Stellar portrait finalist in art prize

A painting titled Stellar Violets, depicting a woman wearing a cloak of rosellas, was a finalist at this year’s Portia Geach Memorial Award.

Boyup Brook artist Lori Pensini entered the work in the competition and was one of several WA artists to make the cut.

Often referred to as the Archibald Prize for women and held in Sydney, the event requires artists to paint a portrait of someone involved in either the arts or sciences.

The painting depicts Stellar Violets founder and manager Lucinda Giblett. Ms Pensini said she chose Ms Giblett as her muse because of the work she did for the community.

“I wanted to paint someone who helps showcase the South West because I find rural women have a smaller voice in the arts than those in cities, particularly over east,” she said.

“I chose Stellar Violets because I needed to paint someone I was inspired by and Lucinda as a person and the whole ethos she has behind her work are inspiring to me.”

She said the rosellas which made up the cloak represented the women she was inspired by or who had touched her life in some way.

“As I was painting I was reflecting on my relationship with the women who shaped my life and because of this I was also thinking a lot about mothers and how they shape us,” she said.

“Although this piece did not win the grand prize, being chosen as one of 57 finalists from a record number of entries was a real honour.”

Ms Pensini said seeing yourself in a painting was hard and she had been worried to show Ms Giblett the final result in case she was disappointed with how it turned out.

Ms Giblett said there was no way she could have ever been disappointed with the work.

“There was never any possibility in being disappointed, how could I be really, I just wanted to see Lori paint what she wanted,” she said.

“I am deeply touched by the whole experience and I think seeing the work has inspired me to be the best I can be.”