Art Presentations

Must be Di****ad Hanger Day today.
This came in this arvo.
Funnily enough though, they apologised for what they did.
They also assured me they would drill a hole and use a wall plug and screw

And they wonder why it came crashing down….
Novel way of hangers being used.
Drink the can, use the ring pull.
Imagine if he was doing an exhibition, there’d be a couple of blocks of amber consumed

Over 30 years ago, the late Jennifer Hopewell walked in the door with a load of works on paper.
“You’re framing my Show”
“I haven’t done one on my own before” I stuttered nervously
“Doesn’t matter, you’re doing this one”

I did that show for Hopeless and did every show for her after that.
It was a leap of faith by her and big deal for me but it taught me all about framing an exhibition and the many facets that come with it or as I like to say…. The logistics.

Yesterday I threw Zack under the bus and told him he was running his first show flying solo.
and I had a discussion regarding his upcoming exhibition and I teed it up that Zacko could do Merrick’s show.
Merrick will be away doing the Melbourne Art Fair so the works were dropped in and it needs to be done while he’s away.
Zed needs to make sure that the show is framed on time, on schedule, wrapped, packed, and stacked for the collection date.
I also emphasised to him that being an Artist and having a show is a very large part of the Artists’ income and everything needs to be spot on because an exhibition is the culmination of a year or two or three’s work.
Coulda knocked me over when Merrick said that it was years ago when he went up north on the residency to work towards the fab paintings. Where did that time go?
I know Zacko will do okay.
The running sheet is already done and he is thinking about the attack on the project.
It’s one thing to do the physical work but it’s another thing to throw in all the aspects of arrival of work to departure and delivery of finished product.
I told him he’s doing it and I will only get involved if he needs me to help lift or load but that’s all.

Thanks Merrick… his will teach him a few new skills

You’ll never forget your first Zacko

The first customer of 2026. An absolute favourite.nikulinsky always gets a hug, a kiss and we just ramble on.
She wouldn’t stop mucking around when I was trying to take the photo.
We’re back Monday to Friday 8:30 -5:00
We’ll look forward to seeing the amazing works that have been created and feel privileged to get to work with them and also you all.

A visit today from Tilly and Hazel.
The Nut has just turned one and according to Tilly, she’s a good Bub.
Lots of customers have asked how both were travelling, so now you know and you can see little Hazel.

We are open again after a nice break. Yesterday was the first day back and it was chaotic with customers.
I opened the back roller door and the kids came in for breakfast.
We will look forward to seeing you this year, catching up and learning what’s 2025 has in store for you

When Sandra Murray walks in the door at this time of the year it can only mean one thing.
The Perth Royal Art Prize for Landscape is on.

A field of 57 WA artists from across the state are on show in the 2024 Perth Royal Art Prize for Landscape with the First Prize, a non-acquisitive $20,000, awarded tonight.
The Prize, committed solely to landscape, is joined by two Highly Commended Awards, and an Emerging Artist Award.
The Royal Agricultural Society of WA supports artists with the opportunity to be presented in a professionally curated exhibition and showcased in one of WA’s most significant art prizes.”
The five previous winners are Olga Cironis, Penny Coss, Tim Burns, Lori Pensini.
Here is a catch – it only runs for a week.
There are some very good people showing good works and those lucky people – 57 were whittled down from the 200 entrants
13 - 21 July, 10 am – 4 pm daily, free admission and parking at the Wilkinson Gallery, Claremont Showground, Perth, entry via Gate 1.
All artworks are available to view and purchase online at: https://perthroyalshow.com.au/competitions/perth-royal-art-prize/perth-royal-art-prize-online-gallery/
2024 Perth Royal Art Prize Finalists:

Peter Allen, Jordan Andreotta, Christopher Bailey, Ralph Baker, Charmain Ball, Bori Benko, Melissa Boughey, Karina Buckingham, Carolyn Bye, Joshua Cocking, Di Cubitt, Jo Darbyshire, Jozina de Ruiter, Lorraine Defleur, Frances Dennis, Stuart Earnshaw, Linda Fardoe, Katie Glaskin, Thomas Goates, Margery Goodall, Jenni Gray, Fiona Harman, Patricia Hines, Eric Hynynen, Olivia Jones, Lauren Kennedy, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Mel Lamanna, Emma Lamb, Vania Lawson, Carly Le Cerf, Sue Leeming, Andre Lipscombe, Laszlo Lukacs, Alan Muller, Michael Vincent Murphy, Andrew Nicholls, Jaelle Pedroli, Lori Pensini, Annette Peterson, Heloise Roberts and Moira Fearby, Judy Rogers, Renee Rose, Julie Silvester, Bruce and Nicole Slatter, Nicole Steenhof, Elmari Steyn, Sally Stoneman, Ross Storey and Ned Crossley, Alastair Taylor, Emily ten Raa, Michele Theunissen, Sarah Thornton-Smith, Peter Usher, Marina van Leeuwen, Geoffrey Wake, Kay Wood

Being accepted into an Art Prize is always exciting for a young Artist.
Nena Salobir was a little nervous when she dropped her work in to be framed.
Her mixed media was being entered into the Darling Portrait Prize 2024.
Nena’s nervousness had disappeared when she came in and told me she was accepted.
I think thrilled could be a word to describe how she was feeling.

is a conceptual artist specialising in portraiture.
Her long-running Self Portrait in Society (2015-2024) is a cumulative artwork of portraits drawn while her subjects have drawn her at the same time.
The subject of two solo exhibitions, and several experiential performances engaging the general public in her art, Self Portrait in Society thus far encompasses portraits from over 400 sittings with artists and non-artists alike.
A largely self-taught artist, her belief is that, just as “seeing comes before words” (Berger), creativity and visual expression should be as openly encouraged as literacy.
She said she basically had her Art education at St Mary’s Anglican Girls School under the very wonderful Lisa Young and Gayle Wilson.
St Mary’s has certainly popped out some extremely creative people over the years.

So…. she was accepted into the Darling Portrait Prize.
The Darling Portrait Prize is a biennial national prize for Australian portrait painting
Then she was awarded the Art Handlers’ Award so the trepidation of “Should I enter” and “Will I stand a chance against the other people exhibiting” became null and void.
The really cool part of what we do is when the Artists come back to us and say I got accepted, I got highly commended, I won the prize.
We are always very excited for them.
Well done young Lady !!

Coming back from bakery

“Alphonso is a Finalist in the Telstra Indigenous Art Awards. How good is that”
Julienne Penny from Tunbridge Gallery told us the news as she happened to drop in a couple of new Alphonso Puautjimi works to be framed.
I love Alphonso’s works.
I have since the very first one came in years ago.
Big fan in fact.
We get to see the thick natural ochre works on paper.
Alphonso is an intellectually disabled man and he loves creating his paintings.
He sees it and he paints it.
I love the naivety of his work but also the absolute honesty of his imagery.
He loves modes of transport and they are what we have seen more often than not.
Alphonso is well represented by Galleries across Australia.
It is so exciting that he if a finalist.
How good would it be if he got up and won….
Julienne has a few new works at the Gallery now so if you want to see his work, they may be on-line or scoot down to the Gallery

Go Team Alphonso !!!!