CQUniversity Visual Arts teacher and ArtsCQ management committee member Patrick Connor has won the 2021 CQU Creates Art Award with a thought-provoking digital portrait.
Patrick says his artwork The Ambassador and Friends looks back on where he came from and where he is now, reflecting on his career as a teacher and honouring his late mentor and friend Peter Indans.
Patrick has been a teacher with CQUniversity and the former Central Queensland Institute of TAFE for more than 25 years.
The digital photograph is a self-portrait within a portrait, depicting Patrick with his painting of Indans, who was also a visual arts teacher at CQIT as well as a renowned artist.
Patrick says it was also inspired by a Hans Holbein painting from 1533, The Ambassadors, which explores mortality and knowledge.
“I believe that visual artists play an important role in shaping conversations about what our best selves might look like,” Patrick said.
“The submissions this year were of a high quality and so I was surprised to hear that I was selected as the award winner this year. Congratulations go to the other category winners and the other 48 finalists.
“The CQU Creates Art Awards is a fantastic opportunity for the CQU community to engage in, celebrate and share creative expression, whilst seeking to make a positive impact within that community and broader afield.”
Also featured in this year’s CQU Creates are ArtsCQ members Elena Churilova, Elisha Habermann, and Alana Read.
You can see all the 2021 artworks online here. (https://www.cqu.edu.au/industry-and-partnerships/partnerships/community/cqu-creates)