Artist is feeling good about her work

Painter Barbara Tyson was certainly feeling good after being announced the winner of the 2016 ANL Maritime Art Prize on October 6.

The artist says she paints in a non-visual way. “It’s all about feeling,” she said to explain how she approached her prize-winning work, The Voyagers Return.

She said she aimed to evoke an emotional response from the viewer of her work.

In this case, she invites the viewer to share the emotion of home-coming after a grueling ordeal, as referenced by prominent charts and maps.

One of the judges, Libby Edwards, explained why Ms Tyson’s work was unanimously selected for the $15,000 acquisitive prize.

“It ticks all the boxes,” she said. “The movement is fabulous.  It says ‘we know where we are going’. It’s well executed in every way.”

Ms Tyson’s work in one of 85 that were on display until October 21 at the Mission to Seafarers building at 717 Flinders St, Docklands.  

Held every year since 2002, the Maritime Art Awards and Exhibition is Australia’s most prestigious maritime art competition.

The mission hosts the arts show every year and raises badly-needed funds to help it continue to look after the welfare of visiting seafarers when they are in the Port of Melbourne.

Ms Tyson has been a finalist in the Archibald Prize for a portrait of Dame Quentin Bryce and in 2012 won the Salon de Refusé prize for her representation of Ita Buttrose.

The former graphic designer said she was comfortable in all painting genres and had set out to win the ANL Prize after her partner entered a small painting of hers in last year’s contest.

The official results of the show are:

ANL Maritime Art Award

Winner: The Voyagers Return by Barbara Tyson; runner up: Opportunity by Jane Flowers.

ASP Best in Traditional Award

Winner: The Four Days Battle - 1666 by Julian Bruer; Equal second place: Shanghai Shipping by Don Braben and She by Joni Dennis.
Special commendations: Making Way by Maxwell Wilks and Williamstown Docks - Arrangement in High-Vis by Jason Roberts.

Bendigo Wealth Emerging Artist Award

Winner: Lost at Sea by Catherine Stringer; second place: SCargo by Belinda Eckermann.