Was this the best painting in Inverloch's art show?

HONESTLY, I didn’t like it, but what do I know? Next to nothing when it comes to art.

However, Melbourne-based artist, Ben Winspear, the judge at this year’s 38th annual Inverloch Art Show, does know what he’s talking about, and he simply couldn’t go past Berwick artist Leigh Rust’s oil painting ‘Summer Calling 3’.

In fact, he said as much in his comments when awarding it the major prize at the gala opening of the art show last Thursday night.

“On my first walk around, this painting stopped me in my tracks… large, daring, vertical… using a variety of textures.

“A worthy winner,” he said.

It was vertical, alright, and green, one of a trilogy of works in a major undertaking, according to the artist, featuring light glistening off the waves.

“It’s always about the light,” said Mr Rust, speaking to the Sentinel-Times after taking out his most important art prize to date.

“It’s my second year at Inverloch. I got a highly commended last time. I actually wrote my car off coming down here last year so it’s nice to have a much better outcome this year,” he said.

Originally from Pakenham, he’s been painting seriously for more than 20 years and has picked up a few smaller awards along the way but never the best painting in the show, the coveted ‘Blair Art Prize’ in memory of a man who put a tremendous amount of energy into the show over the years, the late Blair Hodges.

Worth a cool $2500 in cash to the winner, sponsored by the Bendigo Community Bank Inverloch, it’s a welcome boost for the emerging artist.

“It’s supposed to give you the feeling of the beach. I was inspired by a visit to Coronet Bay,” he said.

Listening the providence of the piece, it starts to grow on you. And if you check out the video on the Inverloch Art Show Facebook page, featuring a painting demonstration by the winner, you’ll have a better appreciation of just how skilled the winner Leigh Rust is as a painter. Go to https://www.facebook.com/reel/1339875088196936

But that’s the beauty of a good art show opening. You can cruise around with a glass of wine in one hand and an hors d’oeuvre in the other and pass judgement quietly to yourself, or between friends, just between friends.

I liked a couple of abstracts by Julie Lundgren-Coulter including ‘Wonderland’ and ‘Afternoon Storm’ using earth pigments. But she didn’t even get a highly commended.

And I always like Bob Hickman’s work, especially his large canvass ‘Between the Flags’, and a smaller one ‘A Morning Stroll’, on the beach with the dog. Either or both would look good in a beach house.

A 3D metal sculpture by Kevin Reich called ‘Bird on a Wire’ proves the Zen principle of less is more but it was actually his other piece, ‘Frog on a Log’ which got the prize in that category, sponsored by Monash MP, Mary Aldred, who was on hand to award the prize,

“A clever use of found material captured the true essence of a frog,” said the judge Ben Winspear.

And it’s easy to see why Aunty Laurita Thomas of Wonthaggi has recently secured a number of commissions for her traditional work in acrylic, entering an engaging piece called ‘Bunwurrung Biik’ in the Inverloch Art Show.

But, in a show featuring more than 500 pieces, a record number for Inverloch, there was a lot to like… and quite a few not to like as well.

Proceeds from the art show, run by the Bayside Health Inverloch Art Show Auxiliary, go towards the worthy charity of providing food security for a number of local families each year in the form of Food Boxes, as required, and supplied through Bayside Health with the cooperation of Foodworks Inverloch.

Bayside Health Regional Care Group CEO Louise Sparkes attended the event to personally thank the auxiliary and the art show patrons for their support over such a long period of time.

The funding, she said, was gratefully received.

Among the winners of the Inverloch Art Show were as follows:

• All Abilities (RACV Inverloch): Winner Anabelle Lynch ‘Feeling Blue’. High commended (HC) Vanessa Redgen ‘Raw Form’.
• Youth (Ray White): Ruby Wynen ‘After Madonna and Child’. HC: Koa Leggo ‘Little Fox & the Butterfly’.
• Oil (Handley & Anderson): Craig Davy ‘Last Light’. HC: Adrian Johnson ‘Anderson Inlet Inverloch’.
• Acrylic (TS Constructions): Linda Shaw ‘Intransigent’. HC: Stephen L Nowland ‘Dancer in Light’.
• Watercolour (Foodworks): Watercolour (Foodworks): Ann Todd Foulds ‘The Nobbies Phillip Island’. HC: Kim Wood ‘Balancing Act’.
• Pastel (Wonthaggi Miners Dispensary): Anna Faudell ‘Farm Scene’. HC Kay Read ‘Sunshine After the Rain’.
• Hand-pulled Print Art (Artspace Wonthaggi): Wendy Fletcher ‘The Last Straw’. HC: Susan Hall ‘Seaweed Monoprint’.
• Mixed Media (Artspace Wonthaggi): Lisa Churchward ‘Looking out to Sea’
• Black & White all media: Kerry Spokes ‘Black Dog #1’. HC: Susan Hall ‘Exposed Rocks’.
• Pencil & Charcoal (Artspace Wonthaggi): Michelle Diggims ‘Mr Parker’. HC Kerry Spokes ‘Nest’.
• Photography (Jordan Crugnale): Ben Healley ’Long Tide. HC: Vanessa Shaw ‘The Amazon Shipwreck’.
• 3D (Mary Aldred): Kevin Reich ‘Frog on a Log’. HC: Deb Watson ‘Sense of Water’.
• Overall winner of the 38th annual Inverloch Art Show ‘The Blair Art Prize’ ($2500 – Bendigo Community Bank Branch Inverloch): Leigh Rust ‘Summer Calling 3’.