Lachlan Valley Biennial Art Awards

Thursday, May 13, 2021

ARTISTS FROM THE REGION ON SHOW AT THE COWRA REGIONAL ART GALLERY!

From Bathurst to Boorowa, from Orange to Young, from Grenfell to Parkes and Forbes, as well as, Cowra and everywhere in between, artists have been putting the finishing touches to their entries for the Lachlan Valley Biennial Art Awards 2021.

Presented by the Cowra Art Group in collaboration with the Cowra Regional Art Gallery (since the gallery opened in 2000) the Lachlan Valley Biennial Art Awards (formally “the Festival Art Exhibition”)  has been presented by the Cowra Art Group since 1986.

Over 100 entries have been received in 2021 and all participating artists have the opportunity to see their work displayed professionally in a purpose built regional public gallery. The judge this year is Emma Collerton, Curator, Bathurst Regional Art Gallery. 

The Major Prize Winner will be announced online via livestream on Wednesday 19 May 2021 at 5.30pm. To watch online, go to the Cowra Regional Art Gallery’s YouTube Channel. A recording of the event will be available to watch on the Gallery website at www.cowraartgallery.com.au/lvbaa-2021 at a later date.                                                                       

Exhibition dates are 20 May to 12 June 2021 and admission is free. The Cowra Regional Art Gallery is located at 77 Darling Street Cowra 2794. Gallery Hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 2pm to 4pm. For more information contact the Gallery administration on 63402190.

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For more information contact Brian Langer, Gallery Director, Cowra Regional Art Gallery on 0429072282 or email blanger@cowra.nsw.gov.au

Cowra Regional Art Gallery is a cultural facility of the Cowra Shire Council.

Calleen Art Award 2021

Saturday, May 1, 2021

ENTRIES NOW OPEN – CALLING ALL ARTISTS!

The Cowra Regional Art Gallery is pleased to announce entries are now open for the prestigious Calleen Art Award 2021 – acquisitive prize for painting open to established and emerging artists living and working in Australia 18 years and over. The Calleen Art Award was founded in 1977 by Art Patron Mrs Patricia Fagan OAM with the aim to support innovation, creativity and originality in the visual arts and is made possible by the generous support of the Calleen Trust.

The winner of the Calleen Art Award 2021 will be announced on Saturday 2 October 2021 and will receive $25,000 in prize money. The winning artwork will join the Calleen Collection at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery. All entries submitted will be presented to a panel of art professionals to select the shortlist of finalists for exhibition. An independent guest judge is invited to select the winner of the Calleen Art Award 2021 from the finalists.

An entered artwork must be an original and unaided painting by the artist in any painting medium including oil paint, acrylic or watercolour and produced in the last two (2) years prior to the closing date19 July 2021. A free exhibition of the short-listed works of art will take place at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery from 3 October to 21 November 2021. The exhibition also includes a People’s Choice Award of $1,000 supported by the Friends of the Gallery determined by votes from the public during the dates of the exhibition. This is announced at the end of the exhibition.  

All information to enter online can be found at the Gallery website link at www.cowraartgallery.com.au/calleen2021 or by telephoning the Gallery at (02) 6340-2190.  

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For more information contact Brian Langer, Gallery Director, Cowra Regional Art Gallery on 0429072282 or email blanger@cowra.nsw.gov.au

Cowra Regional Art Gallery is a cultural facility of the Cowra Shire Council.

John Gollings: the history of the built world.

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Final weeks until 9 May 2021 – a “must see” exhibition.

John Gollings is Australia’s pre-eminent photographer of the built environment. For the past 50 years he has been synthesising his joint interests in photography and architecture to explore the cultural construction of social spaces.

John Gollings: the history of the built world is the first major survey of Gollings’s photographic practice. While Gollings is well known for his documentation of new buildings and cityscapes, this survey exhibition situates these images within the broader context of his photographic practice. Alongside his commercial work, Gollings has always engaged in projects concerned with architectural history and heritage. This includes photographs of iconic modernist buildings, ancient sites of spiritual significance and the ruins of abandoned cities. Gollings’s interest in architectural heritage is also apparent in his documentation of places such as Melbourne and Surfers Paradise, where he has recorded the evolution of the built environment over extended periods of time.

Constantly innovating with photographic technologies, and investigating new architectural subjects with a restless enthusiasm, Gollings has developed a distinctive visual style. This style typically conveys a personal or physical connection with the structure being photographed. Rather than documenting buildings in a way that reproduces the impersonal elevation plans of an architectural diagram, Gollings embeds the viewer in face-to-face encounters with built environments. Using a range of compositional techniques and visual effects to invest architecture with personality, he portrays buildings as lively habitats rather than static monuments. John Gollings: the history of the built world is an MGA travelling exhibition. The exhibition closes 9 May 2021.

Cowra Regional Art Gallery is located at 77 Darling Street, Cowra, NSW, 2794
Open: Tues to Sat 10am – 4pm, Sun 2pm – 4pm – Admission free, www.cowraartgallery.com.au                                                 

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For more information contact Brian Langer, Gallery Director, Cowra Regional Art Gallery on 0429072282.

2021 Summer Art Workshops for Children

Friday, November 27, 2020

Our school holiday art workshops are designed to inspire young artists to develop and explore under the guidance of local artist tutors. The workshop program includes a range of art activities in a fun environment, as well as allowing for the development of individual skills.

Registration Form | Download PDF

Thursday 21 January 2021
ABORIGINAL INSPIRED FIBRE SCULPTURES with Libby Murray

In this workshop participants will explore the craft of fibre sculptures, inspired by the woven sculptures by Tjanpi Central Desert Weavers. These artists collect desert grass (tjanpi), wool, raffia and other objects to create quirky animal forms and beautiful baskets.

Session 1: 10am to 12pm – 7 to 9 year olds
Cost $15 – limit 8 participants (includes all  materials).

Session 2: 1pm to 3pm – 10 to 12 year olds. 
Cost $15 – limit 8 participants (includes all materials).

Friday 22 January 2021                         
MOSAIC CREATIONS with Catherine Bennett

A mosaic is a picture or pattern made by arranging small pieces of stone, tile, glass, and ceramics. In this workshop participants will create their own mosaic mirror artwork.  

Session 1: 9.30am to 12.30pm – 7 to 9 year olds
Cost $25 – limit 8 participants (includes all materials).
SOLD OUT

Session 2: 1pm to 4pm – 10 to 12 year olds                     
Cost $25 – limit 8 participants (includes all materials).

General Information

Bookings can be made by telephone on 6340 2190, however, only a completed registration form and payment will secure a workshop place. Only one registration form per child. Forms can be photocopied or a new form can be obtained by contacting the Gallery.

Remember workshop numbers are limited (See registration information). Places fill quickly. To avoid disappointment REGISTER EARLY.

Mail your registration form and payment (cheque or money order by mail – no cash) to:

Cowra Regional  Art Gallery
77 Darling Street Cowra NSW 2794
or hand deliver your form with your payment.

Enrolments cancelled after Tuesday 19 January 2021 will forfeit the workshop fee unless the position can be filled.

The Gallery reserves the right to combine classes if minimum enrolments are not reached. If a session is cancelled due to low enrolments prepaid fees will be refunded.

Where: The Nguluway Room (formerly Multipurpose Room), 77 Darling Street

Car parking: Car parking is located next to the Art  Gallery off Darling Street.

What to Wear: All participants are advised to wear appropriate old clothing or a smock and enclosed shoes. Participants should bring a snack and drink.

The organisers will not be responsible for any damage to clothing or loss of personal property.

upstART 2020 Award Winners

Saturday, November 21, 2020

The region’s foremost annual youth art exhibition upstART open to students studying art in Stages 5 and 6 opened last week on Saturday 21 November 2020 at 2.30pm. For the first time in the history of an upstART opening and awards ceremony the event was live-streamed on Facebook with a recording of the event to follow on the Gallery website.  

Cowra Shire Council Mayor Bill West opened the exhibition acknowledging the exceptional talent of the young artists in the exhibition. This was echoed by the judge for upstAR 2020 Dr Rowen Matthews artist, lecturer and previous art teacher. Rowen commented that he was astounded by the quality of the work and there were two areas that stood out quite well for him, these were photography and sculpture.

The upstART 2020 exhibition was supported by nine high schools from the region and the Gallery received over 90 artworks including paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, mixed media works and photographic works.  The participating schools for 2020 are Boorowa Central School, Canowindra High School, Cowra High School, Dubbo School of Distance Education, The Henry Lawson High School, Molong Central School, St Raphael’s Catholic School, Cowra and Young High School.

The award section of upstART 2020 received financial support from several local businesses, these were Webster Optometrists, The Vineyard Mote and Yellow House Cowra. Supplier of art materials to schools in the region eckersley’s Art and Craft provided gift vouchers for six winners. Finally, community donors were the Friends of the Gallery and the Cowra Art Group Inc. as well as a private benefactor.

This is a “must-see” exhibition and visitors will be delighted by the showcase of vibrant and interesting artworks on display. Visitors are also invited to vote for their favourite work and at the end of the exhibition the student whose work has the most votes will receive the People’s Choice Award supported by the Friends of the Gallery.

UpstART 2020 exhibition and awards for students in stages 5 and 6 from high schools in the region continues to Sunday 6 December 2020. The Cowra Regional Art Gallery is located at 77 Darling Street Cowra NSW 2794. Gallery hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm, Sunday 2pm – 4pm. Admission is free.

upstART 2020  Award Winners

Years 9/10, 11 & 12

Highly Commended Year 9/10: Louis Johnson, Cowra High School, Year 10

Winner Year 9/10: Sarah Richardson, Cowra High School, Year 10

Winner Year 11: Corey Beath, Cowra High School, Year 11

Winner Year 12:  Belle Wallace, Canowindra High School, Year 12

Open Section

Winner – Drawing:  Tillie Nottingham, Cowra High School, Year 12

Winner – Mixed Media: Camille McKenzie, Canowindra High School, Year 12

Highly Commended – Photography: Morgan Romer, Molong Central School, Year 12

Highly Commended – Photography: Arvin Mendoza, Young High School, Year 12

Winner – Photography: Brianna Hindmarch, Cowra High School, Year 12

Winner – Digital Art: Harry Hoolahan, Molong Central School, Year 12

Winner – Ceramics: Jayden Millar, St. Raphael’s Catholic School, Year 11

Highly Commended – Painting: Lilly Matthews, Molong Central School, Year 12

Winner – Painting: Korro Bangoura, Cowra High School, Year 12

Winner – Sculpture: Elliot Roberts, Cowra High School, Year 12

For more information contact the Gallery on 63402192