TWO of the Canberra region’s best-known artists were the winners of the 2015 Capital Chemist Art Award it was announced last night, Thursday August 20, in front of a crowd of art enthusiasts at Tuggeranong Arts Centre.

Forty entries were received, many from well-known Canberra artist.s but “Not Quite Ready for Snow 2“by Claire Primrose won the $2000 Capital Chemist Award for 2D work, while the $2000 Tall Foundation Award for 3D work was awarded to Jo Hollier for her work “Sclerophyl Forest”, an installation of eco-printed paper cylinders, created on site in a forest in NSW, using plants unique to the area.

Noting the overall high standard of the work, Judge Peter Haynes said he recognised the winning pieces just moments after stepping inside the gallery. “I was immediately struck by the power both artists have to express their own visual language,” he said.

Inspired by a fondness for the Australian landscape, Primrose, best known as the owner of FORM Studio and Gallery in Queanbeyan   was the recent winter of the Queanbeyan City Council Regional Art Award, created the winning work with spray enamel, pigment and saline on Belgian Linen. Haynes commented on her response to Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s theme ‘Connecting to our Environment’ and commended her “atmospheric evocation of place, muted colour pallet and how she captures the form and structure of the mountains”.

Haynes applauded Hollier’s use of natural elements and the delicate composition of the piece. Calling her work ‘visual poetry’, he said, “Her use of leaves and paper reflects the fragility of nature perfectly. This is a really lovely piece.”

Highly commended was awarded to Elizabeth Coleman, for “The girl with the red umbrella”, Stephen Yorke, for “Earth and Sky”, Adele Rae Cameron, for “Blue View” and Christine Scott for “Evocation I-VII.”   Haynes also praised the curatorship of the works, acknowledging the challenge associated with exhibitions of this kind.

The People’s Choice Award will be announced on Friday, August 21. The Capital Chemist Art Award exhibition will continue at Tuggeranong Arts Centre until Saturday, September 29.