Jin Hou wins Arts Manawatū Painting Competition with watercolour of IPU

Joint winner of the children's section Sajani Dissanayake with guest artist Philip Holmes (left) and one of the judges, Sas. Photo / Tishan Dissanayake

A chance to see Papaioea past and present through the eyes and brushes of artists is on offer at Square Edge.

It is the second annual Arts Manawatū Painting Competition and Exhibition organised by Studio on The Square for professional and pre-professional artists.

This year works had to be themed Papaioea past or present and 75 artists took up the challenge. Some of the art is for sale.

The winner is Jin Hou with a watercolour of IPU. Judges Te Manawa chief executive Andy Lowe and Palmerston North businessman and art collector Sas commented on her superb technical ability.

Jin Hou's watercolour of IPU won the Arts Manawatu Painting Competition.

Hou, who has been painting for only two years, won $1000.

She wrote on her Facebook page: "When I was doing this painting, I found that I really deep fell in love with this city, the people and every being."

Lowe told the entrants "don't stop making art, you are all winners in my mind".

Merit prizes of $500 went to Alice Belcher, Janet Bradbury, Jennifer Baker and Rosie Barclay.

There were two winners in the 15 and under section, each receiving $250 - Ruby Watene and Liam Southall. The four merit prizes of $100 each went to Anthony Yuan, Riley Lauesi, Sajani Dissanayake and Jimmy Salt.

This painting by Liam Southall, titled Windpower, was one of two winners in the 15 and under section.

Liam's painting is titled Windpower. The 10-year-old Cornerstone Christian School student can see wind turbines from his home.

He finds painting calming and relaxing. If he doesn't feel good he will go and paint, and then feel calm.

Liam has been to some art lessons at Studio on The Square.

Sajani's untitled painting captures the past with Caccia Birch House and a Newmans bus and the present with He Ara Kotahi and the new playground at Memorial Park.

The 12-year-old says she decided to do the painting as she thought it would be fun; it took a couple of weeks on and off. She also entered a What Now competition to design a scooter park and in her first competition came second.

Sajani goes to Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School and moved to Palmerston North two years ago from Sri Lanka with her family.

Colin Hoare's oil painting of mayor Grant Smith.

Work by Philip Holmes, Frank Callear, Dennis Greenwood and Kevin Jones is also on display but wasn't part of the competition.

Cornelius Vickers' oil painting Papaioea Then & Now can also be viewed. He died in June.

The details

What: Papaioea Past or Present
When: Until August 2
Where: Square Edge Arts Centre
Tickets: Free entry