KILMORE’S Rhonda Cox had never won a raffle in her life, but had ‘a good feeling’ when she purchased tickets for the Kilmore Art Expo’s raffle prize of a $1500 painting by local artist Maureen Runge.
Titled ‘Have you heard the latest?’, the 99cm by 79cm framed watercolour painting of a group of kookaburras garnered plenty of entries during the April 21-23 event.
Ms Cox said she ‘couldn’t believe it’ when she was notified she was the winner.
“I had a feeling about this raffle. When I saw they were selling raffle tickets at the expo, my husband said ‘we could do with another painting’,” she said.
“I knew exactly where I wanted to put it. It was on the wall straight away when we got it, just inside the front door.
“It’s lovely. You walk in the door and you see it straight away. It’s a beautiful painting.
“Maureen puts a lot of time and effort into her paintings and I really appreciate her work.”
Ms Runge, who has painted watercolours since the late 1990s, said she had been pleased to donate the major prize.
She said she had an affinity for watercolour works.
“I started with oils in the 1980s but I didn’t like oils as much,” she said.
“Watercolour is quick, it’s loose and I don’t work on it day after day – it’s done quite quickly and spontaneously.”
A full list of the winners of the Kilmore Art Expo and Kilmore Regional Busking Championships categories are below:
Kilmore Art Expo
Best painting in show: Caroline Lewallan, Lilies in green vase, $1000.
Oil painting: Sharon Pappas, Clarkefield Canola, $500.
Watercolour painting: Terri MacDonald, Black cockatoo, $500.
Pastel painting: Salvatore Trigila, Friendly Neighbours, $500.
Acrylic painting: Cheryl Eve, Tsunami, $500.
Any other medium painting: Maria Barbaro, Two pies in the grass, $500.
Digital artwork: Magno Barros, David, $500.
Best small treasure: Carolyn Marrone, A splash of lemon, $350.
Primary youth painting, 6-12 years: Johanna Wallace, Blue jug, $150.
Secondary youth painting, 13-18 years: Blake Studd, Harry Potter, $150.
Highly commended paintings: Amber Cartwright, A new beginning, $100; Jacinta Stevens, River scene – blue, $100; John Clarke, The fleet at rest, $100.
Best photograph in show: Vicky Johnson, Beauchamp falls, $700.
Highly commended photography: Jordan Richardson, Moo St Pub Fitzroy, $200; Jordynne Wilke, Alan, $200; Vicky Johnson, Crunch, $150 voucher.
Primary youth photography, 6-12 years: Emma Sobey, A glimpse of the garden, $100.
Secondary youth photography, 13-18 years: Shakeisha Bau, Buttercup, $100.
Best sculpture in show: Molly Lindsay, Cunningham on bark, $700.
Cast/moulded sculpture: Anne Anderson, Gypsy, $200.
Assembled sculpture: Jill Mattei, Galahs and rosellas, $200.
Carved sculpture: Aukje Van Vark, Leafy sea dragon, $200.
People’s choice: Glenn Hoyle, Portrait of a woman, $400 voucher.
Busking Championships
Open category: 1st, Rin-Pa and A. Ya, $1000; 2nd, Grace Frost, $750; 3rd, Presley Davis Jr, $500.
Secondary category: 1st, Gryff, $600; 2nd, Black Opal, $450; 3rd, Jack Gregory, $250.
Primary category: 1st, Ada, $300; 2nd, Lilah, $150; 3rd, Iris, $75.
People’s choice: 1st, Grace Frost, $1000; 2nd, Presley Davis Jr, $750; 3rd, Gryff, $500.
Judges’ awards: best alternative, The Spares, $200; runner-up open, $200; smile award, Aleesha Oriental, $200; dance award, Ballet Busker, $200; entertainer award; John Curran, $200.
Encouragement awards: Brad and Naeve Duo, Corzza, Phoebe Scarlett, CharEm, Knightmove, $100 each; Tilly Rose, Georgia, Leopold, $50 each.
Community awards: WhittleC Ukes, Broadford Singers, $50 each.
