Linda Judge wins inaugural Hoop Gallery Small Works Arts Prize

AIREYS INLET interdisciplinary artist Linda Judge has been crowned the winner of the Hoop Gallery Small Works Art Prize, winning $1000 in cash and an exhibition of her own at Hoop Gallery Torquay in 2024.

Among a field of 85 entries, Mrs Judge’s work ‘The Good Cups’, (a textile sculpture of cups and dishes on a dish rack) was cited to be the best small arts piece and was awarded winner status by Senior Curator at Geelong Gallery, Lisa Sullivan and prominent contemporary artist Geoffrey Carran who judged all entrants.

 

Mrs Judge said the piece used cups and dishes that were a copy of those her family had when she was a child.

“The piece of work inverts the idea of mass production, by stitching this arrangement of ten teacups and saucers, with all the irregularities of it being hand made,” she said.

“The willow pattern on it was an adaptation of fashionable Chinese motifs developed by English ceramic artists at the end of the eighteenth century, at a time when mass production of tableware was making use of printed transfers, rather than hand painting.”

The Small Arts Prize honour came as another major boost for the Aireys Inlet artist, who recently had her work ‘Birrarung Marr’ acquired by the State Library of Victoria.

Hoop Gallery and Surf Coast Arts Space Chair Sally Groom said they were thrilled with the overall quality of artistic work and hoped it would set a precedent for future events.

“We have a vision that the prize will be an integral part of the annual creative calendar attracting cultural tourists to the region, and greater exposure of the burgeoning visual art scene on the Surf Coast,” Groom said.

“Our dream is to grow the prize to a significant level with support from patrons, and to attract entries from all over Australia.

“Selecting finalists and a winning entry from the 85 artworks submitted was I’m sure not an easy task, so a big thanks to Lisa and Geoffrey.”

The artworks of the 24 finalists for the prize will be on show at Hoop Gallery until February 27.

The People Choice Award is yet to be decided, and the community are invited to visit the exhibition and vote for their favourite work.

The People’s Choice winner will receive a $300 voucher as sponsored by The Frame Shop Geelong.

For more, visit surfcoastartspace.com.au/