The Bluethumb Art Prize 2021 is bigger and better than ever! With $50,000 of cash prizes, double the overall winner’s prize money – $20,000 to be precise – and more opportunities for artists to cement their place in Australia’s art consciousness, this is the art prize to take artists’ careers to the next level.

2021 Winner

Loribelle Spirovski

Congratulations to our Bluethumb Art Prize Winner Loribelle Spirovski. The winning piece "Mirror into Mirror" took home the grand prize of $20,000.

“Painted in the middle of lockdown, the subject of this portrait is my husband Simon, who was the only person I was able to interact with for many months. Added to our isolation, we were in the process of moving house and I found myself viewing him as a mirror of my own isolation. The title is taken from Avo Pärt's minimalist composition 'Spigel im Spiegel', which translates into 'mirror into mirror'.

Read more about all of the winners here

2021 Category Winners

Snoopy
Sold

Digital Dogs Ed. 1 of 10

By Brad Robson

61cm (W) x 61cm (H)

Digital

A$430

Gone to
vic
Hard edge abstract painting in green, blue, purple and cream.
Sold

Buzz (A)

By Brad Holland

214cm (W) x 136cm (H)

Acrylic

A$3,750

Gone to
QLD
Large bunch of colourful flowers arranged in a vases. Surrounded by insects, a parrot and a skull, this is a vanitas style still life.
Sold

Memento Mori - Colour Flower Feast - Still Life Ed. 1 of 3

By Lauren Starr

99cm (W) x 110cm (H)

Photograph

A$1,250

Gone to
NSW
A eucalyptus branch in a turquoise vase placed on a vintage Harlequin check blanket.
Sold

Turquoise glass and the Harlequin Blanket

By Alicia Cornwell

64cm (W) x 53.8cm (H)

Oil

A$1,100

Gone to
VIC
This image depicts a vertical acrylic painting, with an intense bright red mass in the centre left, above this, soft greys and neutrals loosely cover the top area of the painting, with some deep blue coming through. The bottom and right side of the canvas mix intense cadmium orange and burnt sienna.
Sold

Burn Off

By Kayleigh Heydon

41cm (W) x 52cm (H)

Acrylic

A$1,280

Gone to
VIC
Down by the river is a work about exploring the river banks of the local river
Sold

Down by the river

By Joseph Turrin

35cm (W) x 18cm (H)

Ceramic

A$1,880

A woman, Madeleine Parry, wearing an orange top and glasses smirking in front of a blue glittery background.

Lensed

By Tom Christophersen

77cm (W) x 96cm (H)

Mixed Media

A$2,130

In the middle of a dark empty background is a nude male seen from the waist up. He is looking just beyond the viewer with a haunted expression.
Sold

Mirror into Mirror

By Loribelle Spirovski

85cm (W) x 65cm (H)

Oil

A$7,500

Gone to
VIC

2021 Category Runners-up

Sold

How fast are you going now?

By Blak Douglas

200cm (W) x 120cm (H)

Acrylic

A$18,000

a black and white striped emblem floating on a blue background
Sold

Abandoned on Blvd D’Anfa Ed. 2 of 8

By Cat Wilson

52cm (W) x 52cm (H)

Giclée

A$680

Gone to
VIC
Black and white painting of flowers modern.
Sold

SHADOWBLOOM SERIES: ONE

By Tania Samuel

93cm (W) x 123cm (H)

Oil

A$5,500

Gone to
SA
Acrylic sheet sculpture floating sphere
Sold

Heaven and Earth

By Todd Simpson

30cm (W) x 30cm (H)

Sculpture

A$1,400

Sold

The Mariner Mission - (A1) Limited Edition of 15 Ed. 3 of 15

By Andrew Rovenko

61cm (W) x 75cm (H)

Photograph

A$480

Gone to
NSW

Bluethumb Art Prize History

2020 Winner

Hubert Pareroultja

Hubert Pareroultja of Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre, a senior Western Arrarnta-Luritja man continuing the watercolour art movement of the Hermannsburg School, was the overall winner of the Bluethumb Art Prize 2020 and the winner of the Landscape Award.

“I feel his appreciation and comprehension of his own Motherland is something that no other artist can emulate,” Bluethumb Art Prize 2018 winner and 2020 judge Hyunji Kim commented on the winning landscape, Mt Giles, MacDonnell Ranges – Circular Landscape. “The mystic and subtle colour palette and the circle framing beautifully capture the ethereal spirit of the landscape.”

Read more

Bluethumb Art Prize History

2018 Winner

Hyunji Kim

Hyunji Kim, an artist working predominantly with painting from South Korea, won the overall Bluethumb Art Prize 2018 and the Works on Canvas Award with her portrait Painless (Luke).

“A compelling portrait that kept drawing me back. It captured a vulnerability and resignation that strongly evokes the uncertainty of formative years and experiences,” art prize judge and CEO of Contemporary Arts Precinct, Marcus Westbury, commented on the winning work.

Read more

Bluethumb Art Prize History

2017 Winner

Kirsten Sivyer

​​Kirsten Sivyer, a figurative oil painter from Albany, was the winner of the inaugural Bluethumb Art Prize in 2017.

Art prize judge Penny Griggs, General Manager of the South Australian Living Artists Festival, felt that the best element of the winning work, Home Away from Home, is its “beautiful use of light”. “The mood and glow created in this painting stand out for me. I just kept being drawn back to it.”

Read more

1 Dension Interior

Our Partners

Thanks to our sponsors 1 Denison, Fantastic Framing and Eckersley’s Art & Craft, we’re able to offer more prizes than ever and a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our artists. All winners will receive cash prizes and be invited to exhibit at the hugely successful Bluethumb Art Prize Winners Exhibition at 1 Denison next year. Runners-up will receive a $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft gift voucher to stock up on art supplies.

Bluethumb Art Prize 2021 Entries Open 8th October - 31st October

See All Entries

Our Judges

The introduction of our all-star artist judging panel led to last year’s winners being arguably our best yet. Including some of Australia’s most-renowned artists, plus our reigning Bluethumb Art Prize holder, this year’s panel is diverse and qualified and will not only pick great winners, but continue to get our prize and our artists national attention.⁠ The finalists will be shortlisted by the Bluethumb selection panel before being handed over to our judges, including Head of Art Advisory Amélia Davis, Interior Designer Alexandra Stavrou and Bluethumb Art Prize Director Freddy Grant.

Ken Done

Australia's most famous living artist and national treasure

Kathrin Longhurst

Contemporary figurative artist and this year's Packing Room Prize winner

Hubert Pareroultja

Reigning Bluethumb Art Prize holder and winner of the 2020 Wynne Prize

Bronwyn Bancroft

The first Indigenous artist and fashion designer to show at Paris Fashion Week

The Prizes & Awards

This year we’re extending our categories to include sculpture and digital art. The standard of entries was so high last year that we’ve decided to introduce a runner-up award in each category to give more artists the chance to step into the spotlight, thanks to our sponsor Eckersley’s Art & Craft.

Plus we’re adding a new award, the Founders’ Award, judged by Bluethumb co-founders and brothers Edward and George Hartley. This prize is for large statement pieces, at least 1.5m on one side, as this is the most popular and in-demand artwork on Bluethumb.

Due to the ongoing uncertainty of holding events, again we’re hosting the awards ceremony virtually on Instagram Live on 18th November, building on our highly successful lockdown events. And thanks to our major sponsor 1 Denison, we’re continuing our new tradition of hosting a winners exhibition in early 2022 in their grand exhibition space.

The category award winner with the highest overall score from our expert panel of judges will win the top cash prize. This year’s Bluethumb Art Prize is double the previous years’ prizes!

$20,000 Bluethumb Art Prize

All category winners will receive cash prizes and be invited to exhibit at the hugely successful Bluethumb Art Prize Winners Exhibition at 1 Denison next year. Runners-up will receive a $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft gift voucher to stock up on art supplies.

Abstract Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

Landscape Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

Portrait Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

Still Life Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

Photography Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

Digital Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

Sculpture Award: $3,000

Runner-Up sponsored by Eckersley’s Art & Craft: $500 Eckersley’s Art & Craft Voucher

The new Founders’ Award is judged by Bluethumb co-founders and brothers Edward and George Hartley. This prize is for large statement pieces, at least 1.5m on one side, as this is the most popular and in-demand artwork on Bluethumb. The People’s Choice award is voted for online by the public from the pool of finalists when they’re announced on 9th November and the winner is announced on 7th December.

Founders’ Award: $3,000

People’s Choice Award sponsored by Fantastic Framing: $3,000

Finalists

Click the button below to see all the finalists and vote for your five favourite artworks. Not only will you help the artists get one vote closer to winning our People's Choice Award, you'll also go in the running to win one of your favourite artworks valued up to $2,000.

View All & Vote
Young boy playing with a retro 90's ice block rocket on an abstract background.
Sold

Failure is Not An Option

By Tara Spicer

75cm (W) x 100cm (H)

Oil

A$2,550

Gone to
NSW
Complex images of the nature of human metaphysics.

How the Light Gets In

By Geoff Coleman

112cm (W) x 153cm (H)

Acrylic

A$8,400

Sold

Budgie

By Ray Saunderson

77cm (W) x 77cm (H)

Acrylic

A$3,500

Chinese blue and white Ginger Jar, Dragon fruit and house plant arranged on a white background.
Sold

Shadow Dragons 2021

By Sally Browne

78cm (W) x 54cm (H)

Oil

A$2,600

Gone to
VIC
NT police car sculpture made from wire frame and tjanpi
Sold

Safety Car

By Margaret Smith

28cm (W) x 33cm (H)

Sculpture

A$900

Gone to
VIC
A blue background with a fragmented face in three-quarter profile. The eye is painted in detail while the rest of the face and hair is made up of abstract lines and gestures.
Sold

Homme 280 (A)

By Loribelle Spirovski

122cm (W) x 152cm (H)

Oil

A$15,000

Gone to
VIC
Sold

How fast are you going now?

By Blak Douglas

200cm (W) x 120cm (H)

Acrylic

A$18,000

Sold

The Mariner Mission - (A1) Limited Edition of 15 Ed. 3 of 15

By Andrew Rovenko

61cm (W) x 75cm (H)

Photograph

A$480

Gone to
NSW

All Entries

See all
Abstract landscape with birds and texture

The Flock

By Carol Ann Fitzgerald-Lee

135cm (W) x 75cm (H)

Mixed Media

A$1,300

Road Trip Australiana Chiko roll
Sold

Road Trip Australiana

By Adam Mennella

34cm (W) x 34cm (H)

Acrylic

A$380

Gone to
QLD
Mustard toned porcelain horse figurine on a blush pink background.
Sold

Big Porcelain Pony 2 (A)

By Antoinette Stokell

30cm (W) x 30cm (H)

Oil

A$290

Gone to
VIC
Pink roses in glass vase

Beauty in Bloom

By Marilyn Dann

40.5cm (W) x 50.5cm (H)

Acrylic

A$650

amazing white, pink, blush, red, light blue abstract art on canvas

Her.

By Sasha Alexandria

71cm (W) x 55.5cm (H)

Oil

A$790

This vibrant and striking piece stands out because of its beautiful contemporary colour palette. It is painted using tones of pinks, greens and blues, along with touches of ochre to suggest trees along a riverbank. It is abstract in style, inviting the viewer in to study the marks and textures more closely.
Sold

Walking with Trees

By Sue Woolnough

121cm (W) x 91cm (H)

Acrylic

A$1,200

Gone to
QLD

Take me away

By Sandra Dann

40.6cm (W) x 40.6cm (H)

Photograph

A$400

Scene of a creek above Morans' Falls, in the subtropical rainforest of South East Queensland. Sunlight peas through backlit foliage over-arching a shallow rocky creek. The work is extremely detailed and filled with pattern and colour. The mood is one of quiet serenity.
Sold

Come slowly, Eden

By Susan Skuse

90cm (W) x 130cm (H)

Oil

A$3,300

Gone to
QLD
Woman with wild Hair

Deloris, Graffiti Nature

By Christine Anne

40cm (W) x 50cm (H)

Acrylic

A$180