ART FOR HEALTH OF A HIGH STANDARD
As initiating school of the Transfusion painting competition, it is fitting that Hamilton Boys’ High School took six top prizes in last night’s judging at Waikato Museum.
But it was Hillcrest High School’s Julia King who took out the top prize – the Wintec scholarship and first place position.
Hamilton Boys’ High School won the competition’s overall school prize as well as five highly commended ratings at the opening of the Transfusion exhibition last night.
The full list of top place getters is listed below.
The competition saw a high calibre of judges taking part in Tim Croucher (Wintec School of Media Arts, Visual Arts programme manager), Alison Ewing (KateAlsion Arts Consultants) and Dr Carole Shepherd (former professor of fine arts, Elam School of Art).
In 2004 Hamilton Boys’ High School and Waikato DHB non-clinical services manager Brenda Peters set up the initiative to create art-for-hospital with Boys’ High art students creating works for Waikato Hospital.
The competition gives year 12 and 13 art students from throughout the Waikato the chance to donate their work to Health Waikato hospitals, as well as compete amongst their peers.
Mrs Peters said student artwork had been a highlight of her very varied role with Waikato DHB and that her favourite piece of student artwork is a Ray Charles painting, done by David Pickett from Hamilton Boys’ High School in 2006.
David Pickett went on to study at Elam School of Fine Arts, graduating in 2009.
In the past six years Boys’ High students have donated hundreds of paintings to Waikato Hospital.
Last year however, the school and Waikato DHB teamed up with the Waikato Museum and Wintec to extend the opportunity further to include all secondary schools within the Waikato DHB region, creating the Transfusion competition.
As a result, there has been a great increase in participation from schools; including, Huntly, Tokoroa, Te Awamutu, Raglan and other Hamilton schools.
“By donating artwork to the hospital, young artists can be assured of public appreciation of their work,” said project manager and Hamilton Boys’ High School head of art James Sutherland.
“For everybody involved, it is a great way to give something positive, tangible and lasting to the community, and we can feel a great sense of pride when walking through the corridors of the hospital and seeing the works.”
The works are displayed at Waikato Museum, and following the exhibition they will be donated to Waikato DHB and displayed throughout Health Waikato hospitals.
The exhibition opened at Waikato Museum last night and continues until 6 August.
Winners list:
Wintec Scholarship (first Prize Julia King Hillcrest High School
National Art Supplies School Prize - Hamilton Boys’ High School
The Framing Workshop Highly Commended - Kelsen Findlay - Hamilton Boys’ High School
Hamilton Boys High School - Highly Commended - Kelly Numan Sacred Heart Girls’ College
National Art Supplies Highly Commended - Malcolm Toa Hamilton Boys’ High School
School Supplies Highly Commended - Wiremu Mackie Hamilton Boys’ High School
National Art Supplies Merit Award - Niketa Brown Sacred Heart Girls’ College
National Art Supplies Merit Award - Eliza Webster Hamilton’s Fraser High School
School Supplies Merit Award - Toma Turanga Hamilton Boys’ High School
School Supplies Merit Award - Lalita Boonyasitt Hamilton’s Fraser High School
School Supplies Merit Award - Alice Kim Sacred Heart Girls’ College
School Supplies Merit Award - Ravi Prasaad Hamilton Boys’ High School