Heise won $5000 for her painting, Green Polka dots. The major prize was provided by MacLeans Booksellers.

"I am trying to express a psychological space or tension that exists between social projections of perfect happiness and the realities of being human," Heise said of the winning work.

"There is disquiet in the image at once celebratory there are flowers, clouds, polka dots and bright colours and concurrently the facial expression is uncertain."

The winners of the seven sections of the Hunter Emerging Art Prize were:

Bianca Vern-Barnett, painting prize ($1000);

Sandy Sanderson, experimental prize ($1000);

Alex Golden, photomedia prize ($1000);

Steve Lee, works on paper prize ($1000);

Lisa Morris-Pate, sculpture prize ($1000);

Jen Lanz, ceramics prize ($600);

Raffi Butler, youth prize ($1000).

Entries by Peter Parslow, Frances Loudon and Hideaki Kobayashi were highly commended by judges.

The judging panel was Bronte Naylor, Edwardo Milan and Matthew Watts.

Madeleine K Snow, creative programs manager for Newcastle Art Space, said of the winning work by Heise, "the judges were impressed by the handling of the paint through to the concept and original image."

Snow said, "The three judges quickly acknowledged that across all categories they had a strong sample of works to assess and determine the prizes.

"They were looking for strength of composition, excellence in technique and execution.

"They were interested in how the narrative spoke to the concept, and also considered the aesthetic through to the medium."

The finalists in the prize were:

Ceramics Fiona Byczkov, Mahalia Leckner, Megan McGee, Olivia Hamilton, Raffi Butler.

Experimental Elizabeth McDonald, Kay Pittelkow, Leanne Swainson, Megan Farquhar, Paula Thistleton, Peter Parslow, Raffi Butler, Sandy Sanderson.

Painting Ash Campbell, Bernadette Trainor, Bianca Vern-Barnett, Claire Heise, Frances Johnston, Jessica Gilbert, Joshua Bettison, Julie Purdie, Kerri Papworth, Megan McGee, Nick Fintan, Xavier Lane.

Photomedia Alex Golden, Byron James Moffat Smith, Ella Grace Paterson, Julie Purdie, Kylie Nolan, Liam Beletich, Louise Faulkner.

Sculpture Amara Zenteno, Eddy Lou, Frances Dibley Loudon, Jaymie Maley, Jen Lanz, Laure de Vaugelas, Lavinia Coluccio, Lisa Morris-Pate, Samantha Walsh, Syann Sue Williams.

Works on Paper Anna Christie, Annette Tubnor, Dominic Warland, Emma Wilks, Hideaki Kobayashi, Indiana Marsden (2), Janice Hanicar (2), Lexie Worboys, Steve Lee, Svetlana Katelas.

The HEAP show was curated by Madeleine K Snow, creative programs manager for Newcastle Art Space, with installation by Flynn Doran.

The Hunter Emerging Art Prize will show at Newcastle Art Space until April 14.