The Miles Art Award is an exhibition that has only taken place bienally since 2010.
This year is therefore only the fourth competition, held at the Tauranga Art Gallery and generously supported by the Venetta Miles Trust. The awards are open solely to applicants 18 years and over that live in the Bay Of Plenty region.It traditionally garners a lot of interest, and this year was no exception. This year five awards were up for grabs with the supreme winner taking home $5000.
Earlier this week I got the most fantastic news, that from a pool of over 100 entrants my work had made it through the selection process and was one of only 32 finalists!
This meant two things for me:
1. I needed to immediately dance around the room and celebrate that MY painting, was actually going to be on display at THE Tauranga Art Gallery! (Thank goodness no one else was home to witness that!)
This has been one of my personal goals since I started seriously dedicating all my energy in to painting last year. Even when I entered my painting for judging, I knew that given the number of entries expected it was a long shot to be accepted. The gallery is a grand and really beautiful space and it truly is an honor to have my work in there alongside some well known and highly regarded local artists.
2. I now needed to go out and get a dress suitable for a formal gallery opening. I hope I chose wisely!
Last night I attended the awards and although I didn't take home any awards on the night I absolutely felt like I was a winner just for having the opportunity to have my work in this extraordinary space. It is amazing how much better your art can look given the correct lighting and in the right environment. It is really exciting that my work will be viewed by so many people over the coming months. The exhibition runs through till the 16th of November.
The calibre of work on display was amazing and the work chosen was very diverse. It is well worth a visit!All works are for sale through the gallery.
Here are several snaps from the night.
