Napier artist Ella Villarmea's Tricky tiki takes national prize

William Colenso College student Ella Villarmea has won a national prize with her photograph Book Tiki. The school is selling framed prints of it for $100. Photo / Neill Gordon

Young Napier artist Ella Villarmea calls it "a happy accident" but the judges of the national Stills photography competition call it the best digitally manipulated image in the country.

Ella, a Year 12 student at William Colenso College, entered her work Book Tiki and won herself a $1000 Canon camera by taking out the Altered category of the competition.

At first she mistook the email saying she had won as a scam, but her art teacher Laura Jackson confirmed it was real. She used Photoshop to mirror her original photo of folded fashion magazines to create the tiki-like image.

"I see my Book Tiki as a connection between the tiki culture in the Pacific and Māori culture in New Zealand and my birthplace in the Philippines," Ella said.

"What I like about it is that when you first see it from afar you can see that it is a tiki but you can't see what it is made out of unless you look closer."

She was surprised with her win because she has only been studying photography this year.

"My teacher is amazing."

Despite her success, the 17-year-old isn't contemplating photography as a career, her plan is to study nursing.

Stills had more than 1250 entries nationwide from Year 1 to 13 student photographers. The competition is run by RQP - the team behind the hugely successful performing arts platform Smokefreerockquest. It was judged by top New Zealand photographers and visual artists Edith Amituanai, Conor Clarke, Chontalle Musson, Christian Tjandrawinata and Canon representative Geoff Ball.

Judge Conor Clarke said: "Everyday items paired with a simple mirroring technique for maximum effect. It suggests to me that no matter where you are in the world, markers of your cultural identity are everywhere. Ka pai Ella, a strong and creative work!"

Book Tiki has already been on display at Te Papa in Wellington. Ella was one of six William Colenso College students with work featured in the Ringa Toi student exhibition, a celebration of toi Māori co-ordinated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

The six Colenso artworks will be seen in Hawke's Bay along with the best of the region's secondary school Māori art from December 5 to 10, when Ngā Ringa Toi o Te Matau a Māui is on show at Hastings' Akina Gallery.

■ Framed prints of Ella's Book Tiki can be ordered for $100 from the William Colenso College office by phoning 06 8310180.