26/04/2026
Quick Draw judging!
Artists hurried back after the siren to find collectors already gathered, eagerly waiting to see what special pieces might be snapped up.
Easels lined the space as judges Scott Gellatly (Open) and Warwick Fuller (Non-Professional) moved through the work, carefully studying each piece amid the buzz of a lively, expectant crowd.
Winners were announced… and the red dots were flying.
In one memorable moment, an artist packed up and headed home a little too quickly — only to discover a collector was inside purchasing their piece. That’s the magic of Quick Draw.
Here are our winners:
Open Winner — Sarah Pondevie, “Le Chat Noir”
And what a story sits behind this painting…
"A boatman came and chatted, and told me a story about how his boat in the background of my painting had sunk. He had a great face and I wanted to paint him too! It was a big subject, and I painted up until the horn blew. Talk about stressful!
As I was at the edge of the zone, I ran back to judging. While I was there, a woman rode past and stopped to chat: she recognised the two boats in the foreground I had painted. They belonged to her friend. So she called up Captain Iain and he told her to buy it!
He came later to collect the painting, and told me that it was his little boat behind the big one that had saved the boat that sank! and I had all three in my painting."
Open Runner-up — Ross Andrews "Jack's Park" Sumi style ink and wash on Xuan rice paper. Recognised by judge Scott Gellatly for his bold, confident approach — working with a big brush and a minimal palette to create a strong, well-composed piece, and for being the first artist back to the judging area.
Non-Professional Winner — Naomi Forryan, “Heading to Markets”
A beautiful watercolour capturing the spirit of the day.
Non-Professional Runner-up — Robyn Conroy, “The People and Dogs of Canberra”
A charming and expressive sketch celebrating the life of the foreshore.
