A celebration of daffodils has blossomed into one of Kyneton’s most popular art competitions, with almost 200 entries vying for honours in this year’s Daffodil Art Prize.
Denise Martin has taken out the $1500 Open Medium Major Prize at The Old Auction House as part of the 2026 Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival for the work I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud.
Judge Laurie Benson was particularly impressed by the character of the daffodils and the way the textured background enhanced the work.
Heather Mills’ Daffy Dills was a close runner-up, receiving the Highly Commended award for a piece containing a daffodil.
The Daffodil Art Prize has grown steadily over the past five years, with this year’s entries showcasing the strength of local artistic talent.
Mr Benson said judging had been particularly difficult given the calibre of the works entered.
“Judging was so hard due to the calibre of the works,” he said.
The Friends of Kyneton Botanic Gardens also sponsored a special prize celebrating works inspired by the popular local landmark.
Deidre Bain won the award for Tree of Life with Daffodils, a work the judges said “captured everything that KBG are about”.
Other category winners included Jo Reitze, who claimed both the Oil Painting award for Spring Flowers and Works on Paper for Spring Garden.
Bain also won the Acrylic Painting category with Poppy – Inside Out, while Linda Reiss took out Photography/Digital Art for Morning’s Breath, Killawarra.
Fran Spain won Other Medium/Sculpture for Wordsworth Delight, while Tina Wilson was awarded the Esther Rose Memorial Watercolour Prize for Study in Repose #3.
The Daffodil Art Prize is open daily throughout the festival from 10am to 4pm at The Old Auction House, 52-56 Mollison Street, Kyneton.
With almost 200 works on display, organisers say the exhibition is well worth a visit for art lovers and daffodil enthusiasts alike.