE<\/p>\n SPONSOR<\/p>\n Katnook Estate<\/p>\n ARTIST NAME<\/p>\n Samantha Clayfield<\/p>\n ARTWORK<\/p>\n TITLE<\/p>\n The Loving Tree<\/p>\n POEM NAME<\/p>\n The Loving Tree<\/p>\n POET NAME<\/p>\n John Shaw Neilson<\/p>\n WHAT THE JUDGE SAID (Art Gallery of SA acting artistic director, artistic programs)<\/p>\n \u201cClayfield is capturing women\u2019s experiences of love and loss. She takes Neilson\u2019s poem and reclaims it as a story of women on the land. Clayfield\u2019s extraordinary materiality, using wool and hand dyes and then the technique of needle felting adds to the long history of women\u2019s work in domestic life. The work has a lovely sense of connection between the women but there is also a feeling of isolation and loneliness with the long stretching road.\u201d<\/p>\n