Basil is a good boy and his pawtrait is this year’s winner of the Poochibald Art Prize.

The award is Clarence City Council’s take on the Archibald Prize, with less prize money but more pats.

Each year children and adults unleash their talent and celebrate doggos in all their glory.

This year saw 110 drawings, paintings, prints, linocuts and collages of dogs of all shapes and sizes hung on the walls of the Schoolhouse Gallery in Rosny.

Anna Williams claimed the adult category first place prize of a $300 gift voucher with her linocut portrait of her niece’s dog Basil.

“I chose him because of his brindle coat and his brown and black patches,” Ms Williams told Jo Spargo on ABC Radio Hobart.

It’s hard to walk through the gallery without a few “aws” being said. Photo: ABC

She said for a linocut to work, the subject needed plenty of colour variation which was one reason why she chose Basil the blue heeler over her own dog Cloudy.

“Basil is very attractive and young,” she said.

“Cloudy is elderly, growing a few lumps and some hair in the wrong places and I love her dearly – I think she’s beautiful but I don’t think other people would.”

Ms Williams is a ceramist by trade but was encouraged to enter the portrait competition by a friend.

“I do ceramics to teach and make my money that way,” she said.

“But I love drawing and linocuts, that’s my hobby, what I really enjoy doing.”

A portrait in a pawtrait in the adult section. Photo: ABC

While the Poochibalds offer prizes for first and second place in the adult and junior categories, the real aim of the art show is to bring dog and art lovers together.

The entries are on display until Sunday in the Schoolhouse Gallery at Rosny Farm from 11am to 5pm.

-ABC