Correia, the past President of the Guyana Women Artists’ Association, received a gold medal and $75,000 for her work ‘Cabbage Stew.’ She also received the second prize of a silver medal and $50,000 for another of her entry titled ‘Movable Vending.’ Correia also won the double award at last year’s competition. The third place award of a bronze medal and $35,000 went to Travell Blackman for his composition ‘Farewell.’ Blackman also picked up the honourable mention award for his ‘Fish Wreck’ piece.
Like Correia, Blackman is no stranger to these competitions, he copped the gold medal in the 2005 exhibition, silver in the 2004 drawing competition and in 2002 he received the special prize award in the 16-18 category drawing competition. He graduated from the Burrowes School of Art in 2004 as the best Graduating Student and last December he was part of a two person exhibition called The Colour of Truth at Castellani House.
Judging this year’s competition were leading Guyanese painter, sculptor and prize winning poet Stanley Greaves, consultant to Caricom on Carifesta 2003-2008 Dr Carole Bishop, and ceramist Barbara Beharry.
Meanwhile, the presentation of the prizes was done by senior members of the management of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), which sponsored the competition. The National Gallery’s biennial competitions in drawing and watercolour were initiated by the gallery’s Management Committee in 1996 and 1997, respectively, with support of corporate sponsorship. Curator of the National Gallery, Elfrieda Bissember thanked GBTI for its generous sponsorship and willingness to support the gallery. GBTI CEO John Tracey, in his remarks, expressed appreciation for the artists’ creativity and contribution to society and reiterated the bank’s continued commitment to support similar events presented at the gallery.
Competition entries are on display and the exhibition is open to the public in the ground floor galleries at Castellani House. Also included are works from the National Collection which exemplify the range of expressive approach and techniques of watercolourists. The exhibition runs until November 28.
