Monmouth-based artist Walter Keeler was named Welsh Artist of the Year on Sunday, June 3, at St David's Hall in Cardiff.
His salt-glazed ceramic entry 'W.I.', which consists of a large tea pot and nine mugs, was singled out by the panel of judges as an "extraordinary achievement".
Walter, himself a former Welsh Artist of the Year judge, has also won the Applied Art/Craft award.
Judge Duncan Ayscough, artist and senior lecturer in ceramics at UWIC, paid tribute to the eighth Welsh Artist of the Year.
"This presentation of a large salt glaze tea pot and mugs encapsulates the work of Wally Keeler at its best. Effortless skill combined with a joy and understanding of social and ceramic histories, blended with a dry humour.
"Wally has relentlessly pursued his passion for the process of making and the function of the outcomes. Ingenious interpretation and reinterpretation of the familiar objects of daily life draw on the broad history of the ceramic processes.
"Despite the familiarity of the object, or possibly because of that familiarity, the ability of his pots such as this significant presentation W.I. have the same power to effect the viewer albeit in a more intimate physical scale as a Norman Foster building or a Barbara Hepworth sculpture.
"His contribution to art practice extends far beyond the area of ceramic practice and indeed the applied arts and can truly be considered as an artist of international importance."
Walter's entry beat off competition from around 450 entries in a variety of styles and media.
He was presented with a cheque for £2000 by judge Duncan Ayscough , in an award ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
'W.I.' will form the centrepiece of the subsequent Welsh Artist of the Year exhibition, which runs from Monday, June 4 to August 10, in the Foyer Galleries of St David's Hall.
Twelve other artists were honoured in the awards ceremony, which took place at 3pm on level three of the Hall.
There was also be a tribute to the late artist Tony Goble, whose painting 'Departure' was selected for the exhibition before his death in April.
"The judges felt this collection of 135 pieces truly represented what is best about the Welsh art world, and there should be something for every taste," said the exhibition's curator Ruth Cayford.
"We hope the exhibition will encourage new and emerging talents to submit their pieces in what will be a bigger and better show next year."
WINNERS IN FULL
Overall winner: Walter Keeler (from Monmouth) for 'W.I.'
- Second prize: Virginia Head (Cardiff) for 'Pelegrina'
- Third prize: Daphne Hurn (Abergavenny) for 'Echoes'
Award for Photography: William Tsui (Port Talbot) for 'Swansea Dog Show'
Award for sculpture: Robert Harding (Llantrisant) for 'Spiky Bowl'
Painting award: Emrys Williams (Colwyn Bay) for 'Chamber'
Printmaking award: Andrew Baldwin for 'Punch Drunk'
Award for drawing: Heather Eastes (Aberystwyth) for 'Surface With Egg Figure'
Student award: Rachel Loosemore (Mountain Ash) for Entropy.
Highly commended: Chris Griffin for 'Studio Table III'; Tom Piper (Cardiff) for 'Homage...'; Jin Eui Kim (Cardiff) for 'Untitled' and Margaret Crossley (Cardiff) for 'Recyclists'.
For further information, please contact Ruth Cayford on 029 2087 8706 / rcayford@cardiff.gov.uk or Jo Manning on 07881 915803 / jo_manning77@yahoo.co.uk