Record entries for art competition

A record 250 entries are on display as part of the Wattle Range Art Exhibition, with the official opening late last month attracting more than 200 artists, friends and community members.

Numbers through the gallery continue to impress as does the sale of artwork, with the high number of entries meaning the main gallery is at capacity and entries have spilt over into the recently renovated second gallery and the library.

Penola High School is the feature school in the gallery/library and their teacher Cate Bell is to be commended for their very fine portraiture.

Credentialed judges Leah Grace, Arts and Cultural Development Officer Alexandrina Council and Stephanie Markerink who has recently joined the Art Gallery of SA team, were impressed with the standard of entries.

In opening the exhibition Mayor Des Noll said Wattle Range Council has always supported the arts and understands the positive impact the arts make on our lives and our communities.”

He congratulated all the artists on the diversity and quality of the art and announced the Mayoral Prize winners – Libby Altschwager and Sophie Tilley.

Millicent artist Dale Bishop won the prestigious Wattle Range Art Prize with his classical landscape oil painting.

His winning entry is a Stone Farm Buildings, captured typical buildings and the countryside across Wattle Range. The judges commented on his fine techniques and attention to detail and movement.

Penola artist Dagny Strand won the Painting category with a very contemporary painting of a lonely homeless man encased in a frame made from cardboard.

Seen Around Town provides a visual commentary on homelessness international and local.

Dagny also won the Mixed Media category with Comes Out in the Wash using found objects and plastic bags, while Beachport artist Fiona Pattinson was runner up with Terra Rossa Coonawarra.

Libby Altschwager won the Mayoral award and the Printmaking and Drawing category, for Potato Diggers Hut, Tantanoola, a delicate drawing and collage of a derelict potato diggers hut on the Searle’s property.

Penola artist Marg Hage won the Art Textile category with a beautiful stitched small piece, Down under, fresh growth and local youth Sophie Tilley, won the Mayoral Youth award with her pastel of a flower – Succulent.

This exhibition reflects the active and extensive group of artists and community from across Wattle Range, the Limestone Coast, Western Victoria through to Melbourne and Adelaide who support the gallery and the Wattle Range Art Exhibition.