Changing Perspectives 109th MSWPS Annual Exhibition
2018 Changing Perspectives Exhibition, as one member quoted, “It is the best exhibition we have had.”
This says an immense amount about the enthusiasm, variety, quality, presentation and quantity of artworks showcased in the latest MSWPS exhibition.
With many thanks to Judge Jock Clutterbuck and Guest Speaker Deborah Klein the MSWPS Committee have excelled in organising, promoting and displaying the one hundred and seventeen superb member artworks including an Elegant Afternoon Tea on 11th October and Exhibition Opening on 7th October.
Professional Australian Sculptor and Printmaker, Jock Clutterbuck presented eight awards to members.
Please read his accompanying notes below:
Somewhere in the 1930’s the noted English arts writer Roger Fry made the observation that “an artwork has had its effect on us before we notice it”.
What he was alluding to is the fact that our conscious awareness is the last of our responses to be awakened by an artwork. It has already had an effect on our subconscious, an effect on our “flight or fight” instinctive reaction and an effect on our emotional center by the time we get around to consciously making an assessment of it.
All of these reactions go to make up the Presence of a work, in a nutshell, how much of all the artist’s responses has he or she brought into the present moment, the clearing or meeting place between artist and viewer.
Jo Reitze gathers our attention in the moment and holds it so that we are transfixed by her”Front Garden in Autumn” and we are really there with her.
Vicki Sullivan, uses oil paint with great skill, the horses in her “Lighthorse Walers and Kangaroo Feathers” come alive; we can sense their aliveness and vitality.
Gillian Lodge paints a sublime ideational dream world in her “St Modomocs Bellarine Bees”, the foliage and the grass, bwattle blossom and bees are all painted with an other worldly dream like clarity.
Robyn Pridham creates a beautifully muted abstract “Scrubby Series no 2, which holds together with real emotional rigour, balancing on a razors edge.
Carmel O’connor constructs a tough whimsical piece of theatre with “Darlington Puppeteers” an enigmatic space frame which holds our attention and sense of mystery.
Good solid drawing and draughtsmanship lifts Sue Jarvis‘s “Lion Dance Lunar New Year” into the group of six works which are my choice as Highly Commended works.
It is the broad sweeping energy and gusto of Susan Sambell’s “Timeless Land” which make it my standout choice for the Annie Davison Oliver Award.
and I have chosen Jan Martin’s “Sunset, Lakes Entrance” for the Danks Trust Award. It is a fine example of the technique of watercolour being harnessed to deliver a real emotional charge to the recording of a sublime boating moment in the sunset at Lakes Entrance.
Jock Clutterbuck, October 8
Thanks Joan Richard for the Opening Day Photos and Sue Jarvis for the exhibition overview photos.
