The International Year of the Potato
September-January 2008

Entries from the 2008 photo competition organised by the CTC@Robertson

 

Spirit of Spring
27 September - 31 October 2007

Entries from the 2007 photo competition organised by the CTC@Robertson

Mish Mash
30 August - 25 September 2007

A mixed bag exhibition of recent and older artworks by Tania Petra Daniels

 

Unseen plants of the local forests - ground orchid photographs by Denis Wilson
8 - 25 August 2007

Pictured: Small Tongue Orchid (Cryptostylis leptochila)

Mostly these are tiny flowers, and they are not the spectacular, "Florist Orchids" which you would be familiar with. But Orchids they are, non-the-less.

Most are flowers which one would easily miss, as they grow in the floor of the local forests, amongst the leaf litter. Red and brown and green colours predominate - so camouflage is the key to their survival.

In order to get pollinated, most of these Orchids rely on scent - a scent which is often not detectable by humans, but which is immensely powerful to tiny insects, such as wasps and midges. In some cases, these scents drive male insects into a sexual frenzy, which induces them to attempt to "copulate" with flowers - how weird is that? I shall not bore you with the details of that, nor do I have any photos to prove that (in this display), but it is a true fact. I have witnessed it once, myself.

As these photos are of small plants, my photos are not very large - mostly 5 inch by 7 inch (larger than postcard size). There are 23 photos of 20 species different species of local Orchids.
Apart from one photo (taken at Nowra) - these are all taken within 5 Km of Robertson.

These photos are not on display for the purpose of making a sale (I can be persuaded, if anyone is particularly intrigued by a particular photo - and as the sizes are small, the prices would be very reasonable). My purpose is primarily educational - to show people some of the "unseen plants of the local forests". And if it attracts a bit of custom for the CTC, so much the better.

I hope you enjoy the photographs.
It is in the tiny details of the unseen, that we see the true face of the Nature of Robertson.

Denis Wilson

 

Through the Looking Glass - photographs by Vivienne Cole
10 December 2006 - 10 January 2007

Journey to another world. A place of reflections, where form emerges from shadow into light and moments are held ­ suspended ­ as time stands still, fixed forever in black and white.

Archival Silver Gelatin images that evoke another era and offer glimpses of other realities, from magical instances to daily lives.

VIVIENNE COLE is a Southern Highlands photographer with a passion for travel and adventure, particularly if it happens take her to Europe. She has a visual arts diploma and worked commercially as an advertising art director before pursuing her own creative projects, combining printmaking, painting and bookbinding.

Her solo photographic exhibitions have included 'Un Conte de Deux Villes, Sydney, Paris¹ (2000 Olympic Games, Alliance Française de Paris), 'À Tout Moment¹ at the Alliance Française de Sydney and 'Voyager¹ at Blender Gallery in Paddington. She worked with Mary Moody on the book/documentary 'Lunch with Madame Murat' (life in a rural restaurant, SW France), soon to be on SBS. Roberston has become her second home as she enjoys community music evenings and guides a local meditation group.

Exhibition opens Sunday 10th December 2pm and continues to January 10th.

 

 

Past exhibitions at CTC@Robertson

Peonies and orchids in Robertson - photographs by Denis Wilson
9 November - 6 December

Bowl of Beauty -
photographed during the 2005 Peony season.

From Thursday the 9th of November a photographic exhibition: "Peonies and Orchids in Robertson" will be held at the CTC in Robertson.

Denis, a local naturalist, has a range of photographs depicting the beautiful oriental flower, the Peony. He also has photographs of the tiny and often bizarre native orchids that bloom at this time of year.

Last year, when Rebecca Price, manager of the CTC, saw Denis' beautiful peonies blooming, she encouraged him to hold this exhibition this Spring. Denis sees this exhibition as a way to "share the joy" of springtime in Robertson.

The exhibition was launched on Sunday 12 November with Denis giving the most botanical talk the CTC has seen and Jim Foran giving Denis the most raunchy introduction the CTC has ever heard. All in all it was a wonderful event and a great way to get to know another one of Robertson's interesting residents.

Denis will also have a list for people who might be interested in participating in a joint order of Peony roots in the next Peony planting season. Expressions of interest only at this stage. Denis will co-ordinate any such order, with a small commission going to the CTC. But that will be offset by considerable savings in freight costs and handling charges, by having a combined order.

Details will be circulated in February 2007 when the Peony growers price lists and catalogues are available. So, put your name on the contact list now, at the CTC, if you wish to find out more about ordering any of these wonderful plants, next year.

'Really Robertson' Photo Competition
7 October - 8 November

Celeste Coucke's Ceramics
29 September - 2 October

Sculptures and domestic ceramics by a local ceramic artist - only one weekend due to the fragile nature of the exhibition! Mosaic pathway exhibition also open.

Mosaic pathway
31 August - 2 October

Images and impressions about the building of the mosaic pathway at CTC@Robertson - a community arts project by Celeste Coucke and more than 200 volunteers

Potato cobblestones.

The mosaic pathway project was funded with generous assistance from the Regional Arts NSW and the Wingecarribee Community Grants.

 

Ken Redpath
Artists, Artisans and Aspects
of the Southern Highlands

Exhibition of black and white photographic prints at the Robertson CTC.
July 17 until August 25, 2006.

Artist's statement

"I have endeavoured to portray some of the artists and artisans who live and work in the Southern Highlands where my family and I also live.

"The sitters are all people connected to my family through friendship or professional association. They have been photographed in their own working environments using available light and the prints are subsequently presented in a unique circular format.

"The aspects are pieces of the Southern Highlands environment which I am inspired by and which may have some bearing on the other artists’ choice to live and work here.

"As a confirmed Luddite I have used no digital technology in the preparation of these images. This may seem a little incongruous in the Community Technology Centre context, but I have been shown some of the joys to be offered by New Technology and Peter De Lorenzo has produced for me a wonderful exhibition catalogue on CD which can be viewed at the CTC and copies of this will, I believe, be available to purchase."

Ken Redpath

Black & White
Read a review by Jan Jones

18th March - 15 June 2006

CTC Arts program continues with a fascinating exhibition 'Black and White'. The works in this exhibition, curated by Judy Benjamin, use multiple techniques but share the expressive and timeless world of black, white and shades of grey.

Southern Highlands artists featured in the exhibition are:
Tony Ameneiro, Judy Benjamin, Geraldine Berkemeier, Betty Bray, Tony Deigan, Gill Graham, Anna Griffiths, Robin Kinsella, Julie Krone, Eleonore Solomon and Britta Stenmans.

'Black & White' is your only opportunity to see these works in one exhibition! The exhibition is open during the CTC opening hours. End date to be confirmed.

***

BLACK & WHITE ART SHOW
Review by Jan Jones

Black and white artists’ work usually proves a powerful force exploring and defining subject, space, light and dark. In the right hands black and white images are immediately engaging, stimulating and worthwhile for the viewer. This exhibition is exceptional. It also includes some notable surprises that tilt away from traditions of works on paper as in the more ‘sculptural’ projects of Tony Deigan, Julie Krone and Anna Griffiths. The diversity of subject and process comes together as a deliciously eclectic whole enlivened further by the sureness of Robyn Kinsella, Geraldine Berkemeier, Eleanor Solomon, Britta Stenmans and Betty Bray.

The exhibition is curated and sensitively hung by Mt. Murray artist Judy Benjamin. It is difficult to select just three of the ten artists work to review in a small space on this page. All of the ten slip effortlessly into the above criteria.

Judy’s own diptychs ‘Reflective 1’ and ‘Reflective 111’ frame both her etching ability onto metal plate and her final application to paper. The latter juxtaposes the reverse of the engraved plate resulting in a works that are striking and absorbing. Both plate and paper framed side by side depict in one frame a more figurative response to the landscape and in the other a fully abstracted way of seeing. Gentle undulations, highs and lows, light and shadow, waterholes and dams. The artist has played on the idea of ‘reflection’ on a number of levels with a dazzling result.

Over centuries great artists in western art history have made intense studies of natural flora in the form of plants and trees painstakingly exploring in depth the intricate shape and design held within the constructs of natural form and beauty. Tony Ameneiro has the same patience and masterly skill. He teaches printmaking at Illawarra TAFE colleges and works consistently within his profession as printmaker.

Tony’s works are held in public galleries and private homes. We are used to seeing his extremely large and serene works of extraordinary detail and refined beauty. In this exhibition he excels again but on a much smaller scale. ‘Field Edge’ delicately reflects the works of Leonardo and Rembrandt who sketched and etched the same subject: a copse of trees. Like the great masters Tony has deftly defined with soft edging and tonal values the mystery and awe which the human spirit can experience when confronted by such a natural presence; dark, a little foreboding perhaps. This etching sits well beside the soft-ground intimacy of ‘Pines and ute roadside’.

Gill Graham’s ‘Suits you’ points up the diversity of subject and art practice that makes this exhibition such a visual delight. Gill’s work has her own graphic stamp on it and the viewer can but wonder why it is such an absorbing work with a life of its own contained within a small recognisable and ‘lifeless’ fragment of a much larger and familiar whole. It is indeed a brilliantly detailed study of part of a man’s suit jacket. Next to this image hang’s literally, ‘Sophie’s jacket’, a tactile unstructured leather number, gorgeously zipped and studded. We can read what we wish into the pair but each image is visually engaging offering a startling close-up and seductive reality.

Marjo Halliwell
The Robertson Potato Race 2003 -photographs

Summer 2006 - 11 March 2006. Images in this exhibition were taken at The Robertson Show in 2003. Local photographer, Marjo Hallowell, had just changed from colour to black and white film in order to capture this typically Robertson race. Amongst those in the race were local football hero, Nathan Hindmarsh, and previous winner of the race, Shane Whatman.

The race started with the field carrying their 50 kg bags of spuds firmly on their shoulders. As they rounded the final bend Nathan was in front with Shane a little way back. Then it happened – a stumble – right in front of Marjo who was ready with her camera. First the stumble and then some desperate attempts to lift the 50 kgs back onto his shoulders…..after several attempts Shane passed Nathan and as the rest of the field passed him by Nathan just crashed on top of his sack of spuds.

Shane Whatman had again ( for the 8th time) won the Potato Race at The Robertson Show.

Marjo Halliwell

Marjo Hallowell has lived in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales for over 23 years. She has been taking photographs as long as she can remember but as a solo parent has only taken up the camera for more than the average family and holiday snaps since her three children started leaving school.

Her preferred discipline is Black and White photography although she also uses colour film. She has completed a Certificate II course in Fine Arts (Black & White Photography) at Goulburn TAFE under the tutelage of Jacqui Rankin and Jon Lewis.

Taking the challenge to -“get your work out there” after an interview with a local Southern Highlands artist Marjo has exhibited regularly. The first exhibition was at Café Blu Roc in Bowral, followed by ‘Australia Exposed’ at The Berrima District Art Gallery in Bowral, ‘Spring’ at The Fettlers Shed in Robertson, ‘Moments in Time’ at The BDAS in Bowral and ‘Florabunda’ at the Milk Factory Gallery in Bowral.

Always keen to encourage others to pick up their cameras Marjo was the founding president of the Southern Highlands Photographic Society. Along with an outstanding committee the society attracted 60 members in its first year. The group also attracted many informative guest speakers to come and visit them in Bowral including Robert MacFarlane, David Oliver, John Lewis ,Paul Burrows and Gordon Undy . The Society has its own web site shps.net.au and encourages young and old and digital and film users.

Marjo has had her images published in local newspapers, Rugby League Week, The Land, and Highlands and Country Living magazine and Capital magazine did a small article on her in June last year.

Arts Southern Highlands is a booklet that Marjo is working on to provide local artists in the Southern Highlands with a resource to help locate other like minded artists - be they performing or visual. This is proving a rewarding exercise and will benefit for locals and visitors alike.

Marjo enjoys exhibiting as she finds encouraging others rewarding and satisfying.

 

Postcards from Robertson.

Spring 2005. Award-winning photos from the Postcards from Robertson photo competition, organised by CTC@Robertson as part of the 2nd Robertson Spring Festival.

Winner of the 1st prize: Richard Jones's black and white print Meadow Lane (click image
for larger view)

 

 

Robyn Kinsela - digital prints

June-August 2005.
Picture: Robyn Kinsela: Natura Morte II

Biography (2005)

Robyn Kinsela is a practising artist who teaches drawing, painting, colour theory and design and digital imaging at TAFE Illawarra, and drawing and design at the School of Art, ANU, Canberra.

Robyn has a design background, which has firmly cross-fertilised with the fine arts. Her design background began in 1970 when she studied one year of Architecture at Sydney University, followed by four years of Industrial Design at Randwick CAE. She worked as an Industrial Designer and then as a Graphic Artist between 1975 and 1981.

Exploring and experimenting with different disciplines has been of great interest to Robyn, her most favoured being painting, drawing and digital printmaking. Working with Photoshop, she takes images, and parts of images, from her own studio paintings, drawings and photographs, reinventing them to produce New Media work. Her prints are then printed onto Fine Art inkjet paper so that the visual “computer” quality is reduced, and evidence of the artist’s hand in the making of the original artwork is maintained. Her prints are not computer generated but are the result of using the computer merely as a tool to create an extension of her studio work.

Her current work is influenced by everyday activities and experiences, places and patterns. Robyn enjoys the ambiguities of reality, appearance and illusion.

Robyn has recently been selected to exhibit her digital prints in the Island Art Award 2005 ( Tasmania), the Geelong 2005 Print Award (Victoria) and the Hazelhurst Works on Paper 2005 Art Award (NSW). She is an active member of the Southern Highlands Printmakers, and exhibited digital prints in both the Campbelltown Regional Gallery’s Southern Highlands Printmakers show (2005), and Wollongong City Art Gallery’s Traces show (2004).

Future exhibitions where Robyn will be exhibiting some digital prints include two solo shows: Through the Door at the Foyer Gallery, School of Art, ANU, Canberra ( 27 September – 2 October, 2005 ) and Prints and Paintings at the Sturt Gallery, Mittagong (12 March – 9 April, 2006).

Awards:

2005 HIGHLY COMMENDED: Works on Paper, Print category BDAS Bowral(judge Ann Judell)
2004 WINNER: Photographic Exhibition National Year of the Built Environment SHRG Bowral
2003 WINNER: Alvaro Open Painting, BDAS Bowral (judge: Jennifer Lamb)
2003 WINNER: Nick Scali Portrait Prize, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery, Bowral
2002 WINNER: Works on Paper, BDAS Bowral (judge: David Fairbain)
2001 WINNER: Traditional, Liverpool City Arts Festival (judge: Wendy Sharpe)
COMMENDED Work on Paper, BDAS (judge: Andrew Antoniou)
2000 HIGHLY COMMENDED Alvaro Painting Prize BDAS (judge: Peter Hickey)
1999 HIGHLY COMMENDED Drawing, Drummoyne Art Prize
1997 HIGHLY COMMENDED and COMMENDED: BDAS (judge: Gary Shead)
1995 COMMENDED: Drawing Prize, Sydney Royal Agricultural Show.
1994 COMMENDED: Oil Painting, WN Aust. Awards
1993 WINNER: Oil Category, WN Aust. Awards. (judge: Pamela Thalben-Ball).
1993 HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bowral Art Gallery. (judge: David Spatchhurst).
1991 HIGHLY COMMENDED: Still Life, Sydney Royal Agricultural Show
1991 HIGHLY COMMENDED: Chroma Acrylics National Art Competition.
1990 HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lane Cove Municipal Exhibition (mixed media)
1986 HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jacaranda Art Exhibition. (judge: Guy Warren).

Solo Exhibitions:

2005 Foyer Gallery, School of Art, ANU Canberra (October 2005)
2005 Digital Prints, CTC Gallery, Robertson
2003 Embleton and Kuzemko Fine Art Gallery, Bowral - New Works
2003 Finishing Room Gallery, Canberra School of Art, ANU - Inform
2002 Harris Courtin Gallery, Sydney
2001 Sturt Gallery, Mittagong – Small Works
2000 Albert Street Gallery, Mittagong – Full Circle
1996 Southern Highlands Regional Gallery, Moss Vale - Domestic Life: A Survey
1991 Bowral Art Gallery, Bowral - Landscape pastels
1986 Sturt Gallery, Mittagong - Collages

Exhibitions by Selection:

2005 Works on Paper, Hazelhurst Art Award 2005
2005 Geelong 2005 Print Award
2005 The Hills Grammar School Art Prize, Sydney (judge: Sylvia Ross, COFA)
2005 “Walking the Street”, Newtown, Sydney (June 2005)
2005 “2005 Island Art Prize”, Stanley, Tasmania
2005 “ Southern Highlands Printmakers”, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Sydney
2004 “Traces” Southern Highlands Printmakers, Wollongong City Art Gallery
2004 “Conversion” Goulburn Regional Art Gallery
2004 33 rd Alice Prize, Alice Springs
2004 Norvill Landscape Painting prize, Murrarundi
2004 Heyson Landscape Prize, Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf, South Australia
2004 The Canberra Prize, Italo-Australian Club, Canberra
2004 “Art on the Rocks” ASN Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2004 “Natura Morte” Goulburn Regional Art Gallery
2003&04 Meroogal, Historic Houses Trust Travelling Exhibition
2002 “Fisher’s Ghost” Open Art Award, (judge: E.A.McGregor)
2001,03&04 “Fisher’s Ghost” Works on Paper, Contemporary sections, (judge: E.A.McGregor,Joanna Mendelsonn)
1997&98 “Fisher’s Ghost Art Award” Cambelltown City Art Gallery (judge: Jeffery Makin)
1996-99 “Works on Paper” Open Award, Bowral (judges: Suzanne Archer, Max Miller)
1994 Portia Geach Memorial Portrait Prize (E.H. Erwin Gallery, Sydney)
1993&94 Mosman Art Prize - (judges: Rex Irwin & Edmon Capon)
1988&94 Jacaranda Drawing Prize (Grafton Regional Gallery)
1986&87 Craft EXPO - collages (Centrepoint, Sydney)

Major Commissions:

Series of 12 collages for D Vilensky Paper Merchants
Series of 16 collages for Gro-Mor Constructions (Warren Street Interiors, Bowral)
1988 Series of 240 collages for Mariner Shores Resort (The Haysom Group, Brisbane)
1988 20 designs for 200 screenprinted windsocks for South Grafton School of Arts - Project eventually shared with Jude MacBean (Arts Council Bicentenary Grant)
1987-88 Series of 83 collages for Lindeman Island Resort (The Haysom Group, Brisbane)

Collections:

2001 4 drawings – Canberra Hospital, Canberra, (acquired by CEO Joanna Holt)
1990 14 collages - Children’s Hospital, Westmead. (acquired by John Yu)

Tony Ameneiro - etchings and linocuts

2 April - May 2005.

Tony Ameneiro

1959 Born London, England.
1978-81 Bachelor of Art (Education) Alexander Mackie C.A.E. Sydney, Australia.
1990 Australia Council VAB Prof. Dev. Grant.( 'Ghost Ranch' New Mexico, U.S.A.).
1995-1998 Certificates 'Post Technician Printmaking' Wollongong West TAFE (2 yr & 1 yr)
2000 - Currently teaching at West Wollongong TAFE, Moss Vale TAFE & Goulburn TAFE

Selected Awards & Prizes
2004 "Berrima District Art Society Print Award"
2003 "Berrima District Art Society Print Award".
2002 "Fisher's Ghost Art Award" Work on Paper Award, Campbelltown City Art Gallery.
"Berrima District Art Society Print Award".
"Toowoomba Biennial Acquisitive Art Award"- Acquired
1998 "The Illawarra Print Award" Highly commended
"Fisher's Ghost Art Award" Work on Paper Award, Campbelltown City Art Gallery.

Solo Exhibitions
2001 New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale. "Road Edge - Park Edge"
2000 James Harvey Gallery, Balmain. "Pole to Post"
1998 Project Contemporary Art Space, "Pictures in C.D.".
1985 Camera Lucida Gallery, Chippendale, "Tony Ameneiro-Prints and Drawings"
1984 James Harvey Gallery, King St, Newtown. "Camouflaged Cakes"

Selected Group Exhibitions
2003 "Dobel Drawing Prize" Art Gallery of NSW
2003 "Important Works on Paper" Rex Irwin Gallery, Woollahra
2002 "Important Works on Paper" Rex Irwin Gallery, Woollahra
"Shell Fremantle Print Award". Fremantle WA
"Toowoomba Biennial Acquisitive Art Award and Exhibition".
2001 "Important Works on Paper" Rex Irwin Gallery, Woollahra.
"A Heritage of Health" Wollongong City Art Gallery
Hazelhurst Regional Art Gallery "Art on Paper Award",
2000 "Silk Cut Award 2000" finalists exhibition, Melbourne.
1999 Wollongong City Art Gallery, "New Acquisitions".
1998 Korunna Gallery, West Wollongong TAFE End of Term Show, End of Year Group Show
1997 "Australian Printmedia Awards" Casula Powerhouse Art Centre NSW
1996 "Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery 12th Biennial Prints Acquisitive"
1994 First Draft West, Annandale "Abstract Papers"
1993 First Draft West, Annandale "This is Not a Book"
1984 Boronia Art Gallery Mosman selected entries from the AW Faber Castell Art Prize
1981 Graduation exhibition Alexander Mackie CAE Sydney
1978 Stephen Mori's 'Student Gallery' Catherine St Leichhardt Sydney

Selected Collections
Art Gallery of South Australia, Queensland Art Gallery, Print Council of Australia, University of South Australia, University of Wollongong, Campbelltown City Bicentennial Art Gallery, Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Warrnambool Art Gallery, Wollongong City Art Gallery, City of Whitehorse. Illawarra Institute of Technology & Canson Australia Pty Ltd,
Various other institutional and private collections Australia and overseas.

Commissions
Illawarra Area Health Service
Print Council of Australia, Member Print Commission 2002

Southern Highlands Printmakers

28 September - 28 October 2004.
Artists involved in the Printmakers exhibition included the Robertson based Julie Krone and
Ian Foster, as well as other artists such as Geraldine Berkemeier and Slavica Zivkovic, to
name but a few. The works selected for the show have already been exhibited at the Wollongong
City Gallery. The curator of the exhibition, Judy Benjamin, is also a Robertson based
artist.

Seasons in Robertson.

22 October - 22 November 2004. Award-winning photos from the Seasons in Robertson photo competition, organised by CTC@Robertson as part of the 1st Robertson Spring Festival. Winner of the 1st prize: Graeme Jones's colour print Farewell to Spring.

Peter De Lorenzo

27 November - 30 February 2004.
Peter De Lorenzo is a Robertson-based artist whose background is in film, painting and printmaking. He teaches multimedia at the West Wollongong TAFE. The prints exhibited at the centre were from the series “Tunnel” and “Uncertain narratives”, previously exhibited at the Wollongong City Gallery. Peter De Lorenzo’s prints and digital art have also been exhibited in galleries around Australia, as well as abroad, including France, Germany and Austria.