A PRAIRIE girl's artwork is among 30 shortlisted in a national art competition.
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Eleven-year-old Ava Rudkins is in the running to win the people's choice award in the Museum of Fire's art competition.
Her piece, The Path to Regeneration, is on display at the museum in Penrith, New South Wales.
But voting for the people's choice award is taking place online.
Ava's mother, Amanda Rudkins, said it had been a welcome surprise just to learn the piece had been shortlisted.
"When we got the letter she was pretty rapt," Mrs Rudkins said.
The 1.2-metre wide artwork was made especially for the competition.
"She did it over the course of a couple of days," Mrs Rudkins said.
"She had it taped to the desk and she worked on each area - the four or five steps she worked out she wanted to visually create that sort of chart through the regeneration process."
She said her daughter opted to use chalk pastels and pen, so she could incorporate charcoal into the piece.
Fire was the theme for the category, which was open to primary-school aged children throughout Australia.
"The whole process of entering into the competition was a really good experience for her," Mrs Rudkins said.
It was the first time her daughter had sent off a large framed work.
Mrs Rudkins believed the shortlisted artworks were selected from more than 100 entries.
A teacher at Ava's school, East Loddon P-12 College, had mentioned the competition.
Mrs Rudkins said Ava had only entered her art in school-related events, previously.
"She does love the arts and is always drawing," she said.
"It's definitely a little feather in her cap, just to keep pushing her to do what she enjoys. It's always been her passion and her interest."
Mrs Rudkins said she was proud her daughter had been given the opportunity to enter and that she had been shortlisted.
She was also grateful for the support Ava had received from those who knew about the competition.
Voting in the people's choice award is open until 4pm on Monday, January 11. To vote or to view the works, click here.
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