Still: National Still Life Award 2021

This year's record number of entries set a new standard in the diversity of mediums, subject matter and still life expressions. Over 1000 entries were received for our biennial award, a massive 40% increase over the previous Still in 2019. This didn't make our selection panel's job easy! There was so much great work from every state and territory, with artists at varying stages of their careers. The ever increasing number of entries to this award demonstrates the still life genre resonates with contemporary artists and provides a field of ideas that speak to contemporary issues of our mortality, the way we consume, concern for the environment as well as exploring our everyday material world. This make it the perfect platform for all artists regardless of what medium they work in. Thank you to our finalist selection panel: Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery staff Cath Fogarty, Chloe Waters, Sydney based art collector Lisa Paulsen and Katina Davidson, Curator Indigenous Australian Art, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. Our guest judge for the ultimate $30,000 major prize is Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Ms Macgregor will announce the winner at the official opening on August 14. The winning artwork becomes part of the gallery's collection. The $5,000 People's Choice Award gives visitors the chance to vote for their favourite finalist during the exhibition with the winner to be announced towards the end of the exhibition. Congratulations to all the 2021 finalists who have been selected for exhibition in Still: National Still Life Award 2021: Nicholas Aloisio-Shearer, Jordan Azcune, Julie Bartholomew, Samuel Beattie, Catherine Bell, Peter Berner, Yannick Blattner, Sophie Bottomley, Kristin Burgham, Steve Bush, Penelope Campbell, Jacob Canet-Gibson, Regi Cherini, Michael Cook, Grace Cram, Mitchell Donaldson, Kate Dorrough, Blak Douglas, Katherine Edney, Ernabella Arts, Sebastian Galloway, Susan Gourley, Libby Haines, Charlotte Haywood, Emma Hodges, Harley Ives, Susan Jacobsen, Josh Juett, Violetta Lanza, Chris Leaver, Donna Marcus, Kiata Mason, Noel McKenna, Nikky Morgan-Smith, the incrEdible Museum, Michelle Neal, Pamela Pauline, Sarah Randall, Genevieve Felix Reynolds, Rose Rigley, Avan Robins, Brian Robinson, Lucy Roleff, Yul Scarf, Daniel Sherington, Ken Smith, Kylie Spear with Thomas Kidd, Dannielle Thorman, John Van Der Kolk, Oksana Waterfall, Gerry Wedd, Greg Weight, Polly Wells, Cleo Wilkinson, Elizabeth Willing, Andrea Wilson, Chris Wilson, Kat Shapiro Wood, Peggy Zephyr. Many are on social media such as Instagram and/or have websites. This award would not be possible without the generous support of our major sponsors, saso.creative and Bryant McKinnon Lawyers, along with our supporting sponsors, Moving Art, Andrew Peace Wines, Friends of Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, Harbour Magazine. Still: National Still Life Award 2021 opens 14 August to 23 October at Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery as part of our 20th Anniversary Program. See our website www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/still for events during the exhibition period. We look forward to seeing you at Still: National Still life Award 2021.