Bites

The winners of the inaugural Chesters Restaurant Contemporary Art Awards 2005 have been announced.

Greg Flahey has received the judges’ award for his ‘Forest Fantasy’, while Noelene Brockman won the people’s choice award for her painting, ‘Honey Ants’.

Sixteen works by 10 artists were displayed at Chesters Restaurant between March 30 and April 30. The awards are an opportunity for the hospitality industry to recognise the talent of emerging indigenous artists.

Although only in its first year, the event was one of the most popular components of this year’s Swan Valley ‘Taste in the Valley’ food and wine festival.

Chesters Restaurant is likely to commission one of the winning artists to create a unique design to be marketed on a future wine release from its Heafod Glen winery.

The state’s wine industry is further developing its push into the lucrative US market.  As Gusto wrote in April this year, the WA Wine Industry Association has contracted US wine expert Steve Burns to devise a plan to sell Western Australian wine to the Americans.

The initiative has been led from the state’s big wine players, such as Howard Park, Vincor (Goundrey and Amberley), and Plantagenet. The association says 13 WA companies plan to contribute more than $180,000 a year to fund the project for the next three years.

Securing local government funding was always touted as crucial to the success of the initiative, which many believe to be the future of the local wine industry.

After committing funds to retain Mr Burns’ services until the initiative is approved, the WA Department of Industry and Resources has agreed to assist with trademarking the brand in overseas markets and the development of a new industry website.

The State Government will also open an office in Los Angeles in November.

In the meantime, Mr Burns plans to bring as many American wine experts, writers, journalists, sommeliers and officials to WA to experience first hand the uniqueness of the state’s wines.