Lew Brennan is represented in Australian and US galleries but winning the Bendigo Bank Open Award at the Mary Valley Art Festival on July 26 was a first for him.

The Cooran-based realism artist collected $1000 for his oil on canvas portrait Backstreet Madonna, a breakaway from his characteristic charcoal works.

The sensitive portrayal titled Reluctant model by Hervey Bay artist Mabs Vandenberg won the $3000 RJR Property Best in Show Award. Judges Tony Gill and Kevin Wilson said the portrait was soft and engaging, giving a sense of confidence but also vulnerability. It demonstrated a lovely display of skill and use of drawing material.

Mr Brennan said he is usually a people’s choice favourite, with judges rarely selecting his work for mainstream category wins.

“It’s the first time I remember receiving a first prize,” he said as he congratulated the Mary Valley Artslink committee for hosting another fantastic art festival.

“It’s a wonderful team – great people – and this is a great show” he said of the four-day festival held every July at Imbil in the Noosa hinterland.

Self-taught, he started creating works in 1965. The winning portrait was inspired by a Louisiana girl and is one of a series of artworks highlighting hair more than anything else, he said.

“I really enjoy charcoal and I love pushing boundaries in the direction of hyperrealism. Most of my work is horses, but it’s challenging to get hair right.

“It’s interesting to see hair falling across a person’s face and then try to re-create it.”

He exhibits in four galleries in the United States, including in New York, where he believes there is a greater respect for realism artists than in Australia.

“There’s a very strong trend in Australian art circles towards abstraction, since Gough Whitlam (then Prime Minister) bought Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock.

“In my view, institutional galleries here have a fascination with abstraction that hasn’t waned.

“It’s sad because there is a whole gamut of art that misses out on that sort of attention.”

Mr Brennan said art was not just about technique. Creating a narrative, points of interest and drawing emotion out of a painting were important aspects.

“You want to connect with people who are looking at it,” he said.

The judges certainly felt something when they awarded the coveted Open Award to Mr Brennan. They said the portrait was a strong and skilled painting, using light and shadow.

Winners: RJR Property Best in Show – Reluctant model by Mabs Vandenberg; Bendigo Bank Open Award – Backstreet Madonna by Lew Brennan 1, Sunrise in the forest by Jewel Polkinghorne HC; Masondale People’s Choice – The outsiders – Australian dingo by Cynthia House; Packers Prize – Intrigued by Katina Phillips; Encouragement Award – The last creek crossing to home by Katrina O’Shannessy; 3D – The fantastic fish bus by Kym Latter 1, Beatrice by Karen Roberts HC; Landscape – From the hills by Angus Chugg 1, Water glimpse by Glenis Gray HC; Novice – Mates by Vicki Pearson 1, Tasmanian pademelon by Kate Berwick HC; Animalia – Excuse Moo by Chloe Lanhan 1, Chooks by Chris O’Hare HC; Still life – Rosehips by Lyn Nothdurft 1, Native flowers by Janet Luttrell HC; Human form and portraiture – Rubik’s Cube dreaming by Sandra Taylor 1, What the day may bring by Sharon Philpot HC; Drawing – Bare bones by Pat Cale 1, A feather’s tale by Melissa Maree HC; Abstract – A thirsty country by Robyn Mannes 1, In the beginning by Jan Murphy HC; Suzie Smith Youth Award – Daydream by Lacey Pohle 1, Famine by Harrison O’Toole 2, Woman with windows by Alice Foxlee and Peacock by River Foster equal 3.