21st Mar 10
Inaugural Rick Amor Drawing Prize 2010 Announced
The Art Gallery of Ballarat has called for entries for the inaugural 2010 Rick Amor Drawing Prize.
The $10,000 annual drawing prize is open to all Australian artists and the winning entry will become part of the Art Gallery of Ballarat's permanent collection.
Gallery director Gordon Morrison said he was delighted that Rick Amor, one of Australia's most important contemporary artists, had chosen the Ballarat gallery to administer the drawing prize.
"For many Australian artists drawing is an important component of their creativity and this annual acquisitive prize is set to become a highly anticipated event in this nation's art calendar."
He said that what set the Rick Amor Drawing Prize apart from other similar competitions was the size limit on drawings. Entries can be no larger than 76cm x 56cm.
Rick Amor said the size of works was deliberate: "Restricting the works to a modest size allows the viewer an intimate experience of each drawing without the distraction of competing scale.
"I hope that this prize gives people one more reason to keep drawing."
The winning entry will join the rich collection of drawings held at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, including works by Eugene Von Guerard, Norman Lindsay, David Davies, Rupert Bunny, Arthur Boyd, Sid Nolan, John Brack, Fred Williams, Peter Booth, Brett Whiteley and Rick Amor himself.
The entries will be judged by artist Paul Boston, who has won several drawing prizes including the 1991 John McCaughey Memorial Art Prize.
The winning entry will be announced on Friday 24 September. An exhibition of works chosen from entries at the Art Gallery of Ballarat will run from Saturday 25 September to Sunday 7 November 2010.
Entries close on Friday 23 July 2010.
For more information, go to www.artgalleryballarat.com.au
