Balco Balaklava Art Prize 2018

The historic Balaklava Courthouse built in 1913 was converted into an art gallery in 1991 and since then has held a wide range of exhibitions from South Australian artists and crafts people. Its annual exhibition is the Balco Balaklava Art Prize, which has been held continually for the past 28 years and has provided a wonderful opportunity for local artists in all stages of their development to exhibit their works.

I have exhibited paintings there over the past four years, but this is the first year I was delighted to be awarded the prize for most outstanding piece. The painting was entitled ‘Sunlight on a Flooded Plain’ in which I sought to capture that wonderful moment when sunlight suddenly breaks through the clouds to totally change the appearance of the rural landscape in winter. I was particularly pleased to have the work judged by artist Katie Wyatt who continues to gain recognition in the art world through her own bold landscapes.

 With Balco business development director Malcolm May and judge Katie Wyatt

Watershed Art Prize 2018

It was wonderful once again to be included as a finalist in the 2018 Watershed Art Prize. This important initiative by the Salisbury City Council in conjunction with major sponsor ICE WaRM (the International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management), has continued to highlight the need for sustainable water management while maintaining our delicate natural environment.

This years exhibition again provided a wide range of paintings focusing upon a myriad of subjects within the broader themes of water conservation and nature. For my part, I included a piece entitled ‘Signs of Life’ that depicted a tranquil scene of the Mawson Lakes wetlands with a distant reminder of the encroaching man-made world as represented by highway signs on the horizon.

This years overall winner was ‘The Night Watch’ by Gerhard Ritter, while I was very pleased to have been awarded the ‘Mawson Lakes Living Editors Choice Award’.

Cover of the June edition of Mawson Lakes Living

Clare Valley Art Show 2018

One of the great pleasures of living in the Clare Valley is the constant source of inspiration derived from the landscape of the region. There is certainly four distinct seasons and the light is always different in each. Much like the French Impressionists, the artists can often paint the same subject matter over and over again with each work producing a very different visual experience. One of my favourite subjects over recent years has been the view from Clare toward Balaklava as seen from the beautiful Spring Gully conservation park. So it was particularly pleasing when my piece ‘Spring Gully Shadows’ was awarded the Clare Valley Acquisitive Prize at the 2018 Clare Valley Art Exhibition. 

'Spring Gully Shadows' 2018

The Road to Riesling

On a lovely autumn afternoon in the Clare Valley, it was my great pleasure to attend the launch of the latest vintage from Farrell Wines. What was particularly significant about this day was that the label on the 2017 Riesling features a painting I had completed a couple of years ago. The work depicted the historic red bridge on Quarry Road just outside of Clare and was purchased by nearby vineyard owner, wine connoisseur and Federal Senator Don Farrell.

Don approached me last year with the idea of using the painting for a new wine label design and I was thrilled that he thought the work worthy enough to promote his latest riesling. It’s my first wine label, so I will certainly take a personal interest in the journey of this particular drop as it enters the local wine scene. It will be on sale at the Gourmet Hub during the 2018 Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend from May 18 – 21, or can also be purchased at https://www.farrellwines.com.au/

Kidman Art Show 2017

The biennial Kidman Art Show has steadily grown into a much respected and enjoyed community art event in South Australia’s mid north. Supported by the Rotary Cub of Kapunda and held in the Kapunda Soldiers Memorial Hall, the exhibition provides an opportunity for local artists to exhibit their works and compete for a range prizes covering numerous forms of artistic media. 2017 Kidman Art Show was the sixth event and was again well supported.

One of the paintings I submitted this year was ‘T- Junction, Seppelsfield’ which was based upon the landscape of the palm tree lined road that leads to historic Seppelsfield Winery. In the midday sun of summer the palms provide a very distinct collective form that dramatically contrast against the straw coloured surrounds. Deep shadows fall gently upon the road as it heads steadily uphill toward the familiar T- junction.

I really enjoyed painting a scene that is only a few kilometers from Kapunda itself and was particularly pleaded when it was awarded ‘Best in Exhibition’ at the 2017 Kidman Art Show.