July 22, 2014
Nanango artist Karol Oakley has won the prestigious 2014 Pastellist Of The Year award.
Karol’s painting of her pet dog Vincent Van Spot, which she entered in this year’s Pastel Society of Australia Winter Competition, was awarded Best in Show as well as the major award.
The awards ceremony was held at the Royal Queensland Art Society’s Petrie Terrace Gallery in Brisbane earlier this month.
The competition’s judge was Grace Paleg, a tutor and artist, who travelled from NSW to judge the awards and teach a workshop for the PSA.
She said the painting was “an inspiring standout pastel worthy of the major award – a compelling work, beautifully presented”.
Karol said Vincent spends most of his days in the studio with her.
“I’ve wanted to paint him for awhile, and in January this year he was lying flat out in the heat with a look that just said ‘when is it going to cool down?’
“Having him to work from and reference as I was painting made him an ideal model.”
Karol is probably best known in the South Burnett for her sea and landscapes, or as she calls them, waterscapes.
“I really did the painting for our family but it came together so well I decided to share it with the PSA as something different from me.”
Karol is a Master Pastellist herself and has been a member of the Pastel Society of Australia for more than 20 years.
She supports the society by entering competitions, teaching workshops, demonstrating at meetings, jurying and critiquing for members.
She also paints still lifes, portraits and florals, and says she “paints from life as much as possible”.
Last year Karol won the Still Life section of the same competition with a pastel painting titled “Hydrangeas”.
She also came second in the Landscape/Seascape section and was Runner-Up in the People’s Choice.
“Hydrangeas” was donated to the Royal Brisbane Hospital Foundation as part of their major fundraising activity “Picnic On The Grass”, which was held at the Brisbane City Hall earlier this year.
- Related article: Nanango Artist Wins Top Pastel Prize
