Paula entered the Wallace Gallery portrait contest,
a premier opportunity for New Zealand's top artists to paint a recognisable figure who is representative of New Zealand.

What better than our own movie industry hero Peter Jackson who had just won global accolades for his amazing Lord of the Rings trilogy.

While Paula didn't win the contest she got just about as much media coverage as the winner with her to life representation of Peter Jackson which appeared in major city newspapers the DominionPost and the New Zealand Herald.

Peter himself even commented through his secretary that he was most impressed with Paul's portrait of him.

Paula Novak (Istra) meets Helen Clark
the Prime Minister of New Zealand

Curiously the Peter Jackson portrait opened a few doors for Paula. The Waitakere City Council agreed to hang the painting in its foyer and when it was delivered mayor Bob Harvey saw it and had an inspired moment.
He commissioned Paula to paint a portrait of Ross Dallow who was a prime mover behind the construction of the city's new sports stadium which was about to open in two weeks. So within that two week period Paula had to complete the largest painting of her life - a x by x canvas which not only including Mr Dallow but also the stadium itself which was still being completed at the time.

The painting was completed the night before, delivered on the morning of the opening and unveiled by Prime Minister Helen Clark.