A portrait of a fellow artist, who, at the time, was painting her husband for the same competition, has won Bonny Hills's Terri Maddock the first-ever mid-North Coast Portrait Prize.
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While Ms Maddock was creating her artwork, her subject Jan Farrell was in the process of painting her own portrait of husband Brian.
Some banter at the announcement on Saturday night at Haven Fine Arts in North Haven revealed some quirky aspects in relation to the winner's painting processes.
"She was upside down," Mrs Farrell said.
"But we won't go into that. It's all about the art."
No matter the questioning there was nothing more revealed.
Port Macquarie-Hastings mayor Peter Besseling took quite some time to decide on who he believed to be the winner of the inaugural prize, after numerous laps around the gallery.
He praised the artists and subjects saying that the quality and diversity of the entries was amazing.
"The calibre of local talent never ceases to amaze me," he said.
"This is what we should be doing; supporting local artists and I congratulate Diane on her efforts."
Haven Fine Arts gallery owner Diane Westerhuis was thrilled with the response to the competition.
"I certainly did not expect the number of entries that were submitted," she said.
"And all 19 of them were of extremely high standard."
In December 2013 Haven Fine Arts established a contemporary art space with the aim of supporting and exhibiting local and emerging artists' works.
"There are very few galleries along the mid-North Coast that show local artists' work," she said.
"I am hoping that providing a space for local artists to exhibit will encourage more interest in art and what the region has to offer."
The portrait prize had the main criteria of depiction of a local character, hero or personality and created by a local artist.
Artists entered work in pastels, water colour, acrylic, oil and pencil.
Also recognised at the award ceremony were second-placed Bernadette Gammon with her oil work The Brothers and a highly commended to Karen Cornish with a painting titled Henry and.
Other artists who entered the competition included Leonie Murphy, Jenny Franks, Maria Nolan, Francessca O'Donnell, John Hyde, Debra King, Judy Jelsma, Bryana Boe and Florence Fletcher.
An exhibition of the portrait prize entrants has now opened at Haven Fine Arts on Ocean Drive, North Haven.
People attending the exhibition will also have the chance to register their favourite with a People's Choice Award to be presented at the end of the showing.
