Ern earns prize

By Bridget Cook
CRANBOURNE artist Ern Trembath took out a gold medal this week at a prestigious art show.
Mr Trembath, who owns Gippsland Galleries in Cranbourne, won the top honour in the Frederick McCubbin Art Award at the Box Hill Rotary Art Show.
His artwork ‘Early Light Taggerty’ was chosen from more than 500 entries as the best oil painting in show.
He was awarded the medal as well as $2000. Mr Trembath said he couldn’t believe he had won.
“It’s one of the awards everyone’s after, so it’s just fantastic,” he said. “It has made my year.”
Mr Trembath said his winning painting was done in the Goulburn Valley.
“I painted it in the Goulburn Valley looking towards the Blue Range,” he said. “It’s an artist’s paradise up there.”
The exhibition was held in memory of renowned artist Frederick McCubbin, who was part of the Heidelberg School of Art around the turn of the 19th century. The school was based in Box Hill and specialised in traditional representational landscapes.
The Box Hill Rotary Club introduced the award, with the support of the McCubbin family, about 20 years ago and it has become one of Victoria’s most sought after art awards.