This year's Molly Morpeth Canaday Award for painting and drawing, worth $10,000, has been won by Auckland artist Kirstin Carlin.

She was one of thirteen artists to receive recognition on Friday night, as part of the Whakatane Summer Arts Festival.

Carlin's painting Through the Trees (Thirteen) was described by 2017 judge Felicity Milburn as having 'a sheer ‘look at me' audacity”.

'A feisty freshness pervades this painting; a welcome shot of visual adrenalin delivered directly through the eyeballs,” says Felicity.

'Kirstin's work can be appreciated on a number of levels; as a high-voltage re-imagining of the work-worn landscape genre; as a study in colour (those glowing greens, and lustrous pinks jostling up against creamy neutrals); or as a technical exercise in construction, with spatial relationships vigorously amplified and outlined in black. That's all there, and ready to be enjoyed.

'Anyone who doubts for a moment the importance of the arts to our national DNA should be encouraged to judge a competition such as this. It never fails to impress and encourage me to see tangible evidence of the skill, imagination and commitment that exists in the studios and workrooms around New Zealand.”

The Molly Morpeth Canaday Award exhibition is a cornerstone event in the Whakatane Summer Arts Festival. This year the award attracted 430 entries from artists throughout the country. The exhibition of 80 selected works continues at Te Koputu/Whakatane Library and Exhibition Centre until March 12.

Major Award - $10,000

Sponsored by Molly Morpeth Canaday Trust

KIRSTIN CARLIN (New Lynn, Auckland)

Through the Trees (Thirteen)

Oil on board

Craigs Investment Partners Youth Art Award - $2,500

ANITA FROST (Auckland)

Drawing of the alphabet

Pen

Highly Commended

Arts Whakatane Award - $1,000

RAEWYN WHALEY (Auckland)

Between

Oil on canvas

Highly Commended

Pullar Family Trust Award - $1,000

MICHELLE REID (Riverhead)

Afterimage Series 5/6/7/8

Ink and acrylic on board

Highly Commended

Akel Family Award $1,000

DONNA-MARIE PATTERSON (Christchurch)

Moonlight Secrets

Hand drawn ink on 100% cotton paper

Highly Commended

Marion and Jack Schulte Award $1,000

V, I EDWARDS+JOHANN (Christchurch)

On the Seam of Things – Constellations #8

Drawing on C-type photograph

Merit Award - $500

Sponsored by Browne School of Art

FRANCIS VAN HOUT (Christchurch)

Colour Field, Grey Space

Oil on board.

Merit Award - $500

Sponsored by 4 Art Sake Gallery

ESTHER DEANS (Avondale)

Self Portrait

Oil on canvas

Merit Award - $500

Sponsored by Scott Jarrett at Professionals

CONNAH PODMORE (Wellington)

Wall, 8.25 pm

Charcoal on paper

Merit Award - $500

Sponsored by Hon. Anne Tolley MP and Whakatane Society of Arts and Crafts

DENISE DURKIN (Wellington)

Virginia 2

Charcoal on paper

Merit Award - $500

Sponsored by Gordon Harris Ltd (product value)

SAM DOLLIMORE (Porirua)

(Who's To Blame For These) Terrible Manhandles

Ink pen on paper

Merit Award - $500

Sponsored by Frames by Daniel – (product value)

JOSEPHINE CACHEMAILLE (Nelson)

Dark Roller

Acrylic on boar

Local Artist Award - $500

Sponsored by Ross and Kay Boreham & Accounting Biz Limited

MANDY HAGUE (Whakatane)

It's the Real Thing

Acrylic on cotton rag paper