ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Portraiture has been a recurring theme in my work since 1992. My early exhibitions were concerned mainly with the human form and relationships. For a time from 1999 I began to explore the natural world through portrayal of the landscape and the creatures that are part of it. I was drawn back to portraiture in 2004 when commissioned to produce a work commemorating a company dinner which involved composing a group portrait of over 50 people. Since then I have been concerned with form and the layers that develop over time to create that form both in the landscape and in portraiture. With portraiture every face is fascinating, individual in its variation of shape and contour. The aim is to portray the imprint of time and emotion on the eyes or the set of the mouth. I use a combination of sittings and photography working intuitively.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2014 Planned exhibitions in conjunction with Brian Roberts: March: Reflections on the Hunter. Cessnock Regional Gallery, and September: New Works, Art Systems Wickham, Newcastle
2010 Progression, in conjunction with Brian Roberts, Maitland Regional Art Gallery
2009 Islands of Hope, Ivy Hill Gallery, Wapengo, NSW
2008 Tree, Gallery Adagio, Sydney
National Trust Portraits, 9 artist charity exhibition, Brough House, Maitland
2006 Recent Paintings, Gallery 460, Gosford
2007 nyon Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland
2005 A Fragile Land, John Miller Galleries, Newcastle
2005 – Part of the Landscape # 3, Breewood Galleries, Richmond
2004 Undercurrents, curated by Gavin Wilson, in conjunct ion with Brian Roberts and Therese Kening Regional Gallery, Taree
2003 Part of the Landscape # 2, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, Swan Hill, Victoria
Part of the Landscape, Breewood Galleries, Richmond
2001 Reasonable Use, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
From the Forest to the Foreshore, The Private Gallery, Sydney
2000 Connections, Breewood Galleries, Leura
1999 Forest Fragments, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1998 Paintings, The Private Gallery, Sydney
1997 Players on the Board, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1995 Paintings and Drawings, von Bertouch Galleries
Saying Goodbye to Yesterday, Kenthurst Gallery, Sydney
1994 Drawn From Life, Kenthurst Gallery, Sydney
1992 Images in Transition, Man The Long, Long Road, John Miller Galleries, Newcastle
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012 Forsythes’ Collectors Care, also 2011) Front Room Gallery, Newcastle Art School TAFE
2010 Finalist, Shirley Hannan National Portrait Awards, Bega Regional Gallery
2009 Unsung Heroes, Portrait Artists Australia, Parliament House, Canberra
2009 Newcastle by Name II, the final exhibition at John Miller Galleries, Newcastle
2008 Forsythes Collectors Care, Front Room Gallery, Newcastle Art School, TAFE
2007 Unlocked II, John Paynter Gallery, Newcastle
2007 Forsythes Collectors Care, Front Room Gallery, Newcastle Art School, TAFE
2006 Finalist, John Leslie Art Prize – Land, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale
2005 The 10th Sydney Art on Paper Fair, Sydney, with John Miller Galleries
2005 Samaritan’s Collectors Care, TAFE Gallery, Newcastle
2004 Finalist John Leslie Art Prize – Art Refers to Environment, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale
The Artesian Art Prize, John Miller Galleries, Newcastle
2003 Selections from the Anne von Bertouch Collection, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
2003 Wanderings, Selected Work by Maitland Artists, Maitland City Art Gallery
2003 Inaugural Exhibition, Portrait Artists Australia, Arthouse Hotel, Sydney
2003 Collectors Choice,von Bertouch Galleries, (the final CC). Also 1993-2002
2002 Finalist Swan Hill Print and Drawing Acquisitive Awards, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, Victoria
Bridging the Divide, Maitland City Art Gallery
2001 Finalist Portia Geach Memorial Award, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2001 Centenary of Federation, MaitlandCityArtGallery, Maitland
2000 Newcastle – Ube 20th Anniversary Exhibition, Ube, Japan
2000 Brave New World? A Statement, Maitland City Art Gallery
1999 Redlands Westpac Art Prize, Mosman City Art Gallery, Sydney
1999 Thoughts on the End of the Second Millennium, Maitland City Art Gallery
1998 The Elements, Inaugural Exhibition, Akky van Ogtrop Fine Art Gallery, Sydney
1997 Tyrrell’s Triumph – Another Dimension, Maitland City Art Gallery
1997 Tomago House, a Celebration through Art, Tomago House then von Bertouch Galleries
1995 Finalist Portia Geach Memorial Award, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
1994 Finalist Portia Geach Memorial Award, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
1994 Newcastle Bight Environmental Art Award, von Bertouch Galleries;
1994 Mosman Art Prize, Adjudicator’s Selection, Sydney
1993 Selections, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle;
1993 Aspects of Love, Kenthurst Gallery, Kenthurst
1993 Survey of Women Artists of the Hunter Region, Maitland City Art Gallery
1992 Finalist Portia Geach Memorial Award, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
1992 Mosman Art Prize, Adjudicator’s Selection, Sydney
1992 Nudes and other Animals, Duke of Wellington Gallery, Sydney
AWARDS
2011 Acquisition Award, Forsythes Collectors Care, Newcastle
2006 Tea Gardens Grange, Open Section
2004 The Banool Conservation Art Prize, Scone
2004 Artesian Art Prize, John Miller Galleries, Newcastle, Second Prize
2002 Sydney Royal Arts Show, Figurative Painting
1997 Maitland Art Prize, Print and Drawing Prize, acquisitive
1996 Newcastle Regional Art Prize, Drawing
Singleton Art Prize, Open Contemporary Section
1994 Scone Art Prize, Open Section
1994 Walkom Manning, Biennial Art Prize, Taree, Best Painting
1994 Singleton Art Prize, Open Contemporary
1994 Maitland Art Prize, Drawing Prize, acquisitive
1993 Northholme Art Prize, Drawing and Mixed Media
COLLECTIONS
Maitland Regional Gallery; Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery; Forsythes, Newcastle; Donaldson Coal Pty Ltd, Sydney;
Coalbridge Pty Ltd, Newcastle; Ellemby Resources Pty Ltd, Maitland; ABN Amro, Brisbane;
Private Collections in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, the UK and the U.S.A.
COMMISSIONS
Donaldson Coal Pty Ltd, Ellemby Resources Pty Ltd, various commissions for private collections.