“ICONS & IDOLS” 

Portrait Artists Australia presents an exhibition of works on the theme of fame and celebrity.

Venue: The ArtHouse Hotel, Sydney.

Exhibition Dates: 6-16th November 2006

Opening Night: 6.30-8.30 pm, Monday 6^th November

Guest Speaker: John Mangos

ICONS & IDOLS subjects include: Barry Humphries, Bill Rankin, Phillip Cox, Ernie Dingo, John So, Jimmy Little, Graeme Bell, Lloyd McDermott, Smokey Dawson & Dot, Mike Tyler, Sir James Hardy, John Mangos and many more….

painting of Smokey Dawson and Dot – by artist Ann Cape

“Courtroom Faces.”

Exhibition Dates: 1^st March – 27^th April 2006: 

Opening Night: Friday 10^th March

Guest Speaker: The Honourable Roddy Meagher.

Venue: Buena Vista Bar & Bistro, 14^th Floor of the Supreme Court, Queens Square Sydney.

(invitation image – portrait of Roddy Meagher by Constance Farquharson)

Promo for the exhibition featuring Maria Venutti, Nafisa Naomi, Robyn Ross, and various wildlife from Taronga Zoo.

:

“Fur & Feathers: Friend Or Foe.”

September– October 2005: Annual Exhibition:

Opening Night: Monday 26^th September.

Guest Speaker: Maria Venutti

Venue: The ArtHouse Hotel, 275 Pitt St. Sydney.

Invitation image – “Maria Venutti” by artist Nafisa Naomi

 (Photo – L-R: artists Robyn Ross, Jiawei Shen, Nafisa Naomi, with Ambassador Ron Ramsey, Embassy Staff Lori Hogan)

15^th May 2005. A Special Reception at the Australian Embassy in Washington: On the last afternoon of the Portrait Society of America’s Annual Conference, three hundred PSA Delegates were transported by coach from the conference centre to the Australian Embassy. Cultural Ambassador Ron Ramsey and the Cultural Projects Officer Lori Hogan welcomed the guests.

Guest Speakers:  Mark Pachter, Director of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, and Ron Ramsey, Australian Cultural Ambassador.

Exhibition Catalogue: Sally Robinson.

10 of the 30 Exhibiting PAA artists flew to Washington for the 2005 Macquarie International PAA exhibition: Jaiwei Shen; Constance Farquharson; Robyn Ross; Nafisa Naomi; Janis Lander; Julie Ballis; Li Bao Hua; Paul Newton; Yoli Salmona; Evert Ploeg.

On the last afternoon of the Portrait Society of America’s Annual Conference, three hundred PSA Delegates were transported by coach from the conference centre at Reston Virginia, to the Australian Embassy in Washington for the function, and to view works by their Australian counterparts.

The Australian artists had attended the 3-day PSA Convention, including lectures and demonstrations, as well as a gala dinner. Both Nafisa Naomi and Paul Newton had won awards in the International section of the PSA annual exhibitions, which stimulated interest in the emerging PAA group.

The PAA function at the Australian Embassy gave the American portrait artists an opportunity to view a different approach to the genre.

Some of the artists with Marc Pachter, Director of the National Portrait Gallery Washington DC
L-R  Yoli Salmona, Kerry McInnis, Evert Ploeg, Marc Pachter, Robyn Ross, Paul Newton, Jiawei Shen

April-May 2005: The Macquarie International Portrait Artists Australia Exhibition at the Embassy of Australia, Washington D.C.

The invitation to the Maquarie International Portrait Artists Australia exhibition 2005 Washington DC

The Official Opening: Anzac Day April 21st  2005 

Speaker: Ron Ramsey, Cultural Ambassador

The exhibition of 30 works became the focal point of the commemorative functions held during April, drawing praise for the high standard of the works and the variety of stylistic approaches. The 130 guests present at each of the Embassy black-tie dinners were delighted to be surrounded by the beautiful art, and many came back for a second visit with their friends.

A Special Reception, 15th May 2005

Although the artists were not present for the official Anzac Opening in Washington D.C. 12 artists flew over to the US and   joined the Ambassador Ron Ramsay at the Australian Embassy on the 15th May for the Special Reception, held in honour of the Australian artists, along with 300 delegates from the American Portrait Society Convention, held that week in Reston Virginia.