The art section at Wagin Woolorama, to be held this Friday March 8 and Saturday, March 9, is always a big drawcard at the event due to the amazingly high quality of entries.
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And head steward Fiona Dawson is once again eagerly anticipating the arrival of this year's exhibits.
While the competition will run in a similar vein to previous years, this year local entrants will also have the opportunity to have their work nominated for the Royal Agricultural Society of WA's Agricultural Affiliated Societies art award.
Formerly known as the Country Artists' Award, the eligibility criteria includes the selected artist entering works less than two years old, and residing within the Wagin shire.
Ms Dawson said works would be selected from agricultural societies across WA before being exhibited at the 2024 Perth Royal Show in September, where they would have the chance to win a share of $2500 prize money - $2000 for first place, or $500 for runner-up.
"The $2000 first prize is very attractive and will hopefully help to attract even more entries from our talented local artists," Ms Dawson said.
She said all eight classes, spanning oil or acrylic; watercolour; any media, any theme and accompanied with a 100-word artist statement; other media; pastels; small painting; sculpture; and the youth fine art award remained the same for this year's entries.
They would once again be judged by Stephanie Dymock from Kendenup, who will return for her third successive year, part of a plan by organisers to invite judges to return for three successive shows and provide some continuity to the section.
Ms Dawson said all artworks would be in the running for the traditional Wagin Woolorama Art Prize, which carried with it a $1000 prize and was sponsored by the Shire of Wagin.
The prize was an acquisitive, and the winning artwork would spend the next 12 months on display in the local shire offices, before being added to an ever-growing and impressive catalogue of works.
Last year the overall winner was Carmen McFall from Dunsborough with her oil and acrylic entry entitled 'Peaceful track'.
The Woolorama President's Award would be selected by president Paul Powell, which came with a prize of a $100 voucher.
Mr Powell's family would also once again sponsor the Melva Powell artist encouragement award, named in honour of his mother and local artist Melva Powell, which carried with it a prize of $500 in the form of an art supply voucher.
There would also be a people's choice award, voted on by show visitors attending on the Friday of the event.
Other supporters and donors generously supporting the event by way of class prizemoney included Wagin Panel and Paint, Federal Member for O'Connor Rick Wilson, the Wagin Palace Hotel, GA and WM Abbott, Sue Piesse, Jessica Hamersley, Beaurepaires and JF and YH Sharpe.
