Esther Beaton winning the People’s Choice award at the Central Coast Art Society exhibition, Kariong, New South Wales

Did you know this artwork won a prize? “Ragged Red” which is on the wall at Shorethyme Gallery Restaurant right now, won the People’s Choice award at the Central Coast Art Society exhibition, Kariong, New South Wales. I was never more surprised in my life. Dumbfounded. You see, I had entered the competition on a whim. I had recently joined the Central Coast Art Society (to learn all about showing art – remember, I’ve been an assignment photographer all my career). There were about 300 pieces from about 100 artists and all were beautiful – all sorts of paintings of all sorts of local subjects. I could not believe I had won the People’s Choice. I could not pick up my bottom jaw. This was my first attempt at entering an art competition. I couldn’t comprehend that an art newbie like me could win out over all those longtime pros. And they were proper painters! So is that good encouragement or what? If you’d like to view “Ragged Red” it’s on display now at the ShoreThyme Gallery Restaurant at Norah Head. It will be there, together with about a dozen other of its buddies from the “Natives” series, until Monday morning 20 July 2015. So grab a friend and go and check it out. Thanks to Debbie Maguire for taking the photo.