WITH understandable excitement, Canberra Glassworks has announced that its Emerging Artist in Residence, Sara Hellsing, has won Second Prize in the 2014 Stanislav Libensky Award in Prague for her work “Moments Passed”.

In making the award, which has become an international showcase for young glass artists, the Stanislav Libensky jury commented, “It is an outstandingly detailed work, with a feeling of close contact, capturing a distant memory and a return to the past. At first sight the objects look like pebbles but they are highly-worked pieces of glass, ‘almost like talismans’.”

Hellsing, now based in Toowoomba, graduated from the ANU School of Art in 2013 where she was awarded a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Glass) with First Class Honours. She was the only Australian among the 39 finalists this year and her work is on show those of other shortlistees will be exhibited in the gallery Art Salon S in the Dancing House in Prague until December 14.

The aim of the Award is to help the development of glass art in the young scene and to compare different approaches and methods. The initiator and main organiser – the Prague Gallery of Czech Glass – hopes that this competition, followed by a long-term exhibition, will help young artists enter the business world and explore the potential of glass. http://www.libenskyaward.com/2014-3/winners/

Hellsing said, “It’s a huge honour and still seems quite surreal. Exhibitions like this provide an amazing opportunity for emerging artists to show their work to an international audience. For me, this award has been an ideal bridge between my university study and the professional artistic sphere.”

 Canberra Glassworks is holding a special “Crystal Clear – Revealing Residencies” talk with Hellsing and Thomas Foundation Artist in Residence Holly Grace at Canberra Glassworks, Wentworth Ave Kingston, at 4.30pm tomorrow, Thursday, October 9. Light refreshments will be provided. FREE event, but guests should RSVP to rsvp@canberraglassworks.com