Portia Geach Memorial Award 2014

This event finished on 14 December 2014

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.

Portia Geach Memorial Award 2014

Sydney-based artist Sophie Cape has been announced as the winner of the 2014 Portia Geach Memorial Award, the preeminent portraiture prize for women in Australia. As trustee of the Award, the Trust Company, part of Perpetual, presented Ms Cape with the $30,000 prize for her portrait of actor Daniel Wyllie, entitled Romper Stomper. Ms Cape, a former international downhill skier and Olympic sprint cyclist, received the Award during the enhibtion opening at the S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks.

People’s Choice Award

Mosman artist Ann Cape has won the Portia Geach People’s Choice Award with a portrait of her mother, Artist Gwenna Thatcher. This moving portrait of Cape’s mother was painted just before she passed away, at the age of 96.

This is the second time Ann Cape has won the Portia Geach People’s Choice Award. It is also the first time that a mother and daughter have won both the Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Portia Geach People’s Choice Award; Ann Cape’s daughter Sophie Cape won the award with a portrait of actor Daniel Whylie, who is currently starring in the Water Diviners.

Sunday afternoons @ the Gallery

Sunday 16 November, 3pm – Painting a self portrait

Join artists Sinead Davies and Loribelle Spirovski as they discuss the challenges of painting a self portrait

Sunday 23 November, 3pm – The Holy Soul

Join artist Janis Lander and her sitter Trent Marden, singer/songwriter for band The Holy Soul

Sunday 14 December, 3pm – Mirra Mirra on the wall

Join artists Laura Jones, Tamara Dean and Mirra Whale as they discuss their different approaches to painting – there are three portraits of ‘Mirra Whale’ on the walls of the gallery.

Past Winners of the Portia Geach Memorial Award:

2013 – Helene Grove, Self portrait getting on

2012 – Sally Robinson, The artist’s mother

2011 – Kate Stevens, Indian dream

2010 – Prudence Flint, Scrambled egg

2009 – Christine Hiller, The Old Painter

2008 – Jude Rae, Self Portrait 2008 (The Year My Husband Left)

2007 – Maryanne Coutts, Melbourne

2006 – Lucy Culliton, Self with Friends

2005 – Jude Rae, Large Interior (Micky Allan)

2004 – Nerisa 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 Egor

1965 – Jean Appleton, Self Portrait

Portia Geach Memorial Award 2014

Portia Geach Memorial Award 2014

This event finished on 14 December 2014