IT WAS to Kevin Griffey's utter shock when his name was announced as the winner of the Port Stephens Art Prize last Friday night.
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As Mr Griffey was literally pushed towards the front of the room to accept the prize, judge Brad Franks explained why his work was selected as the winner.
"It is bursting with personality," Mr Franks said.
"Character comes through and you can feel the gentle humour."
The Shoal Bay artist's acrylic painting entitled Road Block is a scene in time, retelling the moment cattle briefly stopped him on his journey home.
"Coming back home somewhere between Parkes and Merriwa there were cows standing on the road," Mr Griffey said.
"We stopped to enjoy the moment and I took some pictures."
Mr Griffey priced his painting at $100 just hoping it would be bought for someone to enjoy.
More than 270 art works were entered into this year's prize.
Dan Riley took out the oil or acrylic painting section with his piece, The Advice, while Susanne Gorring won the works on paper section for her charcoal scene of a Gulgong Bindalee property.
Mellissa Read-Devine's mixed medium artwork The Wildness Yet won the contemporary section and in the miniatures, Windswept, by Caroline Lobsey, took the prize.
The Port Stephens Art Prize will exhibit at the Community Arts Centre until April 21.