THE 2014 Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award finishes on Friday after a successful exhibition.
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Bega Valley Regional Gallery curator Iain Dawson said overall the exhibition had been amazing.
“It’s been a fantastic experience working with 35 artists and it’s been wonderful seeing the community response,” he said.
“The reaction to the show from the general public is that it is the strongest selection of portraits yet, and I have to agree.”
Contemporary artist Shaun Gladwell won the $50,000 award with his diptych of Indigenous actor Meyne Wyatt as Black Digger in Australian Army uniform costume.
Mr Dawson said there had been an amazing diversity of opinion of who should have been named the winner.
The people’s choice award is open until Friday with the winning artist, who will receive $3000, to be announced next week.
People can continue to vote in the gallery or online at the gallery’s website.
Mr Dawson estimated around 150 people had visited the exhibition per day, coming in from such places as Narooma and Batemans Bay.
“We are really happy with attendance and we are on our way to beating the last exhibitions attendance record,” he said.
Many school groups had come to see the portraits, travelling from as far afield as Cooma and Bombala.
The next exhibition at the BVRG will be Gifted, which includes selected works from the Shirley Hannan Collection.
“We are really excited about being given works by Shirley Hannan,” Mr Dawson said.
The gallery will be taking on 160 personal works by Shirley Hannan as well as works by other artists.
The exhibition will be open from July 11 to August 16 and the opening night will be held on July 11 from 6-8pm.