Just over 200 artists submitted paintings for the 4th annual Cricket Art Prize competition, in which 40 paintings were selected. “Great Depression – Leg Theory” by James Powditch was the Cricket Art Prize winner and “Next Man In” by English painter Geoff Tristram received a highly commended honour. Brad Haddin and the Sydney Sixers made the Players’ Choice with “The Next Generation” by Margaret Ingles.
Artists were asked to depict life in and around the game and sport of cricket, in settings of backyard, street, beach, park, village green, local club or social-cricket.
After a 6 month national tour, the Cricket Art Prize exhibition received just over 3250 nominations via its website. The painting “The First Test At Goonengerry: Australia V India” by John Campbell outdid the poll with 53% of the online-ballot.
Peoples’ Choice Award winning artist John Campbell said “My painting, has been set in the hills where I live, with the lighthouse of Cape Byron in the distance.
As a traditionalist, I prefer the longer, five-day version of the game and have always been entranced by cricket’s ebb and flow, by its grace and subtle rhythms. I also love its exotica and am fascinated to see national characteristics expressed with bat and ball.
I grew up in the inner city, playing in bare feet with a garbage bin as the stumps … once a tragic, always a tragic.”
The Cricket Art Prize is an annual competition offering AU$20,000 to the winning painting, $2000 to the Highly Commended, $1000 to the Peoples’ Choice, and $500 to the Players Choice with a 6 month national tour.
The Cricket Art Prize is on show until March 2013 at the Bradman Museum.
