Christine Lang has been named the winning artist for the People’s Choice award at the Ashburton Society of Arts 60th annual exhibition.
Society president Kay Begg said Lang’s artwork Peak Hill, Rakaia Gorge was a ‘‘clear winner’’.
The 61-year-old said she was thrilled to win the award.
‘‘It’s really quite a thrill to be voted People’s Choice, and most unexpected,’’ Lang said.
Now living in Christchurch, Lang grew up on a farm in Carew.
She did nurse training in Ashburton and nursing was her chosen career.
Later she had a short career as a flight attendant with Air New Zealand, consistently painting during her time off and selling through local galleries. ‘‘I was always painting.’’ She said she put her first piece in the Ashburton exhibition as a teenager. She has previously won the exhibition premier award and other awards, but this was the first time she had won the People’s Choice award.
The exhibition, at the Ashburton Art Gallery, has its last day tomorrow.
