Accomplished local artist and art tutor Tony Clarke has been named the winner of the People’s Choice prize at this year’s Estuary Art and Ecology Awards.
The competition and exhibition of finalists’ works is staged by Uxbridge Arts and Culture in Howick.
It’s the only contemporary art prize in New Zealand with ecology at its core.
Artists are invited to research and respond to the Tāmaki Estuary in their own unique ways, to underscore the ecological value of this vital waterway and encourage action against its pollution.
With a total prize pool of $9,800, the winning artworks are “intelligent and innovative responses to ecology in the field of contemporary art, cultivating local talents and bringing awareness to our taonga”.
Clarke’s work, entitled Further to Fly, captured the attention of visitors to the exhibition, who collectively voted it as their favourite.
Sponsored by the Rice Family Partnership with a generous $1000 prize, the People’s Choice award is a traditional part of the Estuary Art and Ecology Awards, allowing exhibition visitors an opportunity to have their say on the best work in the show.
Picturing a group of eight near life-sized kuaka or godwits, Clarke’s painting has captured the hearts of voters by spotlighting the story of these unlikely travellers.
The kuaka complete a 11,000km migration, the longest non-stop flight undertaken by any bird, from their breeding grounds in Alaska to New Zealand, where most will remain for two to three years until breeding season returns.
Habitat loss at migration stopover sites is a major risk to the kuaka’s survival as, unlike seabirds, they cannot rest on water or feed at sea.
The health and vitality of the Tāmaki Estuary directly affects the health and vitality of the kuaka.
In presenting the award, Wally Rice and partner Marilyn Bakker said they were impressed by Clarke’s ability to capture the kuaka’s likeness and commended him for his skill in conveying themes of ecological distress with subtlety and depth.
Uxbridge director Paul Brobbel congratulates Clarke on his win and stresses the centre’s appreciation of the Rice Family Partnership’s support for the People’s Choice Award.
“Tony’s work demonstrates the excellence on display in the Estuary exhibitions,” he says.
“It adds an important dimension to the exhibition, the energy of the community as a viewer, and a champion of the artists taking up the challenge.”
With the 19th Edition of the Estuary awards at a close, Clarke completes this year’s Estuary award winners alongside Lucy Boermans, Rose Lee, Saskia Eliane Van Dijk, Grace Thresher, Rīhari Warnock and Charli de Koning.
The 2025 Estuary Art and Ecology Awards are generously supported by the Howick Local Board with the support of the Tāmaki Estuary Environmental Forum, the Rice Family Partnership and Gordon Harris Art Supplies.
