Congratulations to local glass artist Kirstie Rea for being awarded the 2015 Capo Fellowship. The award was announced by patron Paul McDermott at the organisation’s anual auction and celebration on Saturday in the Canberra Museum and Gallery.

Rea says she will use the fellowship to support a major survey of her work at Canberra Museum and Gallery in 2015.

Congratulations to Bilk Gallery Artists Sam Mertens and Larah Nott for being selected as finalists in the 2014 Itami International Craft Exhibition, Japan.

See more at http://www.mac-itami.com/english/

Larah Nott, Sake set #1

Congratulations to Bilk Gallery Artists Lisa Cahill and Jenni Kemarre Martiniello who are finalists City of Hobart Art Prize. The exhibition will be held in at the Tasmanian Museum and Gallery in September where the $15,000 acquisitive prize will be announced. See more info at http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Community/Arts_and_Culture/City_of_Hobart_Art_Prize/2014_City_of_Hobart_Art_Prize

Lisa Cahill, Cascade # 2, 2013, kiln formed glass, stainless steel fixings & aluminium backing board - set of 100, H 162 x W 116 x D 15cm

Congratulations to Scott Chaseling, Evelyn Dunstan, Tevita Havea and Spike Deane who were finalists in the KIGA (Kirra Illuminating Glass Award) Congratulations to Rob Wynne for winning the $15,000 prize. See images of all the finalists works http://www.kirragalleries.com/exhibitions/current/23

Rob Wynne, Raven's Clutch

Congratulations to Australian artist (based in Seattle, USA) Melissa Cameronwho was awarded an Artist Trust Fellowship. nArtist Trust is a Washington based organisation that supports Washington State-based artists with a merit based (rather than project-based) award of $7500.

The fellowship awards are given to around fifteen artists annually, with the focus on Music, Media, Literary and Craft disciplines every even-numbered year, and Emerging Fields & Cross-Disciplinary, Performing, Visual and Traditional & Folk arts in odd numbered years.

In receiving the award, artists commit to: "participating in a Meet the Artist event held outside their place of residency yet within Washington State. The purpose is to outreach to underserved populations that are not aware of the artist and/or have little access to art."

Thanks to the award Melissa is currently investigating a new piece of equipment for the studio, and will be traveling to Erfurt in Germany in August to participate in a two-week enamel residency at the Kuenstlerwerkstaetten with enamel mentors Elizabeth Turrell and Beate Gegenwart.

Find more information about the award here http://artisttrust.org/index.php/award-winners/artist-profile/melissa_cameron

Congratulations to Mel Douglas who was awarded the Art Gallery of Western Australia's 2014 Tom Malone Prize. Mel's glass work Camber, described by the judges as 'stunning', was selected as the winning entry among the ten shortlisted works. Mel has described her piece as a 'meditation on the elements and concepts of light, space and time'.

Now in its 12th year, the Tom Malone Prize is a significant annual event for Australian glass artists. The high quality of work entered into the prize showcases glass as a diverse medium for a range of artistic explorations. Nine other artist were shortlisted for the prize: Andrew Baldwin (Canberra), Clare Belfrage (Adelaide), Tim Edwards (Adelaide), Kevin Gordon (Perth), Jeremy Lepisto (Canberra), Nick Mount (Adelaide), Jasmine Targett (Melbourne), Tevita Havea (Sydney) and Jamie Worsley (Perth).

Judges for the 2014 Tom Malone Prize were the Governor of the Art Gallery of Western Australia Foundation, Elizabeth Malone; glass artist David Hay; Art Gallery of WA’s Director, Stefano Carboni; and Art Gallery of WA’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Photography and Design, Robert Cook.In a statement, the judges said they were 'blown away' by Douglas' work. 'The attention to detail - surface etching, polishing and the overall shape - was stunning, with all elements coming together in a profoundly satisfying way,' they said.

An acquisitive prize, each year’s winning entry becomes a part of the State Art Collection. The 2014 Tom Malone Prize exhibition is showing until 21 April at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Douglas' "Camber" and the other shortlisted works are featured.

http://www.artgallery.wa.gov.au/exhibitions/tom-malone-prize-14.asp