![Sandra Lalopoulos and Joanne Chisholm-Ray. Picture by Angus Michie Sandra Lalopoulos and Joanne Chisholm-Ray. Picture by Angus Michie](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/163574784/ee3392b3-56b5-4fd8-a52e-d9af4dba79cb.jpg/r0_511_4032_3029_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Like looking in a mirror, Dungog's Artists got to show off their portrait painting skills at the 2024 Dungog Archies.
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The Archies are an annual portrait painting competition held by the Dungog Arts Society.
This year the opening night was held on Thursday, March 28 at the Royal Hotel's function room.
Dungog Arts Society's president Lisa Wiseman said that she's received a lot of positive feedback following the opening.
"I've been talking to a lot of people about it the last few days and everyone was really happy with how it went. We had people out on the footpath, the place was full. I was very happy with how it went," she said.
"The calibre of the artwork was very high. There were some particularly beautiful pieces there."
The arts society sold three artworks on the opening night,
Sandra Lalopoulos won the Dungog Archies open category for the second year in a row with her portrait titled Liz.
"I just love the community and it's just a great night," Ms Lalopoulos said.
"Liz Hughes does a lot around town, she's very well known. She's a really lovely lady. I'd love to paint everybody. I like Liz a lot and I have to like the subject and she's got an aura about her."
![The winning painting. The winning painting.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/163574784/793a3640-2643-4418-8b41-dc52ab1090c1.jpg/r1864_708_2608_1989_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Joanne Chisholm-Ray was gallery judge.
Ms Chisholm-Ray operates a gallery in Newcastle called C-Studios Art Gallery.
As her first Dungog Archies, Ms Chisholm-Ray was blown away by the level of talent in a small town.
"For me to see it for the first time, there is exceptional talent right here in Dungog. It was brilliantly supported and that is the most important part because you want to keep this going," she said.
"To do the Archies with the juniors as well is absolutely a wonderful thing because it's inclusive. We've got to encourage the next generation to be creative."
Ms Chisholm-Ray gave Ms Lalopoulos the first place prize not only for the subject but largely because of the application of colour in the painting.
"The application of the colour and the personality of the subject just shone through. I couldn't actually get away from it, it just kept looking at me and I just felt that that was it," she said.
Helene Leane came second in the open category with Julia Cunningham was highly commended.
Archie Slack won the juniors category followed by Rio Chowney.
Charlotte Walters was highly commended in the youth section.