People’s Choice Art Prize winner announced

Woombye artist Brianna Campbell is the winner of the 2024 Seeing the Soul Art Prize People's Choice Award.

A charcoal drawing of a young child asleep with her puppy by emerging young Woombye artist Brianna Campbell is the winner of the 2024 Seeing the Soul Art Prize People’s Choice Award.

Her work was voted for by visitors to Seeing the Soul: Hoofbeats Sanctuary Art Prize and Exhibition which closed at Cooroy Butter Factory Art Centre yesterday.

Brianna Campbell will receive the $500 prize for her poignant image of a little girl with ’her forever friend finally in her arms’.

Hoofbeats Sanctuary chief executive officer Barb Blashki congratulated Brianna, an emerging artist with a strong interest in art from early childhood.

She is currently exploring new mediums as a studio student at Art School Co. Brianna contributed two other artworks to the exhibition, Synergy and Whisper.

Other Seeing the Soul prize winners were:

– Jo Hawkins (Tewantin), Major Prize of $2500 for the painting Unconditional.

– Ellie Sutton (Blue Mountains, NSW), Runner-up Prize of $1500 for the photograph Little Bird.

– Jasmine Veronique (Yandina), Highly Commended Prize of $1500 for the painting Innocent Harmony.

– Ellenie Faith Kirkman (Tewantin), Under 18 Emerging Artist Prize of $500 for the painting Kindred Spirits.

“I also sincerely thank all the artists and sponsors Bendigo Community Bank Cooroy, Penny Neep Real Estate, Cooroy RSL and Laguna Pest Control for supporting the exhibition and stepping up to be part of the solution to the current mental health crisis,“ Barb said.

“Funds raised from the sale of art works in the exhibition go directly toward funding Hoofbeats Sanctuary’s mental health programs that are available free of charge to those who need them to be.“

Unsold donated artworks can be purchased through the Hoofbeats Sanctuary website.

Located at Doonan, Hoofbeats Sanctuary is a safe, restorative space that brings people, animals and nature together to improve the emotional well-being of people living with mental health challenges resulting from trauma.