Rayner wins art award for 'self portrait'

WINNER: Mark Rayner.

Artist Mark Rayner is the winner of this year's Whanganui Arts Review.

Mr Rayner's work, Self Portrait, won the Belton Smith & Associates Ltd Open Award, which was announced last night.

Other awards given out were: Frances Stachl, David Murray and Tia Ranginui (highly commended); James Graves (youth award); Matt Dutton, Paul Rayner, Sophie Taylor, Kaye Coombs, Catherine Sleyer, Andrea Gardner and Debbie Hahn (merit).

These artists' works will be on display, along with the other works chosen for the exhibition, at Sarjeant on the Quay until June 5.

Mr Rayner is known for his quirky ceramic artworks, and in the past few years has been making portraits in hand-hooked woollen rugs.

In 2014 the New Zealand Herald threatened to sue Mr Rayner for Black Widow, his rug portrait of Helen Milner, who was found guilty of murdering her second husband.

Black Widow was a finalist in the 2014 Wallace Art Awards, but questions were raised over whether the image was copied from a photograph taken by a NZ Herald photographer during Milner's trial.

Mr Rayner also co-owns Rayner Brothers Gallery with his brother Paul.

Belton Smith & Asso-ciates is a sponsor of the Whanganui Arts Review.