When Leanne Prussing was 12 years old, her primary school principal declared that one day her paintings would be hanging in the finest galleries.
The dream is now reality for the Port Macquarie resident whose painting ‘Emergency fair dinkum’ was chosen as a finalist in this year’s Sir John Sulman Prize for 2011 and is currently exhibiting in the Art Gallery of NSW.
The Sulman prize runs in conjunction with the well known Archibald Prize and Wynne Prize at the famous Gallery.
The Sulman Prize is awarded for the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project by an Australian artist in oil, acrylic, watercolour or mixed media.
Established within the terms of the late Sir John Sulman’s bequest, the prize was first awarded in 1936.
The winner receives $20,000.
The Archibald Prize is awarded annually to the best portrait, ‘preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in art, letters, science or politics’, which must have been painted from life.
Since its inception in 1921 the prize has been awarded to some of Australia’s most important artists, including George Lambert, William Dobell and Brett Whiteley.
The winner receives $50,000: Ben Quilty won, with ‘Margaret Olley’ in 2011.
The Wynne Prize is for best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture.
The winner receives $25,000: Richard Goodwin with ‘Co-isolated slave’ this year.
Whilst the winner of this year’s Sulman Prize, announced on April 14 at the Gallery, was Peter Smeeth with his painting ‘The artist’s fate’, Leanne knows making the final cut is a priceless reward in itself.
She said it was an honour to be held in such high regard by the country’s most respected judging panel.
Leanne, who has had a passion for art since she was four, said the inspiration for her painting ‘Emergency fair dinkum’ came from the heart.
“The inspiration for this painting came from watching the Queensland floods on the 6.30pm news,” Leanne said.
“I am fascinated with the animal/human connection in emergency survival situations – a trust in universal oneness emerges that normally does not exist.”
Leanne considers herself first and foremost a portrait artist.
“But also I must paint what is going on in my world,” she said, “to make people think, feel and hopefully debate.
“I want people to emotionally connect.”
Leanne studied Fine Arts in Sydney.
She is currently exhibiting as resident artist at the Town Green Inn in Port Macquarie’s CBD, and The Willoughby Hotel in Sydney.
See more of Leanne’s work at http://leanneprussingart.blogspot.com
Story: Kate Yates
