Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize… Success!
I am over the moon with the wonderful news that I have once again been selected as a finalist in the South Australian Museum’s Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize. This is now the 5th time I have been chosen as a finalist, but its the first time that I have submitted a botanical piece for consideration. My Sacred Lotus was chosen from an influx of entries and will be featured in this years exhibition and I couldn’t be happier!
This highly competitive event is one of Australia’s most prestigious art competitions. With a prize pool of $114,500 in total prize money, Waterhouse is regarded as one of the richest arts prizes in the country. The title of the competition pays tribute to the memory of Frederick George Waterhouse, one of the most eminent naturalists of his day and curator of the South Australian museum from 1860 to 1882. The competition serves “to promote and recognise excellence in art that depicts natural history or wildlife,” and attracts entries from all around the world.
Each year The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize draw close to 1000 entries from national and international artists from many different countries working with the medium of paintings, drawings and sculptures to put the spotlight on our incredible natural environment. The selection process of this incredibly competitive exhibition draws this number down to around 100 finalists who will fortunate enough to exhibit in the event. Altogether there are 12 prizes; the overall prize, first, second and third prizewinners in each of the categories: paintings, works on paper, sculpture and objects; and A People’s Choice award. From the finalists, a small group of the prize-winning and highly commended artworks then commence on a travelling exhibition which includes being on display at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra.
For any professional or aspiring Natural History artist, being selected as a finalist in this exhibition is one of the highlights of our careers. It offers us an opportunity to be a part of something really significant, and it offers visitors a snapshot of some of the worlds leading wildlife work. Collectors also have an opportunity to invest in artwork in the comfort of knowing they have bought some of the best work there is available.
Please wish me well, wouldn’t winning a prize be just icing on the cake!