Winning the top art award at Southland's Anderson Park Art Gallery was worth the sleepless nights, says Nelson artist Tania Bostock.

An emotional Bostock accepted the E Hayes and Sons $5000 sponsorship award at the Anderson Park Art Gallery's 60th Annual Spring Exhibition launch on Saturday night.

She said being an artist was expensive, so the sponsorship would help her continue to do what she loved.

"This will fund my passion and hopefully it will help me become a better artist," she said.

Bostock, who used to live in Invercargill, said her passion for painting kept her awake at night.

While she was creating the winning piece, Absolute (Positive. Complete. Limitless.) she woke in the middle of the night with ideas.

Her inspiration was emotive and it took about three weeks to finish, she said.

The circle in the painting was strong and complete, yet there were different colours revealing themselves underneath.

"The title of the piece articulated what I was feeling," Bostock said.

She had painted "a really good painting" underneath but she took the risk to create the final piece.

Her risk paid off because initially her piece was equal first place with another artist.

Members of the Art Gallery Council eventually decided her piece was "the most outstanding entry" among the Southland artists and guest artists who entered.

Guest speaker, thespian and art enthusiast Angela Newell, who officially opened the annual exhibition, urged Southlanders to support the arts in hard times because they were important to the community's wellbeing.

"They are a social distraction that inspire, entertain and take away from tough times," she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News