Summer Exhibition 2021 - 2022

This first exhibition of 2022 has mixed emotions for me. After another year of disruptions and uncertainty, its wonderful to see the gallery once again bursting with colour and creativity.

I want to acknowledge the amazing and significant contribution that Life member Suzanne Herschell has made over the past 5 years. Suzanne has been our “honourary curator” for members’ shows, and has provided me with an amazing education and development opportunity working with her mentoring and guidance. Always supported by Ron, Suzanne has tirelessly delivered show after show of wonderful members’ art, as well as represented the Academy as curator of the Parkin Drawing Prize. She is now spending more time at home with Ron, and is only ever a phone call away - my heartfelt thanks Suzanne!

So this has created an opportunity - artist members of the Exhibitions group Emily Harris and Rebecca Mooney put themselves forward to co-curate this show, an offer I readily supported. Below are Emily and Rebecca’s comments on the show - well done.

Summer brings warmth to the region and in turn creates opportunities for outdoor adventures, with people often drawn to water activities. This is reflected in the abundance of paintings of water on show, along with flowers, birds and boats.

As members of the Exhibitions team who install Academy exhibitions, we embraced the invitation to collaborate in the curation of the Summer Exhibition. It was an adventure and a privilege to group these works. Thank you to all the artists who put work forward; there are many outstanding artworks in this show.

For Curator’s Award we selected Karen Reid’s She Talks to Angels. The artists use of vibrant colour and balance of pattern was engaging. The work drawing us in and enticing feelings of a bright summers day.

Our Merit Award goes to Rick Allender for Apérture. In the highly skilled medium of marquetry we felt the artist showed great proficiency, originality, and a captivating contemporary design.

The President’s Award, selected by past President Jenny Shearer, is presented to Roger Daniell  for “Sculpted by Wind” and a Merit Award for Lee Robinson ‘Row of Vintage Oilers'.

And finally for an additional Merit Award I selected “High Noon - Mangaweka" by Bill MacCormick - I know this scene very well, and this work transports me back to a series of past “adventures" 

Rob Sullivan

Exhibitions
January 2022