Moonee Beach artist enters Sulman Prize with painting promoting world peace Coffs Coast Coffs Coast - popup ad Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - March 27, 2023 Moonee Beach artist Melanie Ramsey Hale is entering the Sulman Prize art competition. WISHING to spread a message on world peace and uniting religions, Moonee Beach artist and songwriter Melanie Ramsey Hale is entering the prestigious Art Gallery of NSW’s Sulman Prize with her painting ‘Velvet Rose’. The Sulman Prize is awarded for the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project by an Australian artist. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Typically, a subject painting takes its theme from history, poetry, mythology or religion. “I want to represent world peace through my art, as our world and its religions should come together,” Melanie told News Of The Area. “We should all live in harmony, especially at present with our human race still fighting.” She urges viewers to look closely at her Velvet Rose artwork, which includes varied religious symbolism, representing her hope of uniting everyone with love and kindness. “In just attempting to spread world peace, I have won,” she said. “All the beautiful colours in the Velvet Rose symbolise that together we are beautiful.” Velvet Rose is an abstract painting focused on “world peace and the religions of our world coming together in harmony, and with love”. Melanie describes her artistic background as having painted “anything and everything”. “(This includes) a rearing black stallion with the Porsche logo, which I ended up gifting to a gallery owner who owned a Porsche, to family pets and plenty of angels. “In my past, I have given away the majority of art works to people who said they loved my particular painting. “My mother had me sign my paintings as a child as she thought one day I would be a famous artist.” The Sir John Sulman Prize is an annual art competition, known as the Sulman, with the exhibition of finalists shown in tandem with the Archibald and Wynne Prize exhibitions at the Art Gallery of NSW, this year on 6 May – 3 September 2023. The Sulman finalists will be announced on 27 April, with the winner announced on 5 May. The finalists and winner for the Sulman Prize are judged by an artist selected by the Art Gallery of NSW Trustees. The 2023 judge is Nell, an Australian artist working across performance, installation, video, painting and sculpture. By Andrea FERRARI Melanie Rasmsey Hale’s original painting that inspired a more detailed treatment of her world peace message. Almost ready to go to the judge – local artist Melanie Ramsey Hale is entering her artwork Velvet Rose, in the Art Gallery of NSW’s Sulman Prize 2023.
