AGL 2021 Port Stephens Art Competition Catalogue.
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1
Title: Birubi Gulls
Medium: Acrylic
Artist: Marisa French
Dimensions: 25.4 cm x 30.5 cm
Price: $300
2
Title: Shoal Bay Serenity
Medium: Acrylic
Artist: Jeanette Matts
Dimensions: 61 cm x 76 cm
Price: $600
Artist Statement:
One of Port Stephens beaches is Shoal Bay, part of a large coastal inlet 170km north of Sydney. Larger than Sydney Harbour, with a narrow entrance between two hills of volcanic origin, Tomaree and Yacaaba.
The harbour is excellent for fishing, boating and strolling along the beaches. Captain Cook named Port Stephens after Sir Phillip Stevens on 11 May 1770.
Still as pristine today as it was hundreds of years ago, Port Stephens is home to the Worimi people who have lived in the area for thousands of years and have special connections with the landscape, plants and animals.
SOLD
3
Price
$750
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Sunset Camel Ride at Birubi Beach
Acrylic
Jeanette Matts
76 cm x 101 cm
Artist Statement:
Worimi Conservation lands at Anna Bay offer much to be enjoyed, one being camel rides through Stockton sand dunes. The dunes cover 4200 hectares and stretch 32km making them the longest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Camel rides have been part of our beachscape for over 15 years. Uniquely, a camel is the only animal you mount as it sits and then stands with you already on its back.
Aboriginal culture is evident in sites scattered through the dunes that pre-date European settlement, all of which reflect the use of the land and its significance to Worimi people.
4
Price
$250
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Our Koalas
Watercolour
Nada Yonge
56 cm x 49 cm
Artist Statement:
Using watercolour I have depicted one of our most unique, precious Australian native animals.
Koalas are territorial; they cannot simply move on to another area, so it is very important to protect their natural environment.
Habitat destruction is one of the main threats to koalas, plus bushfires, car accidents and land clearing.
5
Price
$400
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Pelican Reflection
Watercolour
Nada Yonge
70 cm x 55 cm
Artist Statement:
The beauty of our waterways inspired me to paint this subject.
This magnificent bird graces our shorelines by day and is a very popular tourist attraction for our area.
We need to protect and preserve our natural coastline, ensuring that our oceans are kept clean and environmentally friendly to all sea creatures.
6
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Regeneration @ Mambo Wetlands
Watercolour
Penny Meharg
40 cm x 33 cm
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7
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Price
Humpback Breaching
Watercolour
Kevin Sanders
60 cm x 80 cm x 3
$400
Artist Statement:
The great annual whale migration runs from April to November along both the east & west coasts of Australia. Thousands of whales, mostly Humpbacks pass by the NSW coastline to warmer waters off Queensland, mating before returning to Antarctica in spring.
Port Stephens is fortunate in providing the thrill of whale watching from coastal lookouts and the many cruise vessels available at Nelson Bay marina. This artwork of the Humpback illustrates the powerful steep breach, using the fluke/tail fin to launch from the water. Humpbacks breach to communicate with other whales far away.
8
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Birubi Point Beach
Acrylic Watercolour on Fibreboard
Kevin Sanders
60 cm x 80 cm
Artist Statement:
Birubi Point Aboriginal Place is an important burial and ceremonial site for the Worimi people. Because of the extensive archaeological material found at Birubi Point it is a site for teaching current and future generations about Worimi ancestors and local Aboriginal culture.
This area also offers many recreational activities - camel rides, surfing, fishing, quad biking, four-wheel driving, dog walking, whale & dolphin watching. My artwork reflects a typical day at Birubi Point - the magnificent Stockton Bight Sand Dunes and the expansive view from sea to sky. Birubi means Southern Cross.
SOLD
9
$300
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Cruising Port Stephens
Pastel
Christine Leaming
44 cm x 59 cm
Artist Statement:
The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is commonly seen in our waterways. Our clean environment and fish breeding grounds ensure a good food supply. This guy is seen cruising up and down Wanda Beach daily in search of his next meal.
SOLD
10
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Once a Fishing Village - 1
Textile Art
Jacqueline Cook
150 cm x 47 cm
Artist Statement:
'Once a Fishing Village' 1 and 2 come from a larger body of work titled 'Drifting' and consisting of 10 individual works. I began these works at the beginning of the COVID crisis in April 2020.
At that time I began to feel a close connection with my neighbourhood. I began by collecting driftwood from Birubi Beach and surrounds. Here, you can see the fossilised remains of sea grass.
Using the basics of modern macrame tying and knotting, I have tried to sculpt wall art that is reminiscent of fishing nets, buoys, boat ropes, shackles and the sea.
SOLD
11
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Once a Fishing Village - 2
Textile Art
Jacqueline Cook
110 cm x 42 cm
Artist Statement:
'Once a Fishing Village' 1 and 2 come from a larger body of work titled 'Drifting' and consisting of 10 individual works. I began these works at the beginning of the COVID crisis in April 2020.
At that time I began to feel a close connection with my neighbourhood. I began by collecting driftwood from Birubi Beach and surrounds. Here, you can see the fossilised remains of sea grass.
Using the basics of modern macrame tying and knotting, I have tried to sculpt wall art that is reminiscent of fishing nets, buoys, boat ropes, shackles and the sea.
SOLD
12
Price
$890
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
The Heads
Textile Watercolour
Christina Petrow
110 cm x 110 cm
Artist Statement:
Sustainability – the ability to exist consistently. This piece –The Heads, demonstrates how this is possible in an art form. The Heads is largely made from local repurposed and recycled material.
The frame is wood scraps from Fly Point and Anzac Park, the background a many-times recycled scarf, and the doilies and fabric are from local op shops. While I have tried to use natural dyes, some are watercolour paints for the painting.
This artwork showing the iconic view out the heads demonstrates just how sustainably can be achieved in the making of local art.
13
Title
Medium
Artist
The Lesser Known Punk Lorikeet
Oil on Linen
Sally Brady
Price
$400
Dimensions
50.6 cm x 40.5 cm
Artist Statement:
Fleeing from a more urban area, this Lesser Known Punk Lorikeet has found the less stressful life in the Bay suits him, and has made itself at home here.
It was the faint sounds of The Ramones that first alerted me to him - and there he was on the edge of the verandah, bopping away to ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ on his iPod.
I've noticed him drawing admiring glances from some of our local Lorikeets too, so keep a look out - and an ear out - for more Punk Lorikeets around the Bay in future...
14
Title
Medium
Artist
Racing on the Bay
Acrylic
Sally Brady
Dimensions
35.6 cm x 71.1 cm
Price
$300
Artist Statement:
Through rain, hail and the Port Stephens Annual Regatta, THE TEA GARDENS FERRY must get through!
(Painted from photos I took of the 2019 Regatta, sadly no 2020 Regatta) Every day the MV Tea Gardens, built in 1944 and one of two heritage timber ferries, makes multiple trips from Nelson Bay, up the Myall River to Tea Gardens and back again - yes, even when the ever-popular Regatta is on.
Nothing stops the ferry. I have a dream that one day the Regatta organisers will declare the Tea Gardens Ferry the winner - it seems only fair...
15
Title
Medium
Artist
After Fire Fingal
Artist Statement:
Paper Sculpture/
Photography
Milja Phillipson
This 3D paper sculpture was created from a series of photos I took whilst walking through the bush at Fingal Bay recently, 4 days after a backburn.
I used pigment inks on archival photo paper and a professional photo printer for all the work. Several - at least 5 prints, all of the same image are used to create lifelike pictures.
With delicate cutting, curving and building, the pieces are then glued down. The more shaping there is, the more realistic the finished picture appears. The procedure needs a lot of practice, patience and steady hands to perfect.
Price
$2,600
Dimensions
73.5 cm x 53.5cm
16
Title
Medium
Artist
My Neighbour
Watercolour
Jennifer Dobbie
Dimensions
27.5 cm x 35cm
Artist Statement:
I spotted this Tawny Frogmouth in next door’s yard. I almost missed him, due to his camouflage. Sometimes, because we are immersed in our busy lives, we miss what’s hiding in plain sight.
The recent bushfires and pandemic have led me to a greater appreciation of my local environment. Our homes in Port Stephens offer us all the benefits of a modern community with ready access to our beautiful natural environment.
We must sustain this balance to maintain wellbeing for all that inhabit our community. I hope this message is reflected in my artwork.
SOLD
17
Title
Medium
Artist
Retain the Waterfront
Oil on Canvas
Diana Atkinson
Dimensions
40 cm x 50 cm
Artist Statement:
The painting submitted here depicts the work conducted by locals living on the Corlette beachfront.
They care for their own lawns as well as mowing the Crown land down to the waterfront. Spring tides can inundate the grassed areas, especially if the south westerlies are humming, but rocks and tree plantings protect the sand invasion as well as provide a corridor for koalas.
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18
Title
Medium
Artist
Kingly Icons
Watercolour
Joy McLeod
Price
$560
Dimensions
64 cm x 64 cm
Artist Statement:
Friendly and frequent visitors at our place often inspire me to capture this bird with my watercolours. The largest Australian terrestrial bird belongs to the Kingfisher sub family.
Love the challenge of capturing the strength of beak, which allows them to hunt large and dangerous prey, in contrast to the pale, soft and delicate under feathers which they puff up when threatened.
Their alert, watchful and piercing dark eyes are an important tool for their survival. The word ‘Kookaburra’ came from the Australian Aboriginal word GUUGUUBARRA derived from the sound the bird makes.
19
Title
Medium
Artist
Seascape - Boat Harbour NSW
Watercolour
Joy McLeod
Price
$475
Dimensions
70 cm x 54 cm
Artist Statement:
One of my many snapshots off the southern side of Boat Harbour was the source of inspiration for this work. Painting the ocean is always a difficult challenge, especially using the medium of watercolour.
The sea takes on so many different variances. This day I was captivated by the agitated waters ebbing, flowing and smashing against the rugged rocks.
Hope I have captured the feeling of the soft, airy foam, the waters being sucked and dragged in various directions and the rough harshness of the unchanging rock formation.
20
Title
Medium
Fred the Goanna
Mixed Media, Oil
Artist
Cory Acorn
Price
$2,300
Dimensions
60 cm x 90 cm
Artist Statement:
This is Fred the Goanna hanging out by some Fingal Bay rock pools, dragonflies buzzing around, feeling good. I've seen a few goannas (aka Lace Monitor) around Port Stephens.
Fred, I spied hanging out in Fingal Bay near some BBQs at a lookout area. He was not too shy and I got him to pose for a few photos before he realised I had no food to share and so wandered off into the trees. Although not endangered, loss of habitat is a concern for goannas all over Australia.
21
Title
Medium
Artist
Proteus
Mixed Media, Oil
Cory Acorn
Price
$4,300
Dimensions
100 cm x 100 cm
Artist Statement:
The ancient prophetic sea god Proteus (aka old man of the sea), in tiger form, emerging from the sea to sleep with his herd of sea lions is depicted in this mythical seascape.
Proteus is said to have been made from the first matter of the universe and could take on any form. His namesake, the King Protea flower as his crown seemed a fitting addition.
This painting is dedicated to Charlie Asquith, the oldest, fiercest seaman that I know and who is also my neighbour and friend.
22
Title
Medium
Artist
A Line in the Sand
Mixed
Joana Johnston
Price
$390
Dimensions
90 cm x 63 cm
23
Title
Medium
Box Beach
Acrylic
Artist
Leigh Dawkings
Price
$400
Dimensions
50 cm x 100 cm
Artist Statement:
I have a huge passion for the mind-blowing beauty of our region. Sunrises, sunsets and drone shots taken by talented photographers, driving around at all hours.
I love to paint these same scenes, local seascapes, landscapes and the outback.
24
Title
Medium
Artist
Zenith Beach
Acrylic
Leigh Dawkings
Price
$250
Dimensions
75 cm x 60 cm
Artist Statement:
I have a huge passion for the mind-blowing beauty of our region. Sunrises, sunsets and drone shots taken by talented photographers, driving around at all hours.
I love to paint these same scenes, local seascapes, landscapes and the outback.
25
Title
Medium
Artist
Sunrise - Tin City Stockton Beach
Acrylic
Meryl Miller
Dimensions
61 cm x 61 cm
Artist Statement:
Tin City was started by homeless men during the Depression in 1929. Tin City resides on the Worimi Conservation lands whose Board administers the area.
Tin City ‘residents’ are not allowed to sell their shacks. They simply pass them down, through families, or onto friends. Tin City has no road access, no power, no water, and no sewerage proving that Historical Sustainability is possible.
I love the solitude and history relating to Tin City and decided to paint an image at sunrise.
SOLD
26
Title
Medium
Artist
Will I Survive? Broken Bill
Acrylic
Meryl Miller
Price
$250
Dimensions
61 cm x 61 cm
Artist Statement:
While enjoying Christmas drinks in the La Niña rain at Roy Wood Reserve, this Pelican captured my imagination having a drink of the rain water.
Will it be able to hunt and survive? The most common cause of beak injuries is fishing lines.
We need to protect our Marine Park sustainably.
27
Title
Medium
Artist
Reflections on Wetlands
Oil on Canvas
Anna Webster
Price
$380
Dimensions
43 cm x 32 cm
Artist Statement:
Living in Port Stephens, we are surrounded by beautiful waterways – beaches and bays that are representative of our area to both locals and visitors.
Wetlands are often overlooked, but are a critical part of our natural environment, providing protection from swells, absorbing pollutants and providing a habitat for animals and plants that contain a diversity of life. In this piece I wanted to show the beauty of this type of ecosystem that is vital to the health of our natural environment.
28
Title
Medium
Artist
Home Waters
Painted Bas Relief
Anne-Maree Hunter
Price
$3,500
Dimensions
17 cm x 27 cm
Artist Statement:
‘Home Waters’ represents the local waterways which are personally and deeply significant to me. Since my childhood, I have been faintly aware of a Worimi Great-Great-Grandmother of mine, but I have only recently had this genetic link confirmed.
Wonderfully, the salt waters of Port Stephens I grew up in, actually run in my blood. I am immersed in these waters and they have ‘baptised’ me.
‘Home Waters’ is a topographic journey in miniature that spans the waterway I feel so connected to.
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29
Title
Medium
Artist
Head Waters: Heart Space
Painted Bas Relief
Anne-Maree Hunter
Price
$3,500
Dimensions
18 cm x 13 cm
Artist Statement:
I grew up under the shapely shadows cast by Tomaree and Yacaaba Headlands. The Headlands stretch out their arms and seems to embrace the turquoise water in the Port.
They still shelter my very favourite swimming spot. ‘Head Waters: Heart Space’ is an artwork from the series called ‘Precious’. It is a miniature sculptural landscape installed into a recycled jewellery box to represent the precious nature of our environment. It is a topographic journey of these volcanic outcrops, waters and beaches.
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30
Title
Medium
Artist
Rugged Coast
Acrylic
Wendy Allen
Price
$695
Dimensions
79 cm x 63 cm
Artist Statement:
I enjoy painting seascapes and the Australian coast has been the source of many of my artworks.
I find the coastline particularly interesting with the continual movement of the sea, changing tides, and how the seas carve and mould the coastline, from rocky outcrops to long bays.
The reflections, and interplay of light on the water all provide a never-ending source of painting material. I am amazed and captured by the infinite array of colours, that are the beauty and essence of the Australian landscape.
31
Title
Medium
Artist
The Bay
Acrylic
Wendy Allen
Price
$695
Dimensions
62cm x 63 cm
Artist Statement:
I enjoy painting seascapes and the Australian coast has been the source of many of my artworks.
I find the coastline particularly interesting with the continual movement of the sea, changing tides, and how the seas carve and mould the coastline, from rocky outcrops to long bays.
The reflections, and interplay of light on the water all provide a never-ending source of painting material. I am amazed and captured by the infinite array of colours, that are the beauty and essence of the Australian landscape.
32
Price
$200
Title
Medium
Artist
Dimensions
Waiting for Action
Dry Pastel
Eileen Dickinson
38 cm x 55 cm
Artist Statement:
Port Stephens has for many years played host to an interesting array of Aquatic Sports and accompanying recreational pursuits; some of International renown, and inspiring the Artists and Photographers with endles material.
“WAITING FOR ACTION' was inspired by past catamaran and sailing events held in the region. As the “Cats” lay dormant, the natural cleansing of the beach line occurs during the winter months and the Bay consequently restores and helps retain its ecological balance and extraordinary beauty.
The guardianship of the residents and their Councils over the years has developed into an exemplary legacy for the Community.
Artist Statement:
33
Title
Medium
Artist
Nelson Bay Naiveteˊ
Dry Pastel
Eileen Dickinson
“NELSON BAY NAIVETTE' Represents the passing of time, and how the “Old Time Fishing Village atmosphere ; “notably, the Coral Flame Trees, walkways, township, Trawler Co-operative Profiles; also, the Inter Club Game Fishing Industry that was a very large part and attractive enterprise over the years.
Pleasure craft now occupy, the majority of the available D'Albora docks inviting into what has become the evolving Tourist industry and Preferred Retirement Location.
Dimensions
37 cm x 54 cm
SOLD
34
Title
Medium
Artist
Wonders of the
Sea Bed
Porcelain Clay on Wood
June Wheen
Artist Statement:
My porcelain ceramic ‘coral picture’ was created using fine porcelain clay, fired in an electric kiln to 1280 degrees C.
I have tried to create an underwater scene showing coral, shells and marine forms, highlighting the exquisite nature of our marine environment.
I have used porcelain clay as it can be hand moulded and formed into fine intricate shapes.
My ceramic works vary from useable items to larger sculptural forms, often inspired by our beautiful scenery
Price
$800
Dimensions
88 cm x 24 cm
35
Title
Medium
Artist
Homeless
Artist Statement:
Mixed Media
Marianne Newton
The desperate plight of our native animals is depicted in this work. They are under stress from the effects of changes to their habitat – fire and overfishing in particular! Barren landscapes razed by bushfire and waters overfished by indiscriminate netting leaves our iconic national wildlife species under threat!
Price
$180
Dimensions
61 cm x 61 cm
36
Title
Medium
Artist
What?.. But We Live Here!
Artist Statement:
Charcoal
Christine Leaming
There is a constant battle to maintain a safe environment for our treasured koalas. In recent times, their habitats have been reduced through fire and development.
We need to be conscious of the effect this has on the local koala population and continue to fight for the rights of our native animals. This is their home!
Dimensions
45.7 cm x 91.4 cm
SOLD
37
Title
Medium
Artist
Into the Berley
Bucket
Artist Statement:
Gyotaku Print
Bev McKinnon-Matthews
The individual fish have been hand printed in the old Japanese Gyotaku method, cut out and pasted in a collage.
Local fish from Port Stephens have been printed including garfish, carp, bream, flathead, red rock cod, octopus, seahorse, prawn and leatherjacket. Can you find them?
The Gyotaku method involves prepping the fish, inking up the fish and carefully placing ‘rice’ paper with a good wet strength over the fish to obtain the details of scales, fins etc.
Dimensions
92 cm x 72 cm
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