From the Director

Hello Everyone,

It's been fabulous to have the Local Contemporary Art Prize on in the gallery. It's been a busy time, with visitors flocking to see the exhibition and a full calendar of public programs. With only three weeks left of the show, if you haven't seen it yet don't miss out!

I've been lucky enough to spend time with the artworks almost every day of the exhibition so far, and it's been a really interesting experience. There are many quiet, subtle works in the mix, and my impression of them deepens with each viewing. The winning artwork, Mount Emu Walk by Sam Vatovey, is one of these pieces. Guest judge, Claire Sourgnes, shared her experience with the painting at the winners' announcement:

"On first view of this particular work, I was standing quite close to it and actually dismissed it... I went for a bit of a walk, I turned a corner, came back and looked at it from a distance. I was actually stopped in my tracks and thought 'oh my goodness, I hadn't given it enough time'... I had failed to see the joyous interconnections of colour and mark making. I had failed to see the splendid, autumnal vibrancy of a really beautiful landscape that made me want to delve into it."

I agree, viewing Mount Emu Walk from different angles reveals new perspectives. The painting invites you in, to experience a walk through the landscape.

Claire Sourgnes, guest judge, Mayor Rosanna Natoli and artist Sam Vatovey with Best in Show winning artwork 'Mount Emu Walk'. Photo by Patrick Want, Volere Studio.

So, congratulations to Sam Vatovey for this masterful landscape, and also to our two other winners - Terrence Gillespie with the photograph Anakie Street, winner of the 2D Excellence Award, and Erin Conron for her glass sculpture Parallax Series, Sphere #1, which received the 3D Excellence Award.

Terrence's work is another quiet one. There is no movement in the image, there's a sense of absolute stillness. But the way he has captured blocks of colour in the scene reminds me of the iconic Australian painter Jeffrey Smart. Here are Claire's comments on the piece:

"This I found such a refined, well-composed image. I loved the idea that the sublime could be found in the banal and the longer I looked at the work, the more I was impressed. Not only by its formal attributes but it's humour for me... The pops of colour quietly but brightly asserting their place in the world."

It's a beautiful work, and you actually have to stand there for a while and let it speak to you, or you'll miss what the artist is communicating.

Claire Sourgnes, guest judge, Mayor Rosanna Natoli and artist Terrence Gillespie with 2D Excellence Award winning artwork 'Anakie Street'. Photo by Patrick Want, Volere Studio.

Then we have Erin's glass sculpture. Now, I love glass blowing, the 'Breath of God'. I think it's one of the most extraordinary ways to make artwork, using your breath to create a sphere or a shape. Erin explained how she makes her work, and it's completely different from what I was expecting. She applies a kind of ground on the outside, scrapes that back and then fires it again. So, to make the marks on the glass, it's almost an etching process. The way she layers her lines to create a sense of volume within a small space is quite extraordinary.

Claire had this to say about the work:

"The winner of the 3D prize is a finely crafted vessel that seems to be the holder of a multitude of marks, memories, intersections... When I was looking at it, I thought 'oh, there's a multitude of worlds in there'. It's an artwork that, for me, spoke to the solitary as much as it did to the collective journey that we are all on in this life."

We were lucky enough to speak with Erin about her work and practice in a video interview, well worth watching.

Claire Sourgnes, guest judge, artist Erin Conron and Mayor Rosanna Natoli with 3D Excellence Award winning artwork 'Parallax Series, Sphere #1'. Photo by Patrick Want, Volere Studio.

Having said all this, each of the finalist works are highly accomplished, and we've been really pleased with the community response that the prize has received. I can't wait to see who the People's Choice Award goes to. There is still time for you to vote for your favourite, you can vote online or in the gallery. Voting is open until 1 June, and you also go in the draw to win a $50 gallery store gift voucher.

A big thank you to the Friends, Regional Gallery Caloundra, and our wonderful sponsors Mary Henzell Investments, Local Agent Caloundra and Community Bank Caloundra (Bendigo Bank), whose support makes this annual prize possible.

The Local Contemporary Art Prize is a community favourite, and each year we hear that "this is the best year yet!" It's just such a joy to see these amazing artworks on the wall, all by created artists right here on the Sunshine Coast. The exhibition continues until 8 June, and I also encourage you to check out upcoming public programs.

Look forward to seeing you in the gallery...

Jo Duke
Gallery Director

Nina Shadforth, Senior Curator (Collections), Claire Sourgnes, guest judge, Terrence Gillespie, Sam Vatovey and Erin Conron, winning artists, Fiona Heiner, President, Friends, Regional Gallery Caloundra, Jo Duke, Gallery Director. Photo by Patrick Want, Volere Studio.