Showcasing artistic talent from across country and coastal NSW, the prize is worth $35,000, making it Australia’s richest landscape art prize.

Now in its eighth year, it attracted 435 entries from former Archibald and Blake Prize winners as well as first time entrants.

The winner of the Country Energy Art Prize will be picked by Janet Laurence, an artist who is well known for her public commissions and architectural collaborations, on September 30 at the Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre in Port Macquarie.

This is the third time that both Mr Bird and Mr Murray have been selected as finalists in the prize.

Mr Bird’s paintings Lightning Ridge, Fortune or Fantasy and Lightning Ridge, Last Bucket Before Lunch were selected as finalists in 2007 and 2008 respectively, while Mr Murray’s paintings Country Energy and BBQ Dreaming were selected as finalists and for the People’s Choice Award in 2004 and 2006 respectively.

Mr Bird said that it was “a big thing to be selected as a finalist.”

“It’s a great competition, giving western artists the exposure they wouldn’t get otherwise,” he continued.

“I like to feature Lightning Ridge in my paintings for this competition because the Ridge is all about colour and I like to keep my paintings bright and colourful,” Mr Bird concluded.