The winning oil painting by Alexandra artist Denis Kent depicted winter light through the trees at Galloway, near Alexandra.
It was the first time Kent had won the exhibition but one of his paintings had been placed second before and another received the people's choice award one year.
Society president Nigel Wilson said 156 works were entered this year and the standard was very high. The event has been part of the festival for 37 years.
Judges Rebecca Gilmore, Greg Slui and Valerie Evans said the winning entry was a "stand-out painting that made us want to climb into the painting and relax."
Other award recipients were Mary Stodart, of Alexandra, and Alice Olds, of Christchurch (merits), Peter Jackson, of Cromwell (highly commended), Rachel Hirabayashi, of Cromwell (second runner-up), and Alan Waters, of Cromwell (first runner-up).
The exhibition is open daily at the Alexandra Community Centre until September 27.
