Artists Pamela Bugmy from Dubbo and Raymond Thorpe from Forbes have tied for first prize in the 2023 CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Aboriginal Art Competition.

They've each won $2000.

Ms Bugmey's work God's Country was an intricate depiction of her hometown Wilcannia.

The competition was judged by Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green, CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche and Red Bend Catholic College visual arts teacher Tracie Axton.

"The winners bring you out to another level, a spiritual level, they draw the viewer into both of those paintings, and that's one of the things I think is really, really powerful that I'm not just an objective viewer, I get drawn into the actual artwork," Bishop Macbeth-Green said.

Ms Mioche said as well as the beauty of the paintings, the symbolism in both was really powerful.

"One is called God's Country, and the symbolism, particularly the link between Aboriginal spirituality and Christianity in that painting is just amazing," she said.

"Trackers [by Mr Thorpe] is the six seasons and a father and son tracking during those six seasons, so that's really beautiful as well, it teaches us something about Aboriginal culture."

Second prize of $1500 was won by Carmen Hutchison from Cobar with Swim (Bambinya).

Third prize of $500 was won by Mark Curry from Wilcannia with Old Man Roo.

The judges awarded a special junior prize of $250 to Hannah Thorpe of Forbes for her painting, Seasons.

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