FIVE ‘quirky’ self-portraits presented in matchboxes have won the 2014 Capital Chemist Art Award, it was announced at Tuggeranong Arts Centre today, Saturday ,  by Peter Downing, group business manager for Capital Chemist.

Braddon artist Thomas Arthur Buckland’s unusual portraits have been made from recycled cardboard, depicting a mood for every day of the week.

“CityNews” caught up with the judges Ingeborg Hansen from Megalo Print Studio and Jas Hugonnet from Hugonnet.com.au as they walked through the exhibition of works by the 30 artists who entered works in the annual award, now in its 11^th year.

Hugonnet praised the miniature scale of Buckland’s work, which he said showed strong evidence of the artist’s hand, while Hansen applauded the intricate handwork and scale of the pieces, as well as the sense of experiment and use of simple materials.

The runner-up award was given to veteran Kambah artist Barak Zelig for his surrealistic ‘Untitled’ etching depicting a local landscape, commended by the two judges for the use of shadow to create tone.

The announcement was made at the official opening of the annual award exhibition by Shane Breynard, director of the Canberra Museum and Gallery and ACT Historic Places, who praised the diversity of the works on show. A selection of  those diverse works may be seen below.

The 2014 Capital Chemist Art Award and Exhibition, at Tuggeranong Arts Centre until September 27, Monday to Friday, 10am to 7pm and Saturday, 10am to 4pm.