Crowds flocked to Wine X Sam at the weekend to see the 10th annual Art Beyond the Divide exhibition before it finished up for another year.
The annual event, run by the Seymour and District Art Society, is also a competition which received well over 200 entries.
The first prize, for Best in Show, was a beautiful watercolour painting by the society’s president, Dr Terri MacDonald, valued at $1200.
It was won by Dina Matei for her entry ‘Seymour Railway’.
Art Beyond the Divide 2024 winners
Isobel Robinson Award for Best in Show: Dina Matei "Seymour Railway"
Best Acrylic Painting: Valma Crerar "Unloading the Catch"
Best Oil Painting: Ben Winspear "Plaza Mayour, Madrid Spain"
Best Watercolour: Nina Volk "Tallarook State Forest"
Best Pastel: Lynda Robinson "Portrait of Coral"
Best Mixed Media: Wendy Webster "The Crane"
Best Other Medium: Vitto Oles "Fishermen"
Best Photography: Vicki Johnson " Three Way Battle"
Best Digital : Zaden Collings "Mum's Owl"
Best Young Artist: Alice Hawke "Ratty Lisa"
President's Award: Julian Bruere "After the Rains, Yea"
People's Choice Award: Nina Volk "Tallarook State Forest"
Society members Pauline Taylor and Pam Collings headed up the organising committee this year.
Ms Taylor said the exhibition was a big success.
“We were very pleased. It went really well,” she said.
“We had a great turnout on Friday night (November 29) for the opening and presentation of awards.
“I would say we had close to 100 people there.”
Ms Taylor said with so many entries, judging the winners was not as easy task.
“This year we had included some 3D work in one of the categories, and that was the first time we'd had 3D work to judge,” she said.
“There were lots of different types of entries. Someone entered little bits of pottery, and someone did some sculptures with old bits of metal.
“Photography is always a popular category, and we had some student entries from Yea High School.
“So there were lots of different things to judge.”
Ms Taylor said the event had evolved during the past decade, starting as a collaboration with the local TAFE.
She said students on its hospitality course would cater the exhibition, which was hosted at the TAFE.
“But they don’t offer hospitality any more. So a few years ago we found a new venue at Wine X Sam,” she said.
“They’re very good to us and it’ such a nice venue. Now we hold the exhibition among all the wine vats.
“Which is such a unique place, and always looks wonderful.”