CCWA

An amateur photographer with a passion for exploring regional WA has won the Bonking Frog Wines People's Choice award at the inaugural Conservation Council of WA Environmental Art Awards.

Almost 200 professional and amateur artists from across WA presented works at the exhibition, which aimed to reflect the full depth and breadth of how ordinary West Australians feel about their local environments.

Visitors to the exhibition voted overwhelmingly in favour of Gwenael Velge, a professional sociologist from Bayswater, and his work Open Cut. The photograph, taken by Mr Velge from his ultra-light aircraft, features an open cut mine near Lake Lefroy, Kambalda.

Mr Velge said, "I have had the chance to fly since I was a baby and have been flying ever since. It is part of who I am - I I take off, fly and land freely on my own. My life-long flying experience has led me to focus on features that others might not, introducing the viewer to that altered sense of scale that has interested me all my life.

"When I started heading North from Esperance, I hit the mining landscapes and was amazed by the ambition and fait represented by these gargantuan projects. I discovered in a way I hadn't before the power of vision and ambition put into things; the will to change the world as we know it."

CCWA spokesperson John McCarten said, "Art and the environment have a long history in this country. Some of our most iconic painters helped create the Australian environmental movement by familiarizing ordinary people with the unique beauty of our natural landscapes.

"The environment is at the heart of what it means to be a West Australian. As WA's peak environmental body we want to give credit to the local artists who reflect the wild beauty of our natural heritage and help us all to remember why it's important that we preserve it for future generations."

Award sponsor, Julie Hutton from Bonking Frog Wines said, "As winemakers, the environment influences everything we do. Our wines couldn't be replicated anywhere else in the world as they hold the soul of our unique piece of Western Australia - it's the sun, soil and vines combining to create a specific micro climate in our vineyard that make our Merlot distinctive.

"This competition is all about ordinary West Australians using art to show what they love about their local environment. For me, it's listening to the frog's that live around us, including our vineyard's namesake the Western Banjo or ‘Bonking' Frogs - so long as they're around we know we're looking after the environment. Like the Bonking Frog we're proud to be a WA local and to have had the opportunity to support preserving our precious natural environment."

In addition to Mr Velge's prize, Nancy Hartshorn from East Perth was randomly selected from the hundreds of voters to win a limited edition print by Fremantle photographer Adam Monk.