Mudgee Arts Council opened its Country Living exhibition on Friday night, filling the Stables gallery with around 100 works by local artists.
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The room overflowed with patrons who were impressed with the talent and the variety of work on display, in the Arts Council’s first exhibition since 2012.
Arts Council president Sam Paine welcomed guests and said he was pleased with the success of the show, which had drawn work from both well-known and new local artists.
Looking to the future, he announced that the organisation’s 2015 exhibition would be on the theme of “Home” and would be held next July.
He thanked Arts Council volunteer Virginia Moffat, who had worked tirelessly over recent months to prepare the exhibition, and her helpers over the days leading up to the opening, who had assisted her in installing council’s new hanging system for the gallery, and collecting and hanging artwork.
The prize for best hanging art was judged by Orana Arts regional development officer Alicia Leggett, master potter Chester Nealie judged the ceramics/sculpture, and portrait photographer David Anderson judged the photography.
The prize for best hanging art went to Ruth Gobbitt, for a set of four pieces entitled Bocoble Winter I-IV, using striking and unusual techniques to represent the texture of gum tree bark.
Miriam Cullen, Ross Kurtz and Louise Windeyer were highly commended in the hanging art category.
Virginia Moffat won the prize for best piece of sculpture/ceramics, and judge Chester Nealie said he had not known the work had been created by the exhibition’s co-ordinator, but had been impressed by its unity and control and the statement it made about the landscape and environment the artist loves.
Claire Locker, Libby Bloxham and Sue Foldhazy were highly commended for their sculpture and ceramic pieces.
The prize for best photography went to Lorraine Gratton for her photo of a blacksmith in his workshop, and Simone Kurtz was highly commended.
Charles Smith’s Bushfire Season was voted the people’s choice on opening night.
Chester Nealie said he considered it a particularly strong exhibition, with a number of outstanding works in every category.
He said artists had managed to create work that was strong and unified, and the number of pieces had filled the gallery to capacity.
Country Living will be open at the Stables every day until June 29.