WARRNAMBOOL’S annual art show raised thousands of dollars at the weekend for the proposed regional cancer care centre.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It started with a gala opening on Friday night attended by about 300 people, including Premier and South West Coast MP Denis Napthine and former ABC Radio presenter Derek Guille who officially opened the event.
Hundreds more visited on Saturday and yesterday to admire the 400 paintings by more than 100 artists. By the time doors closed yesterday about 40 of the works had been sold for more than $23,000. Commission from those sales, plus admission tickets and donations, went towards the Peter’s Project cancer centre appeal.Co-organiser Roger Cussen, of Rotary Club of Warrnambool East, said it was a fantastic response.
”It has demonstrated strong community support for Peter’s Project,” he said.
Judge David Higgins, of Warrnambool, awarded the best exhibit prize to Do Noble, of Doveton, for Creek Concerto. Other prizes were: best oil and acrylic, Ocean Breakers, by June Ripper, of Mount Waverley; best pastel, Shades of Blue Kakadu, by Nancy Thulby, of Glen Iris; best water colour, Eastern Swamphens, by Jan Long, Eaglepoint; and best other medium, Ned Kelly rail to Euroa, by Trevor Holder, of Warrnambool. Holder’s work was a three-dimensional abstract interpretation of the infamous bushranger, with Kelly’s face a tree stump.
“It’s a play on words that Ned Kelly was a man of the bush,” Holder told The Standard. “I like people to be able to touch and feel my works, which have material I pick up at the beach.
“Many of my paintings are large, some measuring three by two metres, which I paint on the floor.” For the 61-year-old retired school teacher it’s a passion he developed at a younger age, but had to set aside for work.
“I’ve been retired six years and can now devote my time to art,” he said. “When I was younger I had a choice, to teach or starve, so I chose teaching.
“One of my mentors in the early days was famous Melbourne abstract impressionist Gareth Sansom.
“Many of my works are based on scenes I saw in Europe, including the Greek Islands, Italy and France.
“My next exhibition will open on November 29 at Basalt Gallery in Killarney and run over summer.”
pcollins@fairfaxmedia.com.au
