Art teacher Sabrina Alexandria Powell is the winner of the recently concluded 2010 Charman Prize competition.

The young Bermudian beat 68 fellow artists to the top prize of $10,000 with her metal sculpture, 'Raw Gombey'.

Judges chose Miss Powell's piece, which features a gombey headdress, because they considered it to be an outstanding example of all four judging criteria: serious social intent, innovation, distinctive and convincing style and use of material.

Prize sponsor John Charman named Miss Powell as the winner at the opening reception of the Charman Prize exhibition at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art on Friday.

"By taking the gombey mask as a starting point, through scale and simplicity of line, Miss Powell has created a sculpture which is both contemporary and has a clear connection to an important aspect of Bermuda's cultural heritage, in an elegant and engaging re-interpretation of the gombey tradition.

"A marvellous work, the handling of the feathers is particularly fine, while the etched surface gives the work great interest. The evocation of Bermuda's rich history makes this a work both of the past, and completely new in its medium, abstract design and execution."

Miss Powell's sculpture will become a permanent addition to the Masterworks Bermuda Collection at the Paget museum.

Mr. Charman also presented four artists with best in category awards of $2,500 each, and 12 artists with $100 honourable mention certificates.

Susan A. Pearson won a best in category prize for creative and convincing style for her mixed media installation artwork, 'Circling in Space…Finding One's Place' – a clever use of expired parking vouchers to create a mobile.

Sharon Wilson also received a best in category award. Hers was for use of material for her pastel work, 'Washerwoman'. Scott Stallard received a best in category for serious social intent for 'Gorilla Berengei', a large and impressive piece addressing the relationship between man and gorilla. Ami Zanders' large woven piece, 'Floating Mandelas', earned her the best in category for innovation award.

Honourable mention prizes were awarded to 12 artists whose works contained strong elements of the four judging criteria.

Winners in each of the four categories were as follows:

¦ Meredith Andrews, Monica Smith Jones and Chris Mahoney for distinctive and convincing style;

¦ Sheilagh Head, Elizabeth Mulderig and Tracy Williams for use of material;

¦ Jaime Cedenio, Vaughan Evans and Antoine Hunt for serious social intent;

¦ Charles Anderson, Peter Lapsley and Trevor Todd for innovation.

The 69 artworks in the competition were judged by Susan Menconi, a partner at Menconi and Schoelkopf LLC Fine Art in New York City; Masterworks' current artist-in-residence Barbara Russell, and James Toogood, Philadelphia artist, art critic and teacher.

Last weekend's reception was attended by an estimated 1,000 artists, members, and guests – the largest attendance at any Museum of Bermuda Art opening since its inception in 2008, and a testament to the popularity and esteem in which the Charman Prize competition is held by the local community.

The annual art competition was launched by businessman Mr. Charman in 2007. It is open to all resident Bermudian artists, as well as non-Bermudians who have been resident on the Island for at least six months prior to the entry deadline.

¦ The Charman Prize exhibition will be on display in the Butterfield Family Gallery of the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in the Botanical Gardens, Paget until April 24. Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except Sunday. General admission is $5, and free for members and children under 12.