2021 NAS Awards Recipients

2021 NAS Awards Recipients

On Thursday 10 February, the National Art School celebrated the achievements and success of our students through awarding of prizes and scholarships. We would like to congratulate the award recipients for their hard work, and thank our lecturers and technicians for their outstanding dedication and commitment to each and every student.

All of the prizes and scholarships awarded have been generously provided by our benefactors and sponsors, and we also thank you for your support.

Major Awards

Bird Holcomb Foundation Scholarship
Sophie Horne

Mark Henry Cain Memorial Travel Scholarship
Alice Xu

East Sydney Doctors Scholarship
Sadhbha Cockburn

Clitheroe Foundation Scholarship
Harry de Vries

National Art School Aboriginal Art Centre Internship
Aarone Neill and Charlie Komsic

Standish & Co Scholarship
Samantha Jade

James Ballaam Elsley Memorial Prize
Drawing: Aaron McGarry
Painting: Brodie Cullen

Tweed Regional Gallery
Susie Dureau

Lift Off
Luca Blasonato

Art History

Brandon Trakman Prize
Laura Bishop and Harry de Vries

Ceramics

Sabbia Gallery Exhibition Prize
Susie Choi

Parkers Sydney Fine Art Ceramic Award
Sebastian Mills

Kil.n.It Award
Charlotte Komsic and Sebastian Conti

N.E. Pethebridge Award
BFA: Susie Choi
MFA: Sibylla Robertson

Matilda Kubany-Deane Memorial Prize
Nathan Hale

Australian Ceramics Association Prize
Lydia Sidarta and Tasio Sclavenitis

Drawing

Parkers Sydney Fine Art Drawing Award
Anna Mould

John Olsen Prize for Drawing (Highly Commended)
Sadie Whelan

John Olsen Prize for Drawing
Georgina de Manning

The Bonner and Tonkin Drawing Prize
Amelia Skelton

Anne Pata Memorial Drawing Award
Susana Vazquez

Kaye Shumack Sunflower Drawing Prize
Luke Thurgate

Painting

Parkers Sydney Fine Art Painting Award
Skye Bakhos

Derivan Award for Mixed Media
Sophie Horne

Parkers Sydney Fine Art Framing Award
Dylan Newling

Derivan Award for Excellence
Lesley Wengembo

Trenna Austin Gallery Prize for Abstract Painting
Alison Anderson

Troy Quinliven Exhibition Award
Alice Xu

Richard Lucchese Abstract Painting Prize
Sara Mugnes

Photomedia

Kayell Australia Photography Award
Natasha Hollen

Joel Corrigan Memorial Photography Award
Samantha Jade

Printmaking

Artscene Printmaking Prize
Charlotte Featherstone and Isabella Kennedy

Parkers Sydney Fine Art Printmaking Award
Bella La Spina

Ellen Lee O’Shaughnessy Printmaking Award
Jake Starr and Emilee Robinson

Megalo Studio and Gallery Residency Award
Shani Black

Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios Printmaking Award
Harry de Vries

Sculpture

Parkers Sydney Fine Art Sculpture Award
Aaron McGarry

Sculpture by the Sea Prize
April Gales and Savannah Van Der Veer

Dr John Vallance Prize for Sculpture
Susann Taylor and George Squires

KNULP Exhibition Prize
Aarone Neill

Open Awards

NAVA Ignition Prize for Professional Practice
Jeni Mulvey

Studio W doubleyou Exhibition Prize
Sadie Whelan

The Squatters Residency
TC Overson and Lewis Doherty

Dominik Mersch Gallery Award
Nina Walton

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In June, we celebrate World Pride Month. Like many other culturally significant times, it’s a month that’s meaningful to our community and the Oxford precinct we are part of. 

In 2015, NAS alum Todd Fuller (@fuller_todd) sent members of the public black and white drawings depicting two men engaged in a passionate kiss. The participants were encouraged to respond to the image by colouring in the figures, with the resulting images compiled by Fuller into a mixed media video animation. 

Fuller gifted this work to the National Art School Collection, a collection that performs a major role within the National Art School as both a teaching resource and a historical record. Visit our website to find out more about the works in our collection.

—
Todd Fuller, ‘The Unite Project - 3rd generation ‘, 2015, mixed media animation, colour and sound, 13.35 mins loop; image courtesy the artist and National Art School © Todd Fuller. From the National Art School Collection - Gift of Todd Fuller.
We're excited to share that NAS Photomedia sessional Dr Jack Ball (@jack__ball_) is the winner of the $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize 2025, the nation’s most generous prize for Australian artists under forty.

Jack's award winning work 'Heavy Grit' is on display in the Ramsay Art Prize 2025 exhibition which opens tomorrow, Saturday 31 May

Jack Ball with 'Heavy Grit' in Ramsay Art Prize 2025, Art Gallery of South Australia, (@agsa.adelaide) Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed
Thank you to outgoing Chair Susan Rothwell AM & welcome to incoming Chair Jeff Weeden. The National Art School would like to express its deepest gratitude to Susan Rothwell AM, whose term as Chair of the NAS Board concludes on 31 May 2025. 

At the same time, we are pleased to announce and warmly welcome Jeff Weeden as the incoming Chair of the NAS Board, effective 1 June 2025.

Jeff has served as a Director on the NAS Board since 2019 and currently chairs the Finance and Audit Committee, a position he has held since 2023.  For the full announcement, click the link in the bio.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) starts today! As part of our NAS NRW program, we invite you to a special screening of the documentary 'Kindred' (2023) in our Cell Block Theatre. The directors Gillian Moody and Adrian Russell Wills will be joining us for the screening.

'There's the black world, and then there's the white world. I felt walking in each of them was complicated enough. To bring those together would just make it even harder.' (Kindred: Trailer)

'Kindred' is a deeply personal feature-length documentary that delves into the emotional landscape of family, love, and loss through the eyes of two close friends.'

Limited capacity - click the link in bio to reserve your seats.
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