Manjimup artist taking the art world by storm: Paul Fontanini secures another people’s choice prize

A Manjimup artist has taken the art world by storm in recent years, racking up many prestigious art award wins, including one of Western Australia’s most innovative regional art prizes earlier this year. Paul Fontanini was awarded the people’s choice award at the Jury Art Prize in Port Hedland in July for his work Casting with Nature - Red Morrel Burl, his 11th prize in just three years. His recent win joins his Rygold Nominees win at the Pemberton Art Prize in April, esteemed People’s Choice Award at Castaways Small Sculpture Prize in Rockingham in 2021, and overall winner at Sculpture by the Bay Small Sculpture Prize in Dunsborough in 2021, amongst others. The cast aluminium artwork is part of a series of works he has completed, inspired by the natural landscape, particularly that of the South West in which he was raised. Mr Fontanini said he was honoured to have received the Jury Prize, given for the most votes on the online voting platform. “It feels really good... to be picked by the public,” he said. “It’s good because that prize actually has as much value as the Judge’s prize... in other prizes that’s not usually the case. “I’m grateful to everyone I know that voted for me too, and of course all of the people I don’t know too.” While having studied fine art at TAFE after finishing high school more than 15 years ago, Mr Fontanini only began to explore his artistic talents in greater detail in recent years. The retail worker is now looking to turn his hobby into a full-time practice, spurred on by his success in recent arts showings. “I’ve been mucking around with stuff for years... now just started getting back into it,” he said. “I work with metal, wood, recycled plastic, aluminium, a bit of everything.” Launching his new website, Mr Fontanini said he hoped to be able to share his work — which ranges from unique turned pens made from native timber to cast aluminium sculptures that can be up to four metres tall — with the public in an easily accessible way. “I do the arty side of things and the crafty side of things,” he said. “I do a bit of recycling; blacksmiths were the original recyclers... one of the big things if you’re using a recycle material is keeping the essence of the recycled material there so people can see what it started as.” Mr Fontanini said he owed his success to his passion for the work and his advice to other artists looking at pursuing a full-time career in the arts industry was to “believe in yourself”. “Just give it a go — don’t be worried about what other people think, just try it.”