Rotorua painters rapt to be finalists in prestigious Adam Portraiture Award

Cathy Ward with her painting titled 'Faustinah - "This is me"'. Photo/Supplied

Two Rotorua painters who were named finalists in a prestigious national portrait competition are rapt with the accolade.

The Adam Portraiture Award is a competition held every two years, with the finalists exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Wellington.

Winners were announced at the awards ceremony on February 28 and the exhibition opened on March 1.

The exhibition runs until May 27 and then the paintings go on tour around the country.

Two Rotorua painters, Cathy Ward and Toni Armstrong, were finalists.

Toni's painting, Wally, is a portrait of her father, while Cathy painted Rotorua's Faustinah Ndlovu, named Faustinah – "This is me".

Cathy says she was rapt when she found out she was a finalist.

She says Faustinah was quite a striking subject and she loved the different African dresses.

Faustinah had been doing modelling in her costumes for the Life Drawing Group which was how she met her.

Cathy says portraits are quite a challenge, which is what she enjoys most about them.

"Something I really enjoy is trying to bring out something from the person. People interest me."

Toni Armstrong with her painting titled 'Wally'. Photo/Supplied

Toni says it was exciting for both her and Cathy to be finalists, especially both being from Rotorua.

"It felt really good to get through. This is quite a prestigious award to get through to."

She painted her 91-year-old father. The portrait background is an excerpt of his family history taken from a book he wrote.

"I tried to capture as much of his life as possible in the painting."

Toni says she has always been fascinated with people, and of their different body language and emotions.

"I've always been a passionate painter, but people is what I like to paint."

She has an exhibition happening at Helium Gallery in May with more of her portraits.