We are pleased to announce that Aneira Thomas has been selected as the Public Vote Prize winner for the New Blood Art Emerging Art Prize.
Vibrant, uplifting and unique Aneira’s paintings are distinguished by their rich colour palettes and intricate patterns, creating compositions that feel both vibrant and contemplative. The vertical format – unusual in contemporary painting – enhances their presence, offering a striking way to introduce colour and rhythm into a space. This format also makes them especially suited to narrow areas in the home where a vibrant vertical piece can bring an uplifting sense of energy and movement
Aneira’s artistic practice emphasises mindfulness and intentionality. She meticulously crafts her own paints and hand-stretches her canvases, often in distinctive vertical formats. This process-oriented approach reflects her focus on elevating subtle natural details, encouraging viewers to engage deeply with the intricacies of the world around them.
Aneira’s work draws from close observation of the natural world, capturing moments of quiet detail that might otherwise go unnoticed. Through abstraction, repetition, and layered surfaces, her paintings encourage an immersive experience – one that slows the act of looking and asks us to focus on the often-overlooked patterns, textures, and rhythms present in nature. Rather than imposing a fixed interpretation, her work creates space for contemplation, inviting viewers to engage with both the materiality of the paint and the subtleties of the forms emerging within it.
Public voting in art prizes democratizes the selection process, allowing the general public to engage directly with contemporary art and express their preferences. This approach contrasts with traditional methods where selections are made solely by expert juries or curators. By incorporating public votes, art prizes broaden participation, increase transparency, and reflect a wider array of tastes and opinions.
Aneira Thomas was also awarded the 2024 Helen Gregory Purchase Prize and has quickly gained recognition for her distinctive approach. We have a small selection of her works available.
Thank you to all who participated in the voting process.