2023 New England Illustration Prize
The New England Writers' Centre is proud to announce the winners for this year's Illustration Prize, with three wonderful awards and national recognition.
"Dreaming is a Super Power"
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Congratulations to everyone who responded to this year's Prize with your interpretations of "Dreaming is a Super Power".
All submissions were anonymous and our judges were asked to score on each entry for artistic merit, how well the artwork fitted the theme, and suitability for children's book publishing. |
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Feedback from the judges
I commend every entrant in this year's competition! Each entrant demonstrated a thoughtful approach to the theme and creative use of composition and colour. |
I was excited to see the different interpretations of dreaming and superpowers, from nightmares to daydreams, caped crusaders and everyday heroes. Bravo! |
| 2023 Illustration Prize Winners press release |
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FIRST PRIZE
A cash prize of $350 and a one-on-one publishing advice consultation with Dr Sophie Masson AM, award winning author, President Small Press Network, Chair New England Writers' Centre.
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Proudly Sponsored by
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Goes to Elizabeth Misek
This illustration showcases technical expertise with stunning line work and eye-catching pops of blue against a moody nighttime backdrop.
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The heroic ballerina's dynamic pose seems to leap off the page while the shadowy, offstage dancers add an intriguing element. Dreams often encompass a mix of positive and negative elements, all of which is skillfully captured in this illustration. It's a beautifully atmospheric piece, particularly notable for the exquisite details in the ballerina—the graceful tilt of the foot and the evocative sense of reaching — as well as the subtly effective use of color.
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SECOND PRIZE
A cash prize of $250 and a portfolio assessment by the team at Little Pink Dog Books, independent publishers of picture story books for children.
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Proudly sponsored by
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Goes to Kellie MacFarlane
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This illustration offers a unique interpretation of the theme by enchantingly tapping into the imaginative world of children. It approaches the 'superpower' theme through the magic and joy of daydreaming. The composition adeptly guides attention around the page, and the portrayal of the child is especially endearing. The use of watercolors is striking, and the composition makes it particularly well suited for a children's picture book.
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THIRD PRIZE
A cash prize of $150 and 1 year's membership of the New England Writers' Centre, with discounts on all 2024 workshops.
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Proudly sponsored by
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Goes to Anke Noack
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This illustration features a charming, traditional storybook style.
The use of light and shadow is delightful, and the joy expressed on the child's face is captivating. This piece exhibits a spectacular sense of movement, perspective, and color, that perfectly encapsulates the theme. |
Elizabeth Misek (NSW)
Hello, My name is Elizabeth Misek. I'm an aspiring picture book Author Illustrator from the Hunter Valley.
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Before following my childhood dream, I completed a degree in Visual Merchandising. This helped me strengthen the technical aspects of drawing, understanding colour theory and how it affects emotion. I then started a career in this field.
For the past two years I have worked on refining my illustrative style, limited colour palette as well as the fundamentals needed to illustrate picture books. My goal as an illustrator is to enhance the authors narrative. I do this by feeling the emotions as I mark the page. I have a passion for illustrating anything that has a message or an emotional pull. I use a range of techniques from primitive elements, scale, movement, colour theory and texture to achieve this. |
To see what I am currently working on please visit:
Instagram: elizabeth_misek_illustrations
www.elizabethmisek.com.au
Instagram: elizabeth_misek_illustrations
www.elizabethmisek.com.au
Kellie MacFarlane (ACT)
I’m originally from Adelaide, but now live with my husband and son in the bush capital Canberra.
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I studied fine arts, children’s book illustration and pottery in London. My favourite medium is watercolour and ink. I particularly enjoy painting animals and botanicals as well as creating surface pattern designs.
I love art because it can be beautiful and portray meaning and messages. My favourite artwork is a drawing my son did of our family. My dream is to create children’s picture books that tell meaningful stories through both words and illustration. Instagram: kellie.macfarlane.studio www.kelliemacfarlanestudio.com |
Anke Noack (VIC)
Anke works as a Children’s book illustrator and CG artist in her studio in North Fitzroy/ Melbourne. This is her second year to win a place in the Illustration Prize.
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Anke began her career as an architect, followed by ten exciting years in the computer game industry in London and Berlin.
In 2018 she established SALMONLAB, a Design and Illustration Studio. When she's not traveling the world with her three kids in tow, she's creating colourful worlds and sharing her love for 'Wimmelbooks' and Franco-Belgian comics with little (and not so little) people. www.ankenoack.com |
Dr Lara Cain Gray
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Lara is a writer, editor and librarian with a wealth of knowledge in picture book translation, visual literacy, and the nuances of diverse reading cultures.
With a professional journey that encompasses roles in library and museum curation, teaching and research, her expertise is far-reaching and comprehensive. Leveraging her extensive background, Lara delivers multilingual books and educational materials to underserved, remote, and low-income communities through her involvement with the nonprofit publisher, Library For All. Discover more about her work at libraryforall.org. |
Lorena Carrington
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Lorena is a photographic artist and book illustrator based in regional Victoria.
She is published in Australia with Serenity Press, and internationally with Kane Miller (US) and Wydawnictwo Tadam (Poland). Her books include the Long Lost Fairy Tales Collection with Kate Forsyth and Satin with Sophie Masson. Lorena exhibits regularly in galleries and presents at literary and arts festivals around Australia. She is the recipient of the 2020 Australian Fairy Tale Society award. Find out more about Lorena and her work at: lorenacarrington.com |