Three  in  a  row  for  peace-prize  winner

FOR final-year Master of Arts student Philip Berry, winning this year’s Lucato Peace Prize was the perfect way to celebrate the end of many years of hard work.It was also the third time Mr Berry has won the award, which is presented annually by Ballarat man George Lucato for art works that further the cause of peace.This year, Mr Berry was awarded first prize for his mixed-media presentation, Don’t Be Alarmed.In 2010 and 2011, he took out the prize for a painting and a sculpture.Mr Berry said he had not expected to receive the honour for a third time.“I was shocked every time,” he said. “It’s great that George supports the arts – there’s not enough of it.”Mr Lucato said he had presented the award with the University of Ballarat for the past seven years, and with other educational institutions since 1974.Bachelor of Visual Arts students Matthew Briscoe and Yasmin Cole were awarded second prize and an honourable mention for their entries.Mr Briscoe entered a ceramic sculpture Dove Wings of Peace and Ms Cole was acknowledged for her oil on canvas, entitled Yin Yang (Diptych).