NSW dominates national portrait challenge for young artists

Now in its 12th year, the Young Archies is an offshoot of Australia’s oldest and most famous portrait prize, the Archibald, and winners were revealed at the Art Gallery of NSW in a ceremony on Saturday morning.

Melbourne’s Ella Lee Fowler, 6, claimed the five to eight years category with a portrait of her friend, while in the nine to 12 years category Hollie Au, 10, of Northmead, won for NSW with a portrait of her art teacher.

Leon Do, the son of artist Anh Do, has made Wollongong proud after the Wombarra 14-year-old took out the 13-15 category with a portrait of his brother.

Glenhaven 18-year-old Leah Blatchford’s portrait of her mother led her to be crowned the winner in the 16-18 category.

“My mum’s unwavering dedication to the arts over the years has undeniably ignited a flame within me,’’ she said.

“Having been raised in her art school since the age of four, I gained not just technical skills, but a deep appreciation for beauty and boundless creativity.

“Alongside hundreds of fellow students, I was empowered to express myself through art. From encouraging my early scribbles to my pursuit of art as a young adult, she’s consistently instilled confidence that has become integral to my daily life.’’

Now, Leah said she also taught children the “transformative power of artistic expression”.

Hollie fittingly chose to paint her art teacher because he taught her how to draw portraits.

“He is really nice and he teaches very well,’’ she said.

Leon’s portrait – called Xavier on a Tuesday – captures his older brother’s “slightly melancholic mood”.

“Sometimes Xavier is up, sometimes he’s down; on this day he was in the middle,’’ he said.

“I have chosen to paint my brother because he is always there for me no matter what.

“I love painting with oils and enjoy learning from my dad, the artist Anh Do. I also like to learn by studying the works of artists like Vincent van Gogh and Lucian Freud.’’

For Emma Lee Fowler, her best friend Avelyn inspired her painting ‘Under the Sea’ “because she is so nice”.

“I think Avelyn would like to go under the water in the Kuromi helmet, to swim with the piranha and the queenfish,’’ she said.

Young Archie 2024 set a record for the greatest number of entries in a single year with more than 4000 artworks received from across Australia.

Competition entries were judged by Meriam Mer artist Grace Lillian Lee, who returned as a guest judge for the second year, and the Art Gallery’s family programs manager Victoria Collings. Together, they selected 70 finalists across four age categories.

The Young Archie 2024 exhibition is free and on display now at the Art Gallery of NSW, alongside the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes, until September 8.