The Millennium Public Art Gallery is delighted to continue our association with the National Portrait Gallery in Wellington by presenting the nationally touring selection of 45 portraits from the biennial Adam Portraiture Awards. This show is a fascinating mixture of New Zealand characters - old and young, famous and family, serious and entertaining. It's also a great show for studying the many techniques and styles that can be employed in portraiture. It may even inspire viewers to have a go too.

This year's awards were judged by Dr Christopher Chapman, senior curator of the Australian National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. There is a special Marlborough component to this year's exhibition. Blenheim artist, Mieke Hilhorst's portrait, Douwe 1929 - 2009 (Josepha Hilhorst), won the Personal Choice Award at the exhibition's original showing at the National Portrait Gallery. "A painted portrait captures a person's inner vibrancy a camera lens will miss", says Blenheim artist, Mieke Hilhorst. Mieke completed a Bachelor of Visual Art in 2004 and divides her time these days between painting for commission or personal pleasure, working with St Mary's Church and taking a weekly art class for teens.