Flow - a biennial acquisitive art prize - was open to works on paper in gouache, watercolour, acrylic, pen and ink, plus mixed media.

Tanya Baily's watercolour artwork, Gums on the Ridge on Fabiano cotton paper, was chosen from 165 entries - of which 73 in total will be hung for exhibition in the gallery.

The artist began her career painting murals in London, for both commercial and private spaces, before moving to Sydney in 1998.

She is now a devoted educator and runs classes in watercolour painting and portraiture at a number of Sydney art schools, as well as taking commissions for portraits of children and architectural subjects.

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Judge Hendrik Kolenberg said "the beauty" of this type of competition was that entries were mixed and varied, with works from amateurs and really great artists.

"As a judge you hope that you will find works that are really outstanding and lift your spirits," he said.

"That was very much the case; I found a good number of works which I think were outstanding."

Mr Kolenberg narrowed his choices to five submissions but ultimately chose Ms Baily's because of the "absolute joy of light, nature and pure love of watercolour".

He also liked how the work popped off the paper.

"The paper often gives you tremendous transparency," Mr Kolenberg said.

"So if you put watery, strong colour on it, the white paper helps to throw it upwards and makes it even more intense, even more exciting.

"That, in a way, did stand out from the others."

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Though he has been retired for some years, Mr Kolenberg enjoyed being asked to judge the Wollongong competition due lack of watercolour prizes or exhibitions available in Australia.

"Contemporary art doesn't like to be associated with a technique, most contemporary artists like working across sorts of fields of things," he said.

"Maybe these days it's the world of video and photography that seems to have the run ... and gets the most attention."

However, gallery program director John Monteleone believed watercolour has been embraced by some contemporary artists to "challenge the expected and embrace new ideas and applications".

"Some see it as the perfect entry into painting while others recognise it as technically challenging and difficult to master," Mr Monteleone said. "It requires a certain focus and bravery with your subject and to get it right the first time."

Mr Kolenberg, Ms Baily and commended artists will be part of an exhibition walk through and artist talk event at the gallery on October 2, which is free to the public.

Flow is on exhibition at Wollongong Art Gallery until November 10. www.wollongongartgallery.com

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