DAMIEN GOERKE has won the acquisitive award at this year’s City of Stirling Art Awards for his cathartic work Primary.

Goerke took home $5000 in prize money and the piece has been added to the city’s art collection.

The artist said the burst of colour in the drawing/mixed media artwork reflected his new lease of life.

“For half my life I have been on medication for a heart condition which has finally been rectified,” he said.

• Damien Goerke with his winning artwork Primary (above) and Julie Silvester with Morning Begins (below). Photos supplied

“My imagination, once held at bay due to my medication, is now desperate to come out. 

“After nearly always drawing exclusively in greyscale, I am now using primary colours.”

Other winners included Rachael Woodward, who snagged the Jackson’s Drawing Supplies Young Artist Award with her innovative digital work There Once Was… 

Kate Rae and Kerry O’Flaherty collaborated on In The Round to take out the sculpture category, and Norm Wilson’s South Terrace Neighbours 2 was top painting.

The local artist award went to Innaloo’s Julie Silvester for her captivating pastel piece Morning Begins. 

Stirling deputy mayor Bianca Sandri presented the awards and said the entries were of a very high standard.