2021 NAS Awards Recipients

2021 NAS Awards Recipients

2022-02-11

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

Congratulations Genevieve Felix Reynolds @genevievefelixreynolds, the 2026 recipient of the The British School at Rome Residency.

This residency offers the opportunity to live and work in Rome for 3 months, in an interdisciplinary research community. The British School at Rome is a centre of interdisciplinary research excellence in the Mediterranean supporting the full range of arts, humanities and social sciences, and the residency has been made possible through the generosity of our donors, particularly Jennifer Dowling. The British School at Rome is just north of Rome’s historic centre in the Valle Giulia which separates the Parioli district from the Borghese Gardens.

Applications for 2027 residencies will open early next year. Find more information about all of NAS` International Residencies on the NAS website.
—
Genevieve Felix Reynolds, Godmode, 2025, polymer on velvet, 150 x 109cm

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Aug 24

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Congratulations Genevieve Felix Reynolds @genevievefelixreynolds, the 2026 recipient of the The British School at Rome Residency.

This residency offers the opportunity to live and work in Rome for 3 months, in an interdisciplinary research community. The British School at Rome is a centre of interdisciplinary research excellence in the Mediterranean supporting the full range of arts, humanities and social sciences, and the residency has been made possible through the generosity of our donors, particularly Jennifer Dowling. The British School at Rome is just north of Rome’s historic centre in the Valle Giulia which separates the Parioli district from the Borghese Gardens.

Applications for 2027 residencies will open early next year. Find more information about all of NAS' International Residencies on the NAS website.
—
Genevieve Felix Reynolds, Godmode, 2025, polymer on velvet, 150 x 109cm

Announcing the 2026 recipients of the Onslow Storrier NAS Residency, a three-month studio residency at La Cité Internationale des Arts Paris, awarded to a National Art School Graduate or Academic Staff Member and made possible through the generosity of Annette Onslow and Tim Storrier.

January – March: Mungo Howard @mungo_howard
April – June: Ali Tahayori @alitahayori
July – September: Corey Black @corey_max_black
October – December: Chelsea Lehmann @chelseajlehmann

A residency at the Onslow Storrier National Art School Paris Studio presents each artist with the opportunity to evolve their practice in one of the great centres of artistic excellence. The studio is located on the Right Bank in Rue de L’Hôtel de Ville in the 4th arrondissement overlooking the river Seine, near many commercial and public galleries and only a short walk to Notre Dame Cathedral. There are 270 studios that house artists, musicians and writers from around the world.

Applications for 2027 residencies will open early next year. Find more information about all of NAS` International Residencies on the NAS website.
—
Mungo Howard, Profile, 2025, found material and tacks in steel frame, 36 x 31 cm.
Ali Tahayori, Our house is on fire, 2023, video installation, six minor panels, hand-cut mirrors, plaster and wood, each panel 100 cm x 90 cm video component (4 minutes duration)
Corey Black, Malignant Recipe, 2025, digital print on lustre, laser cut and welded Perspex, 45 × 18 × 4.5 cm. Documentation: Jessica Maurer
Chelsea Lehmann, Field Remains, 2025, Oil and wax on linen, 97 × 107 cm

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Aug 23

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What`s happening at the National Art School on 6 September? RSVP to our Open Day today to find out. (Link in bio)

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Aug 22

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What's happening at the National Art School on 6 September? RSVP to our Open Day today to find out. (Link in bio)

Hear artist James Nguyen (@jamesnguyens) discuss the process of his artwork ‘Homeopathies_where new trees grow’ (2025), a site-specific installation created for The Neighbour at the Gate, now on at NAS Gallery.

In response to the exhibition, Nguyen created a large-scale suspended textile, dyed with introduced weeds and contaminated mud collected along the Duck River and Parramatta River in Sydney. These local sites, like many places in Vietnam, continue to be contaminated by Agent Orange, dioxins and toxic leachates that account for the industrial scale manufacturing of chemical weapons along Homebush Bay.

The Naarm/Melbourne-based, Vietnamese Australian artist positions his personal experiences and perspectives in dialogue with others in his interdisciplinary practice, moving between live and online performance, video, drawing and installations. This work was made in conjunction with Nguyen’s aunt, Nguyễn Thị Kim Nhung, and uncle, Nguyễn Công Chính, who you can hear in conversation with the artist in the Artist Talks archive on our website.

The Neighbour at the Gate is now on until Saturday 18 October 2025. 11am – 5pm, Monday to Sunday. Plan your visit at the link in bio.

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.

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Aug 21

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Hear artist James Nguyen (@jamesnguyens) discuss the process of his artwork ‘Homeopathies_where new trees grow’ (2025), a site-specific installation created for The Neighbour at the Gate, now on at NAS Gallery.

In response to the exhibition, Nguyen created a large-scale suspended textile, dyed with introduced weeds and contaminated mud collected along the Duck River and Parramatta River in Sydney. These local sites, like many places in Vietnam, continue to be contaminated by Agent Orange, dioxins and toxic leachates that account for the industrial scale manufacturing of chemical weapons along Homebush Bay.

The Naarm/Melbourne-based, Vietnamese Australian artist positions his personal experiences and perspectives in dialogue with others in his interdisciplinary practice, moving between live and online performance, video, drawing and installations. This work was made in conjunction with Nguyen’s aunt, Nguyễn Thị Kim Nhung, and uncle, Nguyễn Công Chính, who you can hear in conversation with the artist in the Artist Talks archive on our website.

The Neighbour at the Gate is now on until Saturday 18 October 2025. 11am – 5pm, Monday to Sunday. Plan your visit at the link in bio.

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.

Don’t miss the last chance to enrol in a ceramics workshop at NAS in 2025.

Places are still available in three ceramics Spring Weekend Workshops with incredible artist-educators Trisha Dean, Tania Rollond and Sassy Park.

Early discount extended to 29 August, enrol today at the link in bio.

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Aug 21

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Don’t miss the last chance to enrol in a ceramics workshop at NAS in 2025.

Places are still available in three ceramics Spring Weekend Workshops with incredible artist-educators Trisha Dean, Tania Rollond and Sassy Park.

Early discount extended to 29 August, enrol today at the link in bio.

Apply for the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) and secure your place at the National Art School before you get your ATAR!

Our admissions are based on your interview and portfolio. We`re interested in your artistic potential, not your ATAR.

Mature age students and students who are not Year 12 are encouraged to apply to our main admission round before Thursday 20 November.

To learn more about preparing your portfolio or what it`s like to have your own studio space at NAS, come chat with our friendly staff and faculty at our Open Day. (RSVP link in bio)

Music by NAS Alum @harrison_chao

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Aug 20

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2021 NAS Awards Recipients