Judith Hoste wins art prize

Umina Beach art teacher Ms Judith Hoste has won an award for her entry in the Grandma Moses Art Prize.

Her oil painting entry "St Huberts and Beyond" beat 29 entries to win section five of the competition for Central Coast inspired work.

Ms Hoste, owner of Amber Arts, said she had received a phone call on the Monday afternoon requesting her to attend the award ceremony.

At the ceremony she was presented with an award and received a cheque for $200.

"I feel very honoured, over the moon" Ms Hoste said.

Ms Hoste, who teaches about 40 students at her home studio, said the painting had only taken her a couple of days said she had recently exhibited the painting at a St Hubert's home for a wine-tasting fund-raiser for Radio 50 Plus community radio".

Ms Hoste has also on three occasions taught the winner of the novice section of the competition.

The Novice section is for people who have painted for one year or under.

The competition has been running since 1982 and this year had a record number of 216 entries.

Gosford Council provided prize money totalling $1200 for the competition, which had five categories and was open to people over 50 years of age.

The art prize is for people like Grandma Moses who take up painting late in life and, unlike many of the larger art prizes, encourages people with limited experience to express themselves.

The competition entries were displayed for three days during September at the Gosford Senior Citizen Centre and Gosford mayor Cr Malcolm Brooks announced the winners of the competition on Tuesday, September 21.

Lyle Stone, September 30