The Premier’s Arts Award
This is one of the most valuable awards in Australia for the craft arts. The winner will have demonstrated excellence of national/international standard, as measured by the quality of the work, to be considered in the context of the exhibitor’s overall presentation.
2023 Premier’s Award Highlights
Winner: Paul Barton Wood Artist
Paul’s work is intricate in the making. Knuckles form as deciduous trees like London Plane’s are continually trimmed of their lower branches. When that tree eventually dies, Paul takes the knuckles and saves them by wood ‘turning’ them into beautiful pieces. There are many holes in the timber, so to get an outcome that is so delicate and thin takes intuition with the timber, to listen or to shine light through and to get the right speed, so that it doesn’t catch, snap or disintegrate.
”I love trees. And if I can make something beautiful from something that's beautiful originally when it's growing, but also make it something beautiful when it dies, I think that's a really good thing.”
First Prize: $10,000
Sponsor: Department of Premier and Cabinet
2022 Premier’s Award Highlights
Winner: Site 514 Ian Clare Studio Potter for the Copper Red Vase. Judges found this to be an outstanding ceramic piece for its form and for the eye-watering glaze from a master potter.
First Prize: $10,000
Sponsor: Department of Premier and Cabinet
2021 Award Winner
Benjamin Timber Studio
2019 Award Winner
Tarrant Guitars
Exhibitor Awards
The Tasmanian Craft Fair presents a range of awards each year recognising excellence in the fields of craft or arts. Exhibitors are automatically entered in any award for which they are eligible, with the exception of the Premier's Award.