SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.-Today it was announced that Nathan Hawkes from Edgecliff in Sydney is the winner of the ninth Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship for his work Icebergs 2007 oil on canvas.

104 entries were received from around Australia, of which 21 are included in the finalists’ exhibition at the Brett Whiteley Studio. This year the work of Elyss McClearly, Two Figures was Highly Commended.

26 year-old Nathan Hawkes is currently completing his third and final year at the National Art School in Darlinghurst, where he is studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in painting. He was included in the National Art School Drawing Week show in 2006, and earlier this year, was awarded the St Vincent Xavier Art Space prize.

In 2004, Mrs Beryl Whiteley was awarded an OAM for the creation and endowment of the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship. The inspiration for this annual scholarship was the profound effect of international travel and study experienced by her son, Brett Whiteley, as a result of winning the Italian Travelling Art Scholarship at the age of 20.

Nathan has been awarded $25,000 and a three month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, which is administered by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The judges this year were artist, Aida Tomescu, Art Gallery of New South Wales Director, Edmund Capon and Barry Pearce, the Gallery’s Head Curator of Australian Art.

Aida Tomescu said Nathan’s work showed a very considered and thoughtful approach to his subject and she was interested in the way each image changed as it evolved into a new identity.

Finalists’ paintings will be exhibited at the Brett Whiteley Studio from Saturday 15 September to 25 November 2007.

The Brett Whiteley Studio is managed by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.