The 2022 Wattle Range Art Exhibition was opened on Friday night, with winners announced in front of a full gallery.
Wattle Range Mayor Des Noll opened the awards, declaring “art makes a vibrant community and tonight we have art in abundance”.
“Diversity and complexity equals individuality and we can all enjoy this diversity,” he said.
A short time later it was announced that he had selected Julie Ann McEwen’s ‘Flowers for Millicent Glen’ a beautiful mixed media piece featuring watercolour, collaged re-purposed paper and cloth, intricately threaded as the Mayoral Prize.
Libraries and Gallery manager and exhibition curator Janice Nitschke said the opening and announcement of prize winners was an outstanding success.
“Both the gallery and library were packed beyond expectation for the opening with artists, friends, and community,” she said.
“Adelaide judges Dr Lisa Slade (AGSA) and Emeritus Professor Kay Lawrence AM were amazed by both the numbers at the opening and the art.
“They spoke highly of the 189 entries and the 70 student works entered by artists from Penola High School and St Anthony’s Primary students and they reminded us how fortunate we were to have such a vibrant arts community.”
Jo Jo Spook’s ‘The Hitchhiker’ won the prestigious Wattle Range Art Prize, a sculpture made from Ghostnets and found objects.
Runner up was local indigenous artist Jennifer Bishop’s ‘The Whale Kondili Dreaming Story’ which resonated with Dr Lisa Slade who knew the story.
Long-time supporter of the exhibition Julie Kent won the painting category with a landscape titled ‘Coastline’ while Hamish’s mesmerising ‘The Look’ was runner up, a brooding eagle in black and white enamel on canvas.
Millicent artist Carol Baxter’s ‘Leafy Sea Dragon’ was highly commended.
Anne Mile’s ‘Lake McIntyre’ a beautiful print of two birds in the reeds at the lake, a two plate linocut, won the Drawing and Printmaking category, with Janet Cane’s delightful drawing ‘Birds’ was named runner up.
Penola artist Dagny Strand’s beautiful small brooch sculpture, a ‘Windy Day in Petticoat Lane’, made from recycled electroplated nickel silver and piano wire won the sculpture section.
The front depicted washing on the line in Petticoat Lane taken in at night and hung out during the day.
Runner up was first time entrant Toni Greenwood and her sculpture ‘Over the Old Vineyard’.
Another Penola artist – Cate Bell – won the mixed media category with her encaustic piece titled ‘Gotta Love the Weekends’, featuring a piece of pizza.
Nita Von Stanke’s ‘Morning Light’, an evocative and moody piece depicting a forest, was runner up.
In the textile category, Jo Fife’s ‘Specimen 001’, a free motion stitching of algae was the winner, while runner-up was Chrissy Pudney’s ‘Lost and Found’ – a beautiful bowl made from weaving wire and rope and beach debris.
Marg Hage’s ‘Around Each Corner’ and Jayne Stacey’s ‘Lepus Timidus’ were highly commended in this section.
Glenda Sutardy and Paul Sundstrom both won first time entrant’s awards, among what was a record number of artists exhibiting on the first occasion.
The judges commented on the quality of the youth entries, particularly that of Sophie Tilley who won the youth award with her beautiful painting of ‘Bolt’ – the black and white family dog and Angus Patterson who was runner-up.
Awards were also made to Fraser from St Anthony’s Primary School and Jordan Dinnison from Penola High School.
“The exhibition continues through to December 21 in the Millicent Gallery, and we encourage everyone to come along and have a look, it really is a must see,” Ms Nitschke said.
