A former Archibald Prize winner has taken out the 2019 Calleen Art Award.
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Sydney based artist Wendy Sharpe, who won Australia's most renowned art prize in 1996, was named the winner for her work "Erskineville Train Station".
2019 Calleen Art Award Judge, Jane Watters, said she kept coming back to Sharpe's work during the judging process.
"The painting captures the great theatricality and dynamic inner city scene through the lens of night," Ms Watters said.
"The narrative and intent of the work leaves the viewer to contemplate and consider the possible outcomes.
"The painting is a portrait of the artist as an observer of the scene unfolding in front of her."
Ms Watters said Sharpe "masterfully uses her subjects almost as characters in a play".
"The colour, the shadows and the spotlights work in unison to create a compelling picture that I just kept coming back too," she said.
The oil painting colourfully depicts the vibrancy Sharpe sees around her suburb of Erskineville in Sydney's inner west.
"When I first moved to the Sydney suburb of Erskineville, it was a rundown, rough area full of life. It was also one of the cheapest places to live (it's certainly not now!)," she said.
"Although it has changed a lot, I am glad to say some of the eccentric characters are still here, and a few more have arrived.
"I walk from Erskineville to my studio in St Peters every day. This walk is often spent thinking about what I am working on. What I see around me often feeds into what I am painting."
Sharpe was unable to be present on the evening to accept the award, however in a speech said she is continually inspired by the environment around her.
"I am surprised and honoured to have been given the award," Sharpe said.
"I try to create works that allow the viewer to contemplate what is about to happen next."
Cowra Art Gallery Director, Brian Langer, said it will be great to have a former Archibald winner in the gallery's permanent collection.
"It's wonderful to have this painting in our collection now, it's very pleasing to have a painting by her given her situation of winning the Archibald Prize 20 years ago," he said.
Two Cowra artists, Inel Date and Peter Larsen, were also finalists in the award.
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