At a hometown art exhibition, a big name storms the competition

Fullerton, a long-serving local artist who taught visual art at TasTAFE for decades, has claimed the top prize at The Launceston Art Society's latest exhibition, Our City.

His piece, Kanamaluka, an abstract painting depicting Launceston's Tamar River on a misty morning, claimed the $1000 prize on the show's opening night.

And, while it's really less than a drop in the art world's ocean - even for Tasmania, with its $10,000 Women's Art Prize, the $20,000 Henry Jones, and the staggering $75,000 Glover - the calibre of competition entering into such a small show, is an indicator of the city's healthy art ecosystem.

Our City, which is open until June 21 at at Legacy House Launceston, has more than its share of top-tier artists: Glover finalist June Wilson; well-known artists Richard Klekociuk and Jonathan Bowden; and, of course, Fullerton.

The Art Society - a group that attracts a milieu of local painters and other artists - has other members, too, that didn't feature but are no less esteemed: Brad Quinn and William Muldoon among them.

"I've been a member [with the Art Society] on and off for years," Fullerton said.

"It's fantastic to be a part of a community like this, and winning these ones here means no less than doing well in those larger ones."

And, to add to the star-studded cast, the piece which won Fullerton the accolade was chosen by Paul Becker - another of this year's Glover finalists - for its "beautiful soft colours".

"A very different, modern take on the area and it has something about it that I like," Becker said.

"Maybe the looseness of the painting?"

Fred Fullerton's work is currently on show at The Launceston Art Society's exhibition Our City at Legacy House Launceston, open 10am to 3pm daily until June 21.

All exhibited artworks are available for acquisition.