Portrait Competition – Exhibition
We would like to thank AGL for their support in this exhibition.
Showing at the Burra Regional Art Gallery building in the main gallery space during March 31st to April 27th of 2011. Opens on Saturday April 2nd at 5:30pm.
[John Millard of Crystal Brook will have his work cut out. No-one envies him the job of judging this competition.]
This exhibition has not been judged or opened yet, but is hanging waiting for the fun to start. Kerry is taking photos….
Burra Regional Art Gallery is fortunate to know and show enthusiastic artists prepared to place themselves “on the line” with portrait entries, understanding full well how folks love a likeness. Well, here we go…
The entry welcoming the visitor is Julie Wilson’s “Boys on the Couch”. The boys, with their soft brown eyes and alert expressions, never mind that one of them is a whippet in a blue satin ribbon and the other a handsome and intelligent young man of about fourteen.
Julie Wilson - Boys on the Couch - Oil - $2000
A wall of three portraits by Christine Ball greets you as you progress, then a respectful and heart-warming view by Glenys Christopher of a much loved Burra identity tellingly titled “The Boss”. And Natalia Yandell’s “Tommy”, tough and earthy.
Christine Ball - The Violinist 1 - Pastel - $450
Glenys Christopher - The Boss - Pastel - $650 // won the Goyder Greats Prize of $500
Natalia Yandell - Tommy - Pastel & Charcoal - $400
The photography section follows with works by Dick Cleland (a photo of one determined little curly-headed grandson) and a photograph of Dick by the sharp eyed, perceptive Helen, challenging as always with her view of the happenings around her.
Dick Cleland - Photograph
Helen Cleland - (untitled) - Photograph
Dick Cleland - Bob - Photograph
Here is Kaye-Leigh Cunningham’s girl-child, in possession of her space and her place in the world, seemingly unaware that there is a person making photographs close by.
Kaye-Leigh Cunningham - (untitled) // won the Photography Prize of $200
Heike Dargusch’s graphite contributions, two portraits of young children, both with her trademark compositional intrigue.
Heike Dargusch - Graphite
We travel further… Adrienne Matthews has painted “Anita” looking into the sun with an intensity that shows the energetic and practical person we know her to be. Yet the eyes disturb as sight pierces the dust and glare. Adrienne has also given us our “other”, a portrait of one from the world of speechlessness and special qualities “Through my Eyes” – and the eyes are different colours!
Adrienne Matthews - (untitled)
Adrienne Matthews - Anita - Acrylic - $500
Chris Alway’s “Lilly” – a wild woman with feathers in her hair, a sensuous and confronting gaze, leaning forward to dispute a point. How much can you take from a portrait without making it up? See what you think.
Chris Alway - Lilly - Pastel // won the Open Prize of $500
Homeward stretch: Roslyn Batten’s “Darryl”, a tower of strength in our community, the colour blue very much in evidence, symbolic of spirituality – a fascinating choice. Well seen, Roszi.
Roslyn Batten - Darryl - Oil
Still a way to go.
Valerie Veitch has entered two paintings, with thought and humour and beautifully rendered. A “Goyder Great”, with Goyder himself showing the way.
Valerie Veitch - Goyder and his Line - Acrylic - $120
Valerie Veitch - ...Do I Have a Cute Expression on my Face? - Acrylic - $150
Christian Vocke’s light touch, “Girl with Flower” is eminently buyable; go for it folks. The technique is something else. How is it done? Can anyone figure?
Christian Vocke - Girl with Flower
Alex Dent’s “Self Portrait in Flash Yellow Sunglasses”; yes, the title says it all. A shaded face, he is looking at ME through frightening black-rimmed glasses and wearing the following accessories: perched hat, bead earrings and a blatantly feminist necklace.
Alex Dent - Self Portrait in Flash Yellow Sunglasses
Where can we go from here but UP.
John Taylor’s “Self Portrait in a Cold Studio”, a chilly Rembrandtesque study with the darks and lights in full evidence.
John Taylor - Self Portrait in a Cold Studio - Oil - $500
Barbara Cannon in her portraits of young women uses the colours of emotion, creating exercises in glamour with all the insecurities that entails.
Barbara Cannon - Feeling Blue - Oil - $250
Barbara Cannon - Dear Amy - Acrylic - $350
Barbara Cannon - Famous - Acrylic - $450
Suzanne Tilley’s dramatic colour-based images “Attitude” and “A Touch of Red” – lovely loose painting and lots of ideas jostling for expression. She handles it.
Suzanne Tilley - I Have Attitude - Acrylic - $240
Suzanne Tilley - A Touch of Red - Acrylic - $700
Then comes Jen Searle – smooth and referential imagery; the painting technique justifies the subject matter. Who are these people? Why, Clark Gable and,,, who’s that guy with the cards? Very “tongue-in-cheek”.
Jen Searle - Gable - Oil - $355
Jen Searle - W.C.Fields - Oil - $455
Last of all, a fitting finale, Mary Warnes, a CWA identity. There’s no doubt of that but here she is as a young woman of twenty, painted and also rendered in papier mache by Lis Jones Ingman, from a recently discovered photo. Can she be a “Goyder Great” before she did what she did? It’s for you to decide…
Lis Jones Ingman - Mary Warnes in Gilt Frame - Acrylic - $450
Lis Jones Ingman - Mary Warnes Larger than Life
Lis Jones Ingman - Mary Warnes Larger than Life - Paper Mache
Artivist, April Fools Day, 2011.