Local artist Di Giddings has been awarded the EMAI Art Prize’s People’s Choice award for its Nature Speaks exhibition, which is now on display at The Foundry Art Space Echuca.
The exhibition has displayed all artworks submitted for the 2024 Art Prize since its grand opening on Friday, July 19.
All other winners in the exhibition were named on that day, but due to the nature of the People’s Choice category, the organisers needed visitors to vote on their favourite piece in the exhibition.
The artworks in the Nature Speaks exhibition aim to celebrate a range of artistic practices, encompassing both expressions of nature in art and socially and ecologically motivated works relating to the natural environment and climate change.
Ms Giddings’s work, Open Spaces, was inspired by a trip to the Northern Territory, where she was struck by the arid landscape and the beauty and simplicity of nature.
Her hallmark style of creating images using pieces of paper of varying sizes, shapes, and colours gives her work depth and contrast.
“The influence comes from travelling up north, with the colours of the sky, dirt and the natural environment,” she said.
“It’s all done with tiny pieces of paper sourced from magazines, old watercolour paper, tissue paper and anything else I can find.
“I would hate to think how long it took me, but when you enjoy doing it, you don’t think about it.
“I have tried all different mediums, but it always comes back to this style and a similar subject matter.”
Ms Giddings spoke about her history of displaying her art but opened up about her shyness in exhibiting.
“Last year, I exhibited here, and I won a prize with that one too; I have exhibited in Swan Hill at the regional gallery when I lived there,” she said.
“I find it hard to put my work out there; I think a lot of artists do; most of us are pretty private people.”
After receiving the People’s Choice Award, Ms Giddings said the nod gave her more confidence that people would enjoy her work, particularly in a high-calibre exhibition such as Nature Speaks.
She also emphasised the importance of up-and-coming artists exhibiting and getting their name in the community.
“This honour has given me a lot of confidence and faith that maybe all of the things I’ve completed at home may be able to be put out there a bit more,” she said.
“It’s humbling to have been chosen as the People’s Choice winner. When I look around the gallery and see all the works here, I am blown away by the quality.
“It’s so important for people to get their work out there; there are so many clever people around; we are so fortunate to have a gallery like this to exhibit our paintings in.
“Don’t be afraid; you never know what will happen; I’ve certainly learnt that.”
Get in quick to see the 2024 EMAI Art Prize exhibition at The Foundry as it will end this Sunday, August 18.