Talent on display at art and photography exhibition

The Gunnedah Art and Photography Pavilion was full last Thursday night with attendees, special guests and talent.

While this year’s exhibition looked a little different from past years, with the introduction of including Ag Shows NSW Dryland Field Wheat Competition, and changing the event to Thursday night, it was no less impressive.

“We’ve moved it to Thursday night instead of Friday and I think that’s helped us a lot because people aren’t coming to the show, people are coming for the art and the photography,” art convenor Maree Kelly said.

“I think the addition of the ag awards was really good, [competition winners] can get a little bit lost depending on the cycle of where your show comes in the program of the year. We’ve always promoted it but tonight was just a little bit more special I think.”

Maree was extremely pleased with how the exhibition went.

From entries and talent to people showing up, she emphasised how important it is to keep pavilions at shows alive.

“We had a great attendance, think it was fantastic and the vibe in the room was absolutely elevated,” Maree said.

“I often tell this story, I failed art at school, but I won the art prize at the show when I was 18 or 19 and it gave me the confidence to get involved with it again and create opportunities for young people.

“These shows are really important, there’s a lot of people that don’t go into art galleries, but they will come to the local show and will spend hours in here just looking at stuff.

“We’ve always had a very strong arts community, and I think it’s still there.”

This year’s art winners included Louise Hill who took out the grand champion prize for her piece ‘Through the Reflection’.

Helen Stanley placed first in painting for her artwork ‘Elegance’, Karen Turner got first in drawing for ‘Feeding Time’, Eileen Mair received first place in print making for her work ‘Show Pony’, while Cat Long took out first place in 3D for her display ‘Banksia’.

‘Our Place’ winner was Geoff Norris for ‘Storm Over Spring Mountain’, Juli Ross won first place with ‘Violet Vessel’ in Creative Pottery, and Allison Cox won first place in the Novice section for her work ‘Tulips No.3’.

Guest art judge Beatrice Waller was impressed with both quantity and quality of art.

Beatrice is the operations and engagement officer at Region Arts NSW and has a special connection to Gunnedah through her parents.

She explained how important exhibitions at shows like Gunnedah are, saying it can inspire people to take up art and feel less intimidated about getting their work out.

“The quality is so high overall, but it was so difficult to choose any sort of winner because they’re so diverse and really different, and they’ve got sort of their own merits but it was really special to see that range,” Beatrice said.

“As a young person, entering into the show and getting that encouragement was very pivotal, I would say it’s one of the formative experiences of my youth that encouraged me to go to art school and to pursue the arts as a career.

“I think there are a lot of artists in small towns that don’t necessarily have the confidence to try and exhibit in more traditional spaces, but they have the confidence to enter here…and their work is of the standard for a gallery, but this is an environment that’s comfortable for them.

“Having that opportunity to exhibit, to sell work, is extremely important and it hopefully encourages them to keep going and also maybe look at exhibiting in more formal spaces.

“Like we see here tonight, it just brings people together. That’s what the arts always does.”

The photography section proved to be just as successful, with 65 entries this year and an impressive grand champion winner.

Paul Mathews, the photography convenor, was blown away by grand champion Elodie Warren.

The 11-year-old blew the Walkley Award winner away with her photo, “Skywalker”.

Elodie took the photo on her phone, and using her skills from years of gymnastics, she captured a photo that bends the mind and called into question the use of AI.

“I was very happy, it’s one of the better nights I’ve had and I think it’s because we finished on a high note with Elodie Warren, who has taken a picture that we’re all gobsmacked about and won the grand champion,” Paul said.

“I think it was the best because of the creativity, you can tell a good photo is a good photo, but a really good photo kind of pushes the boundaries of how your brain interprets it.

“I love her thinking and you know that she knows her brain is better than a computer and that is special.”

Paul was impressed with this year’s exhibition, saying it was one of the better shows he has been to in years.

Keeping the Gunnedah Show alive, as well as the art and photography pavilion, is important to Paul, who believes Gunnedah has a unique talent pool of photographers who deserve the chance to display their art.

“Shows like this are very important that they can display what their works are, you’ve got to remember Gunnedah has a unique group of photographers and it always stems from when you start to get a few good photographers here in the town,” Paul said.

“That exposure, bringing them here, people learn and they get better and all of a sudden you’ve got a group of very good photographers in the town.”