The New England Writers' Centre is excited to announce the winners for this year's Illustration Prize, with three wonderful awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize awards, and a high commendation.
The calibre of the entries this year was outstanding. It was no easy task for our judges! All submissions were anonymous and the 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.
The calibre of the entries this year was outstanding. It was no easy task for our judges! All submissions were anonymous and the 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.
The winners are:
With the highest overall score, Jennifer was the clear winner for this year's prize. The judges' comments on this entry included:
"A lovely take on the theme with the use of soft colours to depict the overwhelming queue of animals. Each creature is unique in its expression and the direction change between the goat and the goose is well placed to add interest to the work." "- this artist understands picture book technique." "Very nice in a gentle and traditional style." Congratulations Jennifer! |
2nd Prize to Belinda Elliott
The judges' comments on Belinda's submission were in agreement that this was a thought provoking and clever interpretation. With one judge commenting that, in their opinion, it was the most ambitious.
"A very talented and thoughtful approach. "Interesting and a bit different" "The lovely night time atmosphere of deep blues and yellow glows with the confusion of letters and shapes in the sky are an interesting response to the theme – everyone reading and writing with the interesting character at the side of the work adding a new note." Congratulations Belinda! |
The Admin Prize for Highly Commended to Kirsten Schaefer
Kirsten's lovely illustration drew admiring comments and high score.
"A very talented artist." "Realistic work with confident line work and colour to create a fantasy take on the theme." Kirsten wins a $30 voucher from the Armidale independent bookstore, Reader's Companion. Sponsored by the New England Writers' Centre. Congratulations Kirsten! |
MEET THE 2020 ILLUSTRATION WINNERS!
Jennifer Goldsmith
I grew up in and have lived my life in the colour filled city of Orange in the central west of NSW, on the skirts of a now sleeping volcano called Mount Canobolas. I can’t remember a time when my mind wasn’t ticking over with ideas for the next thing I would make. Whether it’s sketching, sewing or growing a garden a gentle thread of creativity has always wound its way through my days. I would be lost without it. As a child my father recited Banjo Patterson to me and through Little Golden Books I fell in love with illustrations. The round faced innocence of Eloise Wilkins’s children and the bold colours of Richard Scarry’s ‘Where is Farmer Jones?’ will always be with me. Stories were everything to me then and nothing has changed.
When my own children came along I filled their bookshelves with Australian authors and illustrators. Magic weavers like Kerry Argent, Rod Clement, Bruce Whatley, Stephen Michael King, Bob Graham, Freya Blackwood and Pamela Loftus were high on our nightly story book rotation. I wanted their memories to be filled with colours, language and images that represented the world that they lived in. |
Although drawing has always been my first love, for a long while I’ve also designed and made unique soft toys. These were initially inspired by our children’s play but as they grew up making became more and more about me telling stories through characters you could feel and hold. A young tortoise called Tulliver who spends his days rambling around the countryside with a camera slung around his neck and a lettuce and tomato sandwich made by his mum tucked safely away in his backpack shell for later. Or a little girly goat named ‘Loveday’ after a character from the novel I was reading at the time. She’s also off for a walk, dressed in a pretty frock and a sensible wool coat. Her bag is full of mushrooms, a feather, sweet cakes from the bakery and her knitting just in case she happens upon the perfect shady spot to knit, have a nibble and watch the clouds while she pondered how far a butterfly travels in a day.
My need to build and share characters has now wound back full circle to watercolour and pencil illustrations…although I’d dearly love to find the point where my two story telling methods could cross paths and grow with one another. In the certainty of my grandmother’s words, ‘our childhoods are so very short’ I’m inspired to bring families together and make the most of tender moments spent sharing stories. My first steps into children’s books came as an offer to add my ideas to ‘Where Happiness Hides’ written by Anthony Bertini. It was the text of my dreams. Released in a time of isolation by Dirt Lane Press it’s a tale of free ranging children exploring friendship in a sometimes wild and wind-swept world. It’s so satisfying to collaborate with others and see realise what’s possible when words and images meet. Now that I’ve dipped my toes in the illustration pond I think I’d like to keep bobbing around in it for a little while. I have so many ideas…
My need to build and share characters has now wound back full circle to watercolour and pencil illustrations…although I’d dearly love to find the point where my two story telling methods could cross paths and grow with one another. In the certainty of my grandmother’s words, ‘our childhoods are so very short’ I’m inspired to bring families together and make the most of tender moments spent sharing stories. My first steps into children’s books came as an offer to add my ideas to ‘Where Happiness Hides’ written by Anthony Bertini. It was the text of my dreams. Released in a time of isolation by Dirt Lane Press it’s a tale of free ranging children exploring friendship in a sometimes wild and wind-swept world. It’s so satisfying to collaborate with others and see realise what’s possible when words and images meet. Now that I’ve dipped my toes in the illustration pond I think I’d like to keep bobbing around in it for a little while. I have so many ideas…
Belinda Elliott
Belinda is an illustrator who enjoys generating movement, texture and emotion in her artwork. She likes to create extra layers to a story through visual language.
Her work has been used in many places including books, publications, clothing and murals. She has a lifelong love of children's books and has been thrilled to have the opportunity to illustrate several picture books. She lives in Sydney Australia, surrounded by bushland and waterways. In her spare time she enjoys taking her palette and canvas out into these beautiful areas. |
Ramona Davey
Ramona resides in Sydney where she teaches Visual Arts to students from Kindy to Year 6 in a local primary school.
In her spare time, Ramona loves a drawing challenge or competition and participates in many on a regular basis. She won her first drawing competition at the age of ten for drawing a silver back gorilla. The prize was a membership to Gerald Durrell’s Zoo in Jersey where she was born (in Jersey, not in the zoo.) Ramona is currently building her illustration portfolio. In 2012 she wrote, illustrated and self-published a small picture book called ‘The Jersey Twelve Days of Christmas.’ You can find out more about Ramona at the following links: Blog: http://ramonadavey.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramonaofjersey/ |
Kirsten Schaefer
I am a self taught artist and enjoy a variety of media, however have a special passion for drawing and portraiture.
Art is my sanctuary and refuge, a place of wonder and exploration that is always there when respite is required. |
Meet the Judges for the 2020 Illustration Prize
Isabel AthertonIsabel Atherton has had wide exposure to the creative industries. In the past 15 years, she has headed up a marketing department for an international company and worked as a health journalist.
Isabel has worked for four top London agencies and she is now an independent agent. Isabel holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and an MA in Contemporary Approaches to English Studies. Both were studied at Goldsmiths College, University of London. |
Margaret ConnollyMargaret Connolly has been a literary agent for 30 years. In 2017, she received the prestigious Pixie O’Harris Award in recognition of her dedicated service to the field of children’s literature.
This award also saw her inducted into the Australian Book Industry Hall of Fame. Her client list includes many of Australia’s most distinguished novelists, non-fiction authors, children’s writers and illustrators, many of whom are published internationally. |
Nette Hilton continues to write from her far North Coast home interspersing stories with judging for Children’s Book Council of Australia, Dorothea Mackeller Poetry Prize and NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.
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Nette Hilton![]() She is the proud owner of the Princess Peony Adventures (1 & 2) published as picture books and a new compilation, as well as a lot of other books which have been successful enough to win awards and other good stuff.
Her life is shared by her fictional characters and dogs and chooks and family. She is always keen to work on your problems with the small voice of the Princess helping out. Her website is always needing to be updated because life is about so many interesting things that she sometimes doesn’t get to it. Please check www.nettehilton.com.au and Nette HIlton on Facebook - and be sure to check out the Princess Peony Problem Page of Facebook. |