A portrait of a local horticulturalist saw Wentworth Falls artist Jennifer Gabbay nominated for the prestigious Portia Geach prize.
Titled True Blue, the painting features an avid bushwalker and wiry Mt Victoria gardener, Phil Foster. It's the third painting Gabbay has had selected as a finalist for the Portia Geach Memorial Art Award in recent years.
Gabbay was a finalist in 2011 with a self portrait and in 2013 with a painting of an Australian diplomat, but she was "inspired" to paint her gardener after their many years of friendship.
Foster, 66, has regularly attracted the attention of many painters and photographers over the years, thanks to a weathered face, complete with a wiry beard he's hasn't shaved off since 1969, and his trademark "tramp" bushman's hat held together with staples. But he says Gabbay's artwork has captured him the best.
"I can clearly say it's me. All the wrinkles in the face. It's a life lived."
Foster is surrounded by the ferns from Gabbay's garden where he regularly makes garden magic of his own.
The annual Portia Geach award was established by the late Florence Kate Geach in memory of her sister, Portia, a painter, etcher and advocate for women's rights. The award is open to female portrait painters.
There were 49 finalists from a pool of 300 entries. The prize was judged last Thursday with Sophie Cape revealed as the winner for her painting of actor Dan Wylie in Romper Stomper.
"I think this was a highly expected win. She is definitely the rising young star on Sydney's art scene - or perhaps I should say has risen," Gabbay said.
Gabbay said she was after a "dream-like magical quality" to her work. A frightening bout with breast cancer 16 years ago changed her artwork and it now has a "distortion and fragmentation ... reflecting what happened inside me".
Gabbay, who has been painting full-time since retiring from office work in 2006, is also a finalist in the Fisher's Ghost Art Award.
"I studied part-time at Kingswood TAFE and since then I've been painting and loving it."
The Portia Geach finalists will be displayed at S.H. Ervin Gallery in the Rocks next month.
Details: www.jennifergabbay.com.
