Thick socks and cardigan a homegrown finalist in national art prize

A self-portrait of a 25-year old Hamilton woman wearing thick socks and a cardigan has made it to the finals of one of New Zealand’s most prestigious art awards.

Priscilla McIntosh’s self-portrait was selected as one of only 50 finalists – out of 400 entries – for the Adam Portraiture Award, a biennial competition run by The New Zealand Portrait Gallery with a top prize of $20,000.

The painting features McIntosh, with one arm balanced on the back of a chair, in a black cardigan, thick grey socks and blue jeans sitting in her studio. McIntosh said she wanted to paint herself in a natural and comfortable setting.

“I was wanting the viewer to see into my life.”

The work was selected for a touring exhibition and displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in Wellington. It was also singled out for praise by Clémence Vole, a worker at the Gallery, on the Portrait Gallery’s website.

“From the moment I set eyes on it, this self-portrait gave me a warm and intimate feeling. It’s beautiful to look at.”

McIntosh says she has been shocked and humbled by the reaction to her painting.

“To put [a self-portrait] out there and to have someone receive it and actually care to look, and read into it, was really really humbling.”

McIntosh’s work sold for $500, a price she was forced to set before seeing the prices of other finalist artworks.

“I put [a $500 price tag] on it, and when I went down for the awards ceremony there was nothing for $500, it was all so expensive.”

The low price put it within reach of one particular buyer with an interest in McIntosh’s subject. “My Mum was there, she saw [the self-portrait] for $500 and said ‘I’m going to buy that!’”

While McIntosh was pleased to have sold the painting, she had mixed views on her mother purchasing it.

“I didn’t necessarily want to see that painting again,” McIntosh said.

“Now I know that I’m probably going to see it for the rest of my life!”

McIntosh’s next painting will be of a less life-like subject than her self-portrait.

An old medical dummy currently sits in the hallway of her house and will be the subject of her next work -a homage to early 19th century paintings of mechanical models.

“The limbs are moveable and it’s kind of got a lot of life and character to it.”