Established in 2018, the award is available to those who have been working with clay for less than five years and aims to give national recognition to new artists.
The Rick Rudd Foundation has also introduced a second prize - a month-long residency at the Glasgow Street Arts Centre in Whanganui - with a stipend of $4800 from Creative New Zealand to support the artist.
This year’s winner was Dunedin’s Lucy Hunter for her piece titled Duality.
“I’m still in shock,” Hunter said.
Hunter has an extensive history with the creative arts, starting off with music, moving to drawing and finally to clay work.
A lot of Hunter’s clay work is focused on commissions, so she is looking forward to a “month that is purely creative work”.
The two winning pieces, with 33 from the 76 entered, are now on display at the Quartz Museum.
“Our hope is you enjoy this exhibition and find work which will excite, inspire, challenge and stimulate discussion, or simply require your quiet contemplation,” Rudd said.