Wynnum artist Julie Manning has moved from her usual fare of landscapes to create two portrait paintings as entries in the Brisbane Prize Portrait 2022.
The competition is now in its fourth year and has attracted an eclectic mix of styles and media with entries due to close on August 14. The competition offers chances to win in eight categories including the $50,000 Lord Mayor's prize.
Ms Manning has painted her partner, Anthony Lawrence, a well known poet and observer of the natural world. He is painted with his dog Benny, a stray rescued by Anthony.
"Benny follows Anthony everywhere and although I didn't plan it originally, when Anthony sat for a portrait it seemed only natural to include Benny. I've painted them both in close-up so that their faces fill the whole portrait. There is very little background to distract from the relationship that the painting reveals between the poet and his dog.," Ms Manning said.
Ms Manning said she had also entered a portrait of her local MP Joan Pease.
"I am politically engaged and I wanted to know what makes a local member tick. When she sat for the portrait, I got to know her," she said.
Ms Manning said painting portraits was quite different to landscapes.
"Landscapes have lots more moving variables. You can distort and add and paint with a change of colour and by taking out and putting back, you can express yourself strongly. But at the essence of the portrait is recognising the subject and that is more challenging, especially if you want to express the personality of the painter and the sitter. I want to explore that more," she said.
Ms Manning's landscape works can also be viewed in a solo exhibition at the Redland Art gallery in November. Ms Manning said the exhibition was of places that were familiar and pivotal to her during her life. Included in this exhibition is a painting of some mangroves at Birkdale.
Another portrait entrant is Sarah Hickey whose work has been recognised at many awards, including the Redland Art Awards.
She has submitted a portrait of author and OAM awardee Dr Anita Heiss who was recently shortlisted for the Queensland Literary awards/
Brisbane Portrait Prize Director Anna Reynolds said she expected this year to be the best yet.
"We've had a great number of entries so far, all reflecting the times in which we live. And quite a few are expressions of hope and joy, also involving pets. But we are also seeing the sadness and loneliness still felt from the pandemic," she said.
"The Brisbane Portrait Prize is a great opportunity to bring such a wide range of artists together and for us all to appreciate the beauty of their work.
Award categories include the $10,000 Accenture Digital Award, $7,500 Performing Arts and Music Award, 5,000 Packer's Prize, $5,000 Sylvia Jones Prize for Women Artists, $2,000 Emerging Artists Award to be shared by two winners and the $2,000 Next Gen Prize for entrants aged 18 and under. Winners will be announced on October 5.