Sanderson are delighted to announce that Loren Marks' painting Of the Stories VI has been shortlisted for the prestigious R & M McGivern Prize.
The R & M McGivern Prize is a major Australian triennial acquisitive art award for painting. Established by the will of local artist and writer Muriel Evelyn McGivern, it is administered by Perpetual Trustee Company as part of the Croydon Arts Trust and managed by Maroondah City Council. Winning works become part of the public Maroondah City Council Art Collection.
Currently completing a Masters of Contemporary Art at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in Naarm/Melbourne, Marks has continued to develop her distinctive painting practice since moving to Australia. Her intuitive approach to painting continues to evoke strong responses and recognition.
The R & M McGivern Prize is awarded every three years for outstanding and original painting in oil and watercolour. In 2025/26, the Prize will award two prizes of $25,000, with the winning works acquired into the Maroondah City Council Art Collection. The Prize celebrates artistic excellence in painting while contributing to the development of a significant public art collection for the Maroondah region.
Mark's discusses her painting Of the Stories VI:
' My practice is grounded in historical research; led by intuition and in search of secrets that were never truly lost. By borrowing figurative elements from Western allegorical paintings and their history to form my own mythology, I allow narratives to unfold on my canvas'. I explore how images operate as multidimensional, physical objects and how their stories and meaning shift over time. Of the Stories VI is a piece from a broader, current series: exploring the archives from NGV conservator John Payne and referencing ‘The Garden of Love’ (the studio of Antonio Vivarini) c1470. The restoration of this 15th-century artefact revealed pentimenti, a missing panel, and a hidden figure. This painting and its surrounding archives serve as a subjective catalyst for these works.'
The Sanderson team are immensely proud of Loren and the recognition she has received since her arrival in Australia. Her success reflects the strength and originality of her evolving practice and we are grateful to the Maroondah City Council and the R & M McGivern Prize for recognising her unique perspective as an artist and painter.
Loren Marks,
Of the Stories VI, 2026
Oil and pumice on linen
120 x 120 cm (Diptych)
Portraits by Emma Hardy.
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