Portia Geach Memorial Award 2008
First awarded in 1965, The Portia Geach Memorial Award was established by Florence Kate Geach in memory of her sister, artist Portia Geach. As per the direction of the will, the Award is annually presented to an Australian female artist for the best portrait painted from life of a man or woman distinguished in art, letters or the sciences. Geach was widely acclaimed as a leading artist and was a frequent commentator in the national media – making her an iconic figure in the Australian arts community. The Portia Geach Memorial Award is awarded by The Trust Company as trustee, to the entry with the highest artistic merit.
The 2008 Portia Geach Memorial Award selectors were Barry Pearce, Aida Tomescu & Jane Watters.
The winner of the Portia Geach Memorial Award 2008 was Jude Rae, Self portrait 2008 (The year my husband left).
Observation Point – Jude Rae National Portrait Gallery
FINALISTS
Ah Too Chew – Akira
Ah Too Chew – Portrait of Rita
Alex Thorby – Portrait of Kate
Alison Chiam
Amanda Penrose Hart – With respect
Anne Cape
Candance Crosby
Cherry Hood
Dale Kentwell
Delma McCausland-Montesin
Diane Cole
Donna Lougher
Ellie Bunt
Frances Feasey
Frances Hayes
Golda Lieberman
Hilary Hermann
Jan Handel – Self portrait as Battista Sforza
Janette Hanrahan
Jeanette Korduba
Jeanette Landstedt
Jennifer Gailey Caldwell – Michael Keighery
Jenny King
Jo Bertini – Luise Hercus at the widows waterhole Yarluyen
Joanna Braithwaite – Dreaming in colour
Jude Rae – Self portrait 2008 (The year my husband left).
Juliet Holmes a Court – From the quiet side of the studio
Kerrie Lester
Kerry Blake
Kim Shannon
Laura Matthews
Liz Cuming
Louise Surmon – Portrait of Michael Smertanin
Lynn Miller
Madeline Winch
Mrie Peter-Toltz
Marina Finlay – Judy Cassab with Breugel’s The peasant dance
Mariola Smarzsak
Myriam Kin-Yee – Portrait with pomegranate
Pam Tippett – Silver jug self portrait
Rebecca Lavis – Self portrait with ginger at home
Robin-Mary Calvert – Honky tonk women
Sallie Moffatt – Self in winter
Sharon West – A self portrait as a Victorian anthropologist
Shonah Trescott – Wendy Sharpe in Paris
Soma Garner – Medusa
Sue Bergland
Thea Weiss
Trudi Harley – Reflection with parents
Virginia Glover – Three spaces reading the self
Yoli Salmona
Yvette Coppersmith – Self portrait with John Safran
Past Winners of the Portia Geach Memorial Award
2007 – Maryanne Coutts, Melbourne
2006 – Lucy Culliton, Self with Friends
2005 – Jude Rae, Large Interior (Micky Allan)
2004 – Nerissa Lea, The Sheik & Me, Self Portrait with Imagined Portrait of Chad Morgan after Frida Kahlo
2003 – Wendy Sharpe, Self Portrait with Tea Cup and Burning Paintings
2002 – Vicki Varvaressos, Self Portrait with Painting
2001 – Mary Moore, At Home
2000 – Nancy Borlase, The Sisters: Marie and Vida Breckenridge
1999 – Kim Spooner, Social Currency (Eva Cox)
1998 – Anita Rezevska, Self Portrait – Woman from Riga
1997 – Maria Isabel, Cruz Maria
1996 – Su Baker, Self Portrait at Six Paces
1995 – Wendy Sharpe, Self Portrait with Students, After Adelaide Labille-Guiard
1994 – Jenny Sages, Ann Thomson
1993 – Aileen Rogers, Suzanne Mourot
1992 – Jenny Sages,Nancy Borlase and Laurie Short
1991 – Rosemary Valadon, Frances Joseph
1990 – Jenny Watson, Self Portrait
1989 – Jenny Sands, Alex Karpin
1988 – Margaret Ackland, Shay Docking
1987 – Christine Hiller, Self Portrait
1986 – Christine Hiller, Self Portrait
1985 – Gwen Eichler, Dianne Fogwell
1984 – Margaret Woodward, Madeleine Halliday
1983 – Margaret Woodward, Self Portrait
1982 – Brenda Humble, Virginia Hall
1981 – Susan Howard, Jenny Kee
1980 – Judy Pennefather, Venie Schulenberg
1979 – Ivy Shore, Kondelea (Della) Elliott
1978 – Dora Toovey, Senator Neville Bonner
1977 – Ena Joyce, George Lawrence
1976 – Jocelyn Maughan, George Bouckley
1975 – Mary Brady, Elizabeth Rooney
1974 – Lesley H Pockley, Hugh Paget
1973 – Sylvia Tiarks, Self Portrait
1972 – Elisabeth Cummings, Jean Appleton
1971 – Mary Brady, Larry Sitsky
1970 – Dora Toovey, Self Portrait in Landscape
1969 – Vaike Liibus, Guy Warren
1968 – Bettina McMahon, Self Portrait
1967 – Jo Caddy, Laurence Davis
1966 – Mary Brady, Grahame Edgar
1965 – Jean Appleton, Self Portrait