Maitland Portrait Prize 2022 entries are on display at East Maitland library

Bea Esterbrook won both second place and the sitter's choice prize.

There were 16 entrants in the 2022 Maitland Portrait Prize, which are all on display at East Maitland library.

The prize, which is presented by the Maitland Region Society of Artists, is now in its sixth year.

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This year, the sitter was Heather McLaren OAM who was chosen for her involvement in the Maitland community.

Ms McLaren is president and founder of Maitland City Choir, and has provided service to numerous organisations like the Maitland Museum, Maitland Ladies Golf committee and Maitland Black and White committee.

Entrants gathered to paint Ms McLaren at Maitland Regional Art Gallery.

First prize was $2500, second prize was $500 and the sitter's choice prize was $1000.

A third prize, the people's choice - worth $500 - will be drawn on Monday, August 29. The community can cast their vote for their favourite work at East Maitland library until that date.

Maitland Portrait Prize organiser Anna Eggenhuizen said this year the quality of portraits was very high.

"They were all great," she said.

"It's funny when you see a whole room of the same person, everyone sees different qualities in that person which is something unusual compared to when you have an art competition where it's all different people [being painted]."

Judge Dr Trevor Weekes said he was looking for a number of things, but most importantly that the sitter projects a humaneness.

"I look at the standard of the application of the medium as just as important as the composition," he said.

"The placement of the figure and the impact of the background; sometimes the background swallows the sitter." See the portraits on display at East Maitland library.

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