VAS 9x5 Exhibition 2025 Awards Presentations
Viewing until Sunday 3 August 2025
Cato Gallery & Mackley Members' Room
The original 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition
A homage to the original 1889 9x5 Impressionism Exhibitions, of small works painted on cigar box lids.
The original, iconic exhibition was organised by VAS founding artists Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Charles Condor, who painted their en plein air studies on cigar boxes 9 by 5 inches in size.
In recognition of this important part of Victorian art history, artists from across Victoria have submitted 377, 9x5 paintings in many different mediums and styles as part of the VAS 9x5 Exhibition 2025.
On Sunday the Victorian Artists Society held the Awards Presentation for the annual VAS 9x5 Exhibition, which was attended by many artists, friends and family.
Victorian Artists Society Council Member, Lucy Maddox welcomed guests and visitors to the Society and presented the certificates to the winning artists of the VAS 9x5 Exhibition 2025.
The following Awards were announced at the event:
1st Prize: Study of a Worktable, Andrew Li
Cigar Box Prize: Smoking! Amanda Hyatt
Bob Senior Award: Summertime II, David Chen
2nd Prize: Mornington Beach Boxes, Ray Wilson VAS FVAS
3rd Prize: Still Life 2501, Jo Joyce
Young Artist Prize: Passenger, Charli English
Curator's Award: Tranquil Moment, Lisa Guastella
Packing Room Prize: Archaeologist’s Requiem, Maddi Harris-Schober
Congratulations are extended to the winning artists, all Victorian Artists Society member artists, and artists from all over Victoria who participated in the VAS 9x5 Exhibition 2025.
Exhibition Winner
Study of a Worktable, Andrew Li
“A painterly jewel like interior with restrained subtle colour harmonies echoes of Vulliard! A delight!”
- Judge Peter Smales
Cigar Box Prize
Smoking! Amanda Hyatt
“Amanda has dipped into her rich trove of humour and technical expertise to delight us again with varied vignettes.”
- Judge Peter Smales
2nd Prize
Mornington Beach Boxes, Ray Wilson VAS FVAS
“A delightfully bold direct painting, full of sunshine and unhesitating brush strokes.”
- Judge Peter Smales
3rd Prize winner
Still Life 2501, Jo Joyce
“A patient painting – which relies heavily on the subtlety of edges and so successfully done!”
- Judge Peter Smales
Bob Senior Award
Summertime II, David Chen
“The work by David Chen masterfully captures the spirit of Impressionism—fleeting light and bold confident brushwork, and a deep emotional resonance within such a compact format.”
The Bob Senior Trophy is a restored cigar box.
The winner of the Bob Senior Award has an engraved name plate fixed inside the box.
Young Artist Prize
Passenger, Charli English
“The artist’s dilemma – what to paint and the ability to find a subject! Here the artist captures a moment in time with great technical skill.”
- Judge Peter Smales
Curator's Award
Tranquil Moment, Lisa Guastella
"This work is thoughtful and well executed with a sense of depth that pulls you into it's space!"
- Curator Gino Severin
Packing Room Prize
Archaeologist’s Requiem, Maddi Harris-Schober
"This evocative work bridges the plein air practice of painting on cigar boxes and the meticulous field illustrations of archaeologists with captivating results. The inclusion of the fragments and their sketches adds lovely dimension.”
A previous version of this newsletter appeared on 14th July with comments for the Bob Senior Award and Packing Room Prize incorrectly attributed to the exhibition judge, Peter Smales. These prizes are awarded separately.
Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith OAM Hon FVAS, Victorian Artists Society - Mobile: 0417 329 201
Acknowledgment of traditional owners.
We would like to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our building stands, their leaders, past, present and emerging.