Award for excellence: Whanganui sponsors offer new prize category for arts review

Jack Mitchell-Anyon with canine companion Delphi has teamed up with Niki Vernon to sponsor a new excellence award for the pattillo Whanganui Arts Review. Photo / Supplied

The new year is fast approaching which means it is time for local artists to plan their entries for the Sarjeant Gallery's 2020 pattillo Whanganui Arts Review.

The submission date has been set for February 18 and artists of all ages from the wider Whanganui region are encouraged to start getting their artworks together.

In 2019 Wellington consultancy company patillo become the principal sponsor for the Arts Review which now offers a $5000 (previously $2000) prize to the winner of the open award as well as a solo artist exhibition at the Sarjeant.

The review has always had a strong group of Whanganui businesses sponsoring prizes and a new excellence award of $1000 will be offered next year, thanks to Article and Vernon Money Poppins.

Jack Mitchell-Anyon, owner of Article café and retro store in the old Chronicle building in Rutland St, said he is happy to support something that adds so much to Whanganui culture.

"Jaki Arthur from the Sarjeant approached me about sponsorship and I asked my friend Niki Vernon, who runs her small business advisory service in the Chronicle building, if she wanted to team up.

"I know many artists who enter their work in the Arts Review and what winning an award means to them."

Veron said she did not need any convincing when asked to team up for an award.

"I didn't hesitate when Jack suggested it because we agree that art and artists are such a vital and intrinsic part of this community."

The new award means that the 2020 Whanganui Arts Review will offer two excellence awards of $1000 each, 11 merit awards of $200 each and the main open award of $5000.

Dalgleish Architects also sponsors a $1000 excellence award and merit awards are sponsored by Friends of the Sarjeant Gallery, River City Picture Framers, Recaffeinate, Renata's Art & Framing, Wanganui Garden Services, Edith Collier Trust, Whanganui River Markets Trust and Barnicoat & Healy.

The inaugural pattillo project artist is Kathryn Wightman, who won the 2019 open award with her work Austin.

Wightman is a multi-award-winning glass artist and UCOL Whanganui lecturer whose winning work was a 3-D printed image of her young son.

"Whanganui is home to so many amazingly talented creative people, so to be selected as the first-ever recipient of the pattillo project is a huge honour," Wightman said.

"The addition of mentorship and a solo show is a huge boost to the pattillo Whanganui Arts Review and I believe it will be an invaluable step in the future development of my career.

"I very much look forward to working with the team at the Sarjeant Gallery to develop work over the coming year."

Wightman's pattillo project 2020 exhibition will open at Sarjeant on the Quay on Saturday, February 15.

Sarjeant Gallery curator and public programmes manager Greg Donson said the gallery staff are delighted to welcome a new sponsor for the Arts Review which will celebrate 32 years in 2020.

"The quality and quantity of Arts Review submissions has been increasing year on year and with the launch of the pattillo project in 2020 we expect a lot of interest," Donson said.

To find information and an entry form for the 2020 pattillo Whanganui Arts Review go to sarjeant.org.nz or visit the Sarjeant Gallery at 38 Taupō Quay, Whanganui.