Melbourne based artist Pamela Irving, MAANZ-member and former vice-president, is the 2019 recipient of the Oro Mosaic Award. “I’m thrilled”, Irving said on hearing the news. Renowned for her quirky, narrative and bespoke pieces, Irving spends her days in her Studio + Gallery in Melbourne creating paintings, mosaics and sculptures. She is best known for Larry La Trobe, her bronze dog sculpture, situated in front of the Melbourne Town Hall, Australia

The Oro Mosaic Award is an Australian mosaic award established in 2018 by Kate Butler through the Windmill Trust, offering grants of up to $4,000 to assist emerging and mid-career artists to take up professional development opportunities. The aim of the award is to support artists who show great promise and commitment to contemporary mosaic art but are unable to take the next step due to financial constraints. Last year’s winner was Donna Ritchie.