Judges sparked some intense discussion when they awarded the Best in Show $3000 prize to a three-dimensional entry by Jozsef Pinter at the 2023 Mary Valley Art Festival opening.

More than 170 people crowded into the Imbil Public Hall to congratulate the winners and enjoy the record 330+ entries on show.

Pinter’s artwork titled Space station on Mars was an exceptional and world-class piece, according to artists and judges Llew Brennan and Ian Gunn, who unanimously decided the award, sponsored by RJR Property. They said it was an easy decision when they saw the beautiful combination of materials and original thought that spawned the work.

Jean Bennett collected the coveted Bendigo Bank Open Award for her entry titled Wonderment, an excellent use of the encaustic painting technique (hot wax). The judges said it used a fantastic narrative to create a powerful work. Bennett also won the 3D category for her sculpture titled Inner child, which featured exquisite detail for such a small work. The judges said it was superbly made with a great choice of materials, and it was a standout in a very strong section.

Renowned Gympie artist Kerrie Atkins took home the highly commended in the Open category. The judges said Old logging track was deceptively simple but featured a powerful colour combination with a clever combination of “Pollock-esque” background and stencil-like forest.

The Masondale People’s Choice Award of $500 was given to artist Cris O’Hare at the Sunday celebrations, for his artwork Keef. And Tanya Winterburn won the Packer’s Prize selected by the art festival committee for her novice entry titled Life by the lake.

First in the $200 Suzie Smith Youth Award (12-17 years) was Alice Folee with her artwork titled Cordelia. Judges said the painting demonstrated exquisite handling of the water colour medium, with very good draftsmanship, exceptional shading and a great combination of the written word and pictorial elements. The youth award is sponsored by Lady Penelope.

Complete winners list: Best in show – Space station on Mars by Jozsef Pinter; Open – Wonderment by Jean Bennett winner, Old logging track by Kerrie Atkins HC; 3D – Inner child by Jean Bennett 1, Mystery in green by Yeats Gruin and Pintail duck by Trevor Irvine equal HC; Landscape – Dry creek Mt Coot-tha by Garry Robinson 1, The short cut by Wayne Smith and Ghosts by Sue Needham equal HC; Novice – A frog’s habitat by Katrina O’Shannesy 1, Bad to the bone by Juliet Musgrave HC; Animalia – Fire rebirth and hope Tasmanian Devil by Cynthia House 1, Emu walk by Gaye Cook HC; Still Life – Stand tall, wear a crown by Jan Hodgson 1, Feather by Lorraine Bates HC; Human form and portraiture – Inside outside by Mabs Vandenberg 1, Brooke by Jade Bianco and Boys and their toys by Jennifer Mattingly equal HC; Drawing – Aya by Melissa Maree 1, Cooroora Creek by Ann White and Not long now by Glenis Gray equal HC; Abstract – Heart of coral by Beatrice Prost 1, Aquifer by Diana Shepherd HC; Youth – Cordelia by Alice Folee 1, Multiverse by Ruby Smith-Crossley 2, 72 by Tayla-Jane Nayler and This morning has been ruff by Joshua De Blois equal 3.