Exhibition Dates: Tuesday 22nd January till Sunday 24th February 2019
Opening Event: Wednesday 23rd January 7pm for a 7:30pm start.
Current Fellows: Moreen Neil, Joanne Heath, Joan Cooper, Graham W Smith, Irene McKean, Don Hamilton, Esther Austin, Glen Gillard, Penelope Gilbert-NG, Max Butler, Dr Kay Kane, Peter Hubbard, Greg de Silva, Beverley Tainton, Frances Rowland-Wregg, Ruby Eaves, Dr Christine Kirkegard.
Past Fellows: Dr Irene Amos, Margaret Olley, George D. Williamson, Ada Ludlow, Marry Norrie, Charles Ludlow, Audrey Gibbs, Phyllis Scheider, Dr Grahame Readshaw, Win Robbins, Brian Williams, Margaret Raymond.
Petrie Terrace Gallery is proud to be hosting the RQAS Fellows Exhibition! Fellowship with the RQAS is a prestigious honor bestowed upon those who’s professional talent and personal commitment have made a significant contribution to the arts!
The RQAS would like to acknowledge those who have graciously lent us work from private and public collections to enable us to show our past fellows.
With special thanks to The Ipswich Art Gallery for the loan of “Still Life, 1986” By Margaret Olley.
Please join us on the opening night or get along to Petrie Terrace Gallery to see this fantastic show!
John Ruskin (a skilled Victorian water-colourist and art critic ) described it as “that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together.” This definition encapsulates Kay Kane’s approach to her art.
Her paintings and drawings exemplify the skill and dexterity required to create art works which, through composition which combines juxtaposition of shape, line, colour and tone to uncover natural beauty, aesthetic purity, knowledge and truth.
Among other pieces, Kay will exhibit the culmination of her life’s work so far, a mammoth 5-panel piece “The Restoration of Venus” (1.6 m (h) X 8.00 m (w) which shows a panorama of traditional nudes integrated into Queensland’s Springbrook landscape.
Kay Kane studied at the prestigious St Martins School of Art and the Central School of Art and Design in London. She attained her Doctorate Fine Art at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University where she taught life drawing for 18 years. Her work has been exhibited, in solo and group exhibitions internationally.
Honouring Tradition isKay’s first solo exhibition in Australia after a 45-year career as fine art practitioner and teacher. It will display a collection of representational nudes, portraits, still lifes, Queensland landscape paintings and drawings created over the last decade.
Get along to Petrie Terrace Gallery to see this fantastic show!
Opening event: Thursday 8th November 7pm for a 7:30 start.
Floor Talk: Saturday 10th November 2pm.
Celebrated Australian Artist Kay Kane mounted her solo exhibition “Honouring Tradition” at our own Petrie Terrace Gallery this week, this is Kay’s first solo exhibition in Australia and she’ll be exhibiting works spanning her 45-year career. Among the 49 works on display there will be portraits, still life, landscapes and figurative works including the seminal piece “Restoration of Venus”.
“Restoration of Venus” centre panel.
This 9-metre work comprises 5 panels and fills an entire wall in the gallery. Originally created for her doctorate, this monumental work depicts a series of female nudes in an Australian landscape. Employing exceptional compositional nuance and subtle moments of abstraction within the classical form, Dr Kane evokes beauty and sublimity in the scene rendering a sense of quiet and calm. The position of the subjects and the recurring motifs found in the angle of branches, flow of the figures and the position of hands guides the viewer through this scene with a natural ease not easily achieved in such a large and ambitious piece.
“Restoration of Venus” is underpinned by Dr Kane’s theoretical exploration into the depiction of feminine beauty in light of the attitudes adopted by 20th century modernists and the subversion of the female nude in popular culture. You can flick through Dr Kane’s Exegesis available for viewing during the run of this show. Or find it online here.
This is the first time ‘Restoration of Venus’ has been exhibited since it’s showing in Crane Galleries Philadelphia, USA in 2013. Don’t miss your chance to see this amazing piece in person!
Join us for the opening on Thursday 8th November 7pm for a 7:30pm start or come by on Saturday 10th November 2pm for a floor talk by the artist herself.
Exhibition continues until Saturday 17th November, private viewings and outside of hours appointments available on request please contact our Gallery Director – Rochelle Lindquist (07) 3367 1977.
Now in its 128th year the RQAS Members Annual is our longest running exhibition, this year’s show comprises of one hundred and twenty-seven artworks exhibited by 63 RQAS Brisbane Branch artists. The exhibition was curated with style and flair by former gallery director of Petrie Terrace Gallery Peter Hubbard and award-winning artist Meredith Howse.
The exhibition was officially opened on the evening of Wednesday 27th by Professor John Kane with a rousing speech, and some words by RQAS President Marg Thomas. The pair also treated the crowd to some live music stylings with Marg on the piano and John on vocals. The opening event was a major success with over 100 people in attendance.
The difficult task of judging the outstanding collective exhibition was undertaken by award-winning artists Denis Brockie and Richard Blundell who commented on the diversity and quality of the work displayed.
Best Artwork Prize was awarded to Vivienne Searle for “Yellow-scape” the judges commented “The work is bold, assured and unfussy. The artist has united the piece with harmonious earth colours that evoke connotations of landscape and yet there is a looseness, a spontaneity. The work is strong yet unpretentious.”
The Youth Prize which was open to all exhibiting artists 30 and under was awarded to Daniel Sherington for “Transition 4” which the judges said showcased “strong draughtsmanship” and went on to comment “this delightfully off-beat work evokes a graceful energy”
First Prize in Section 1 (Works on Canvas or Board) was awarded to David Ladley for “The Beach Goers” The judges commented, “The work has a strong painterly treatment that comfortably carries the narrative”.
Second Prize in Section 1 (Works on Canvas or Board) went to Casey Charles for his charmingly sardonic piece “Not Impressed”. The Judges commented, “The piece is executed with assurance; the artist has nailed the expression”.
First Prize in Section 2 (Works on Paper) was awarded to Kathy Sullivan for her piece “Unfurling” which the judges called “technically magnificent”.
Second Prize in Section 2 (Works on Paper) was taken out by Tony Walker for his expressive work “Newstead Wharf” of which the judges said, “an interesting scene masterfully handled”.
First Prize in Section 3 (Photography and Digital Art) was awarded to Vanessa Bertagnole for her thought-provoking work “Brisbane Car Wash” the judges commented it was “a most interesting image which requires a good look to comprehend”
Second Prize in Section 3 (Photography and Digital) was taken out by Carel Thysse for “Medicine Dance Trevi, Italy”. The judges noted “The work draws on complex imagery to evoke an old-world tradition”
First Prize in Section 4 (Sculpture) was awarded to Susan Margaret for “Sweetly Sings the Bird”.
Second Prize in Section 4 (Sculpture) went to Bill Gale for “Introspection”.
Such was the quality of the work exhibited that the judges felt the following highly commended awards should be given out.
Highly Commended in Section 1 (Works on Canvas and Board) was awarded to Christine Groh for “Just for a Walk” the judges called it “Exotic and delightful.”
Highly Commended in Section 2 (Works on Paper) was taken out by Wilna Ten Cate for “Olga” the Judges comments were “A difficult medium handled well.”
And finally, a Highly Commended was awarded to Joanne Heath for “Dance of The Red Balloon 2” of which the judges commented “The work is other-worldly and mysterious”
The 128th RQAS Members Annual continues the tradition of celebrating our organisation and our artists with exemplary work.
Exhibition continues until Friday 13th July, drop by the gallery Tuesday through Sunday to see this fantastic show or book an out of hours private viewing through our gallery directors Rochelle Lindquist and Vashti-Sita Bardsley.