Nominations Open for Artists Award - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

12 October 2021

Shoalhaven City Council is encouraging residents to nominate a local artist for one of two awards in their annual Shoalhaven Australia Day Awards. 

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findley explained the two categories Outstanding Emerging Artists and Outstanding Contribution to Arts and Culture offer an opportunity to recognise some of the creatives in our community. 

“From visual artists to digital artists, writers to performers, these award categories aim to give the most creative souls in our community a boost of confidence,” Clr Findley said. 

“The Outstanding Emerging Artist is open to all ages and includes artists of all types while the Outstanding Contribution to Arts and Culture category is open to both artists and non-artists in our community. 

“I know art has played an important role for many in our community particularly in times of healing after the black summer bushfires or to bring some joy during COVID lockdown and I encourage anyone who has admired an artist from afar to nominate them today. 

Visit Council’s website today to nominate today. Nominations close on Friday 26 November 2021. 

Shoalhaven Regional Gallery has been nominated in four categories in this year’s 2021 IMAGinE Awards - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

24 September 2021

The IMAGinE awards are an initiative of Museums & Galleries of NSW, developed with support from Australian Museums and Galleries Association NSW and Regional and Public Galleries of NSW. 

This year Shoalhaven City Council’s Regional Art Gallery has been named a finalist in the following categories: 

·        Exhibition projects: galleries with 4 or less paid staff for the exhibitions the TERRA within and Wonder + Dread: Art in the land of weather extremes 

·        Engagement programs with 3 –10 paid staff: Art Detectives programs  

Warwick Keen was also nominated and is a finalist in the ACHAA Award for Excellence by an Aboriginal Curator, for his work as Curator of the TERRA within exhibition.  

The Art Detectives Program is part of a learning program for preschool and primary school students. As Art Detectives they are encouraged to engage in close looking at artworks and become familiar with the language used to describe artwork and art techniques.   

The WONDER + DREAD exhibition explored artistic responses to extreme weather events in Australia over more than 200 years. Two commissioned works were displayed alongside significant works borrowed from galleries, organisations and private collections of note, resulting in a calibre of art experience not previously experienced in the Shoalhaven. 

The TERRA within exhibition was planned to coincide with the 250th Anniversary of Cook’s charting of the east coast of Australia. With over 30 Indigenous artists included in the exhibition, many voices were heard in this truth-telling project, offering all viewers an opportunity to reflect on Australia’s hidden history. 

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findley was delighted to receive the news of the nominations. 

“Once again the efforts of our staff at the Shoalhaven Regional Art Gallery is being recognised, they work incredibly hard to bring outstanding exhibitions and programs to the region”, Clr Findley said.  

“Over the last year Shoalhaven residents and visitors have been treated to a number of outstanding exhibitions and programs at the Regional Gallery, including a major exhibition, the TERRA within, which explored the themes impact and survival in relation to the 250th Anniversary of Cook’s voyage to the east coast of Australia, featuring powerful artworks by more than 30 Indigenous artists”, Clr Findley said.  

“Whilst the Shoalhaven Regional Art Gallery is closed to the public due to current COVID-19 restrictions, we are hopeful that it won’t be too long before we can welcome visitors once again”, Clr Findley said.  

The Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on Thursday, 25 November 2021.  

For more information about the Awards visit the Museums & Galleries of NSW website: https://mgnsw.org.au/sector/support/imagine/imagine-awards-faq/.  

For more information on the Shoalhaven Regional Art Gallery visit their website: https://shoalhavenregionalgallery.com.au/.  

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Shoalhaven Students’ Impressions of 2020 Contribute to Digital Art Catalogue - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

12 08 2021

Over 40 students from eight Shoalhaven schools submitted artworks in an artistic response to 2020 that has been created into a digital record.  

Earlier this year the Shoalhaven Arts Board and Shoalhaven City Council invited local kids to submit a creative response that shows their impressions of 2020 and what 2020 meant to them.  

The collection of works has been published in a digital art catalogue on Council’s website.   

Artwork titled “Emotions of Expressions 2020’ submitted by Melina Houldsworth from Nowra Public School.  

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findley said she was pleased to see a wide -variety of artworks submitted including visual arts, creative writing, spoken work and video submissions.  

“It never ceases to amaze me how expressive children can be in conveying their feelings and impressions of the past year. This project aimed to encourage resilience and reflection, build community and support understanding of the ways 2020 was experienced”, Clr Findley said. 

“The creation of the digital art catalogue will provide an important insight into how our children expressed their experiences during 2020, and will be fascinating for future generations to view in years to come”, Clr Findley said.  

Students from across the Shoalhaven participated including, Bomaderry High School, Sanctuary Point Public School, Jervis Bay Primary, Nowra Christain School, Milton Public School, Nowra Public School and St Mary’s Star of the Sea Milton.  

For more information, including viewing the Digital Art Catalogue visit Council’s website.
 
Statement included with artwork titled ‘Emotions of Expressions’ submitted by Melina Houldsworth from Nowra Public School:  

"In my pic-collage I did myself reflecting my expressions of what happen in 2020. I drew things that I did in the beginning of 2020 until the very end. During this time I did online learning which made me sad because I couldn’t see my friends. I was saddened by the flooding and bushfires and how it affected people around me. I added some colours of my expressions. I used red, orange, purple, blue and yellow because they symbolise the natural disasters that occurred in Nowra." 

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Art For Anxiety - Kay Munson Facebook post

 Shared from Kat Munson's Facebook Page post on  Basin Business Forum Face Book Group

Are you looking for a creative and artistic way to learn to manage overwhelm?

Maybe a day away to yourself sounds nice?

I am running a one day workshop where you will leave feeling chilled, pampered and loving yourself!

Materials and lunch are supplied!

More details here

https://fb.me/e/cdghMpq1D

Avian Artwork Sends a Meaningful Message - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

23 October 2020

The amenities building at East Crescent, Culburra Beach now features a feathery new look thanks to a partnership between Shoalhaven City Council, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Lake Wollumboola Protection Association and Birdlife Shoalhaven. The organisations have united to highlight the importance of local migratory, nesting and water birds of the area.

South Coast based artist Sam Hall was commissioned to create the mural, made possible through the NSW Government Saving our Species program. The mural features a vibrant display of local and migratory birds and includes a sign recognising the Jerrinja people and their connection to county. 

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley was thrilled to see the colourful mural highlighting the vulnerable bird species which live and pass through the area.

“Lake Wollumboola is a precious habitat for many local and migratory birds, many of which are threatened species. By creating awareness around the value of these species and their vulnerability, we hope to ensure these birds are protected now and into the future.

“Lake Wollumboola is recognised as an important area for local and migratory birds by Birdlife International, and is home to significant birds including Pied Oystercatcher, Little Terns, Bar-tailed Godwit, Intermediate Egret and Red-necked Avocets to name a few,” Mayor Findley said.

The mural complements the viewing platforms and signage previously installed by Shoalhaven City Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service which work to highlight local migratory, nesting, and water birds.

Mural of Council's toilet amenities at Culburra Beach.

Upcoming major exhibition: 'the TERRA within' to be shown at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery this month - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

7 October 2020

A major exhibition featuring the works of more than 30 Indigenous artists will soon be on display at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery.  

The TERRA within, explores the themes of impact and survival in response to the 250th Anniversary of Cook’s voyage to the East Coast of Australia and will open to the public from 10 October to 5 December 2020 at the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery in Nowra. 

The exhibition seeks to show the multiplicity of opinions and responses to this significant anniversary by featuring works by contemporary and traditional artists, with a focus on South Coast voices.  

The exhibition has been curated by Warwick Keen. Keen is an award-winning artist from the Gomeroi (Gamilarraay) language group who has taught art and maintained his practice from the Shoalhaven for many years.  

His appointment as the guest curator and the exhibition have both been endorsed by Council’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee.   

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Amanda Findley welcomes the exhibition to the region and hopes the subject matter will provoke thoughtful discussion.  

"Council is proud to have been part of the development of this exhibition and are thankful to the Gibbon Foundation their support. Shoalhaven Regional Gallery has always sought to connect and build our community through challenging and inspiring exhibitions," Clr Findley said. 

It’s vital that we support a diverse range of voices in response to historical issues," Clr Findley said. 

Admission to the exhibition is free for the public, but visitors are asked to consider making a tax-deductible donation through the Donation Tap Point in lieu of entry fees. 

  

 

Visitors are required to check-in via a QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at the Gallery to support contact tracing, in line with NSW Health rules and the COVID-Safe plan. Numbers into the gallery are limited, and large groups are asked to make contact with the gallery first to arrange a suitable time to visit.   

The Shoalhaven Regional Gallery is open Tuesday to Friday 10.00am to 4.00pm and Saturday 10.00am to 2.00pm.  

For more information on the exhibition visit Shoalhaven Regional Gallery’s website.  

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Wonder+Dread Art Commission Awarded to Local Artist - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

11 September 2020

Shoalhaven Regional Gallery is pleased to announce the winner of the art commission for the upcoming exhibition Wonder+Dread, is Bendalong based artist Lara Merrett. 

Merrett has recently returned to her home on the South Coast after a planned year of living in Indonesia was cut short by the COVID19 pandemic. Returning to her home and community following the devastating fires of the summer has informed the idea for the commissioned work We were here. The panel of Danielle Robson (Soda Arts director and exhibition curator), Bronwyn Coulston (Manager Arts and Culture Shoalhaven City Council) and Iain Dawson (Director, Bega Valley Regional Gallery), were impressed with the ambition and participatory element of the proposed work. 

Merrett will construct a large-scale painting installation by painting fabric and forming it into loops that will hang from the gallery ceiling. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to cut pieces away from the work, creating voids which as Merrett notes encourages visitors to see ‘what is left behind in a new way as precious, delicate, rare and raw.’ She notes the work is inspired by the landscape being ‘stripped bare’ with the fires only sparing few wildlife, trees and bush. ‘In a strange unexpected way there is beauty and fragility in this new landscape.’

Shoalhaven Regional Gallery are excited to work with an artist of Merrett’s calibre and experience on this commission and look forward to displaying her work as part of this important and timely exhibition. 

Wonder + Dread: Art in a land of weather extremes, will open at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery on December 12th. The exhibition includes works by Australian artists across more than 200 years including Lloyd Rees, Rosemary Laing, Susan Norrie, Nicole Monks and Max Dupain. The exhibition is supported by the Gordon Darling Foundation. 

For further information please contact:

Bronwyn Coulston – Unit Manager, Arts and Culture,  4429 5441

Danielle Robson – Curator 0433 153 449

Artist Lara Merrett, winner of the art commission for the upcoming exhibition Wonder+Dread. Credit: Hugh Stewart.

Shoalhaven City Art Collection Receives Major Gift - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

7th July 2020

Shoalhaven City Council’s Arts Collection is set to grow with an incredible bequest of work from the Estate of Jim Birkett and his surviving partner Roy Weatherhead. 

The passing of Jim Birkett has saddened the arts community and beyond but his love for art and supporting emerging artists lives on through this generous donation of more than 150 pieces of work, the first part of a major gift from the local art icons. 

Jim’s tireless enthusiasm for art education and support of artists is renowned across the region.  A respected artist himself, Jim Birkett is already represented in the City Art Collection, including a large triptych that conveys his love of Xanthorrhoea plants. The gift to the City includes works by Birkett that trace his creative development and a large number of pieces acquired from Australian and international artists.  We are grateful for Roy’s dedication to Jim and to the arts. 

This personal collection includes paintings, sculpture and textile works with a focus on contemporary Australian artists and works from South East Asia. As owners of a private gallery in Sydney for many years, Birkett and Weatherhead supported emerging artists – providing artists like Grace Burzese with their first commercial exhibitions.    

In making the gift, Roy Weatherhead said, “The Shoalhaven City Art Collection and Shoalhaven Regional Gallery are critically important in ensuring local and emerging artists and a

ll members of the community are able to engage with the visual arts and see the world through artists’ eyes. I am pleased to know that our contribution to this collection will guarantee these works are available to the Shoalhave

n community into the future.”    

On receiving the collection, which includes works by artists such as Warwick Keen, Margaret Woodward, Grace Burzese, Isabel Davies

 and Graham Blondel, Mayor Amanda Findley said, “I am saddened by the news of Jim’s passing and I know that Roy will miss him terribly

 as will many. Both Jim and Roy are much loved members of our community, and this gift to the Shoalhaven is remarkable and continues in the theme of arts development for our region. This gift will further enhance Shoalhaven

 City Art Collection’s reputation as an outstanding regional collection that surveys contemporary Australian art. As with any bequest the art works come tinged with the sadness of loss but with the excitement of being able to make the work accessible to many for years to come

. I am grateful to Jim and Roy for choosing us as the forever home for some of the extraordinary pieces of work in the collection.” 

Select works from the gift will be exhibited at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery as part of the exhibition ‘Gifted’ opening Saturday 12 September [and running until 3 October].   

CONTACT:

Shoalhaven City Mayor Councillor Amanda Findley (02) 4429 3251, 0434 151 730  

OR

Bronwyn Coulston, Unit Manager – Arts and Culture (02) 4429 5441, 0412 949 543

Jim Birkett and Roy Weatherhead 

One of the works in the gift - Warwick Keen, VOYEUR, 2007 - 2009, acrylic on canvas,
170 x 260cm 


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In Your Neighbourhood - Shoalhaven City Council - This Week

This week 'In Your Neighbourhood' is:

• Commemorating ANZAC Day 2020
• Free COVID-19 Legal Assistance
• Arts Board Grants Open
• Community Development Grants
• Bushfire Support a Click Away
• Stay at Home Activities
• COVID-19 Scams to Watch

Click here for details



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In Your Neighbourhood - Shoalhaven City Council Newsletter - This Week

In this weeks newsletter, Shoalhaven City Council has the following:

• Are you eligible for Mayoral Relief Fund?
• Council's In-person Services Closed
• Need To Reach Out - Coronavirus COVID-19?
• New Nowra Fringe Planning Controls
• Mobile Recovery Hubs Cancelled
• Earth Hour 2020
• Online Briefing For Recovery Contractors
• Shoalhaven Arts Grants Now Open

Click here for details

"Editor's Notes: We encourage from you (our readers), any comments as feed back to improve  this blogspot or providing important  likes and or recommendations. We also encourage sharing this post to your friends and/or families, spreading this 'post' further into our wonderful world"

NSW Government News - This Week

Click here for Water Flows into Menindee Lakes

Click here for Brewery Industry Booming Across NSW

Click here for $217M Boost for Emergency Communications

Click here for New Music And Arts Festival Announcement

Click here for 2020 NSW Women Of The Year Awards

Click here for $15M in Grants for Community Energy Projects

Have your say with NSW Plastics Plan

What's on at Blue Mountains Portraits

Blacktown City Council - Media Release - Blacktown Arts Announces People’s Choice Prize Winner

6 February 2020

Sydney artist Sara Sohrabian has taken out the Blacktown

City Art Prize People’s Choice Prize and the $1,000 prize 

money for her mixed media work.

More than 530 works were submitted for the Blacktown City 

Art Prize, and Sara’s work, I am in a relationship with the 

sun was one of the 114 works exhibited in the Leo Kelly 

Blacktown Arts Centre between 30 November 2019 - 25 

January 2020.

Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said the 

community has chosen an exceptional artwork. 

“We had a record number of entries for the 2019 Blacktown 

City Art Prize,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

“It was a tough choice for the community to make with 114 

works on display but they have chosen an exceptional piece.”

The People’s Choice Prize gave the local community the 

opportunity to participate in the judging of a category (the 

People’s Choice prize) in one of the most prestigious art 

competitions held in Western Sydney.

The Blacktown City Art Prize attracts the best artistic talent 

from across the country, with a significant number of entries 

submitted by local artists and 19 per cent of finalists being 

from the Blacktown area.

Blacktown resident, Jamie Eastwood, was awarded the 2019 

Blacktown City Art Prize in December for his mixed media 

artwork titled made ‘Blacktown Native Institution 1823-2018 

Then and Now’.

Sara Sohrabian with curator Paul Howard

Sara Sohrabian’s I am in a relationship with the sun

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