Inaugural Zonta Ashburton Female Art Award 2017 premier winner Fiona Van Oyen (centre) and Young Generation award winner Emma Mealings (second from right), with judges (from left) Kate McKenzie-Pollock, Johanna Zellmer and Felicity Milburn. Photo suppliedThe first Zonta Ashburton Female Art Award has been hailed a success.

It attracted 42 art work entries and a full house of guests at the opening at Ashburton Art Gallery on Friday night.

The award replaces Zonta’s previous Youth Art Awards.

Christchurch artist Fiona van Oyen was named the premier award winner, taking the honour for her large-scale lino print called I think this is part of our garden.

Judge Felicity Milburn, who is a Christchurch art gallery curator, said the work impressed the judging panel with its ambition and sense of discovery.

“Starting with something familiar and domestic, the artist thoroughly destabilised the original imagery, leaving us with something much less certain and much more powerful,” Milburn said.

The prize was $3500 and an opportunity to hold a solo exhibition at the gallery in March next year.

A $500 Young Generation award, open for females aged 16 to 20, went to Emma Mealings of Ashburton, for her photographic triptych Memories.

Ashburton gallery curator Shirin Khosraviani said the new Zonta award represented a partnership between the gallery and Zonta.

Its aim was to empower and advance the career of emerging to mid-career female artists in the Canterbury region.

“Zonta and the gallery are incredibly proud to be able to present such an opportunity for female artists,” she said.

By Susan Sandys © The Ashburton Guardian - 7 March 2017