Contemporary Art Society's
ANNUAL EXHIBITION 2019
9-22 September
Opening: Sunday 8 September
Reporter: Evelyn Young
The CAS Annual Exhibition that opened on Sunday the 8th of September saw 91 works of exceptionally high standard by our Members. The adjudicator Stieg Persson is a well established contemporary artist, who has been exhibiting since 1983 and has won many awards and is exhibited in major galleries around the world.
Such is the quality of the work in this exhibition that it took him just under two hours and several laps of the gallery before he was able to arrive at his award selection. He had done the judging the day before, after the show was hung, and we were delighted to also have him at the opening to speak about his choices. As our President Robert Lee announced the lucky prize winners and Highly Commendeds, Stieg spoke eloquently and at length, giving us a really interesting insight into these works. He said how hard it was to choose from so many high quality works.
Sunflowers, forged and welded mild steel, 1200 x 38 x 38 cm, by Paul Cacioli
Starting with the four artists who each received a High Commendation (with certificate and bottle of wine), here are the details of all the prize winning works, along with some of Stieg’s comments about each one.
Dependencies, oil on canvas, 61 x 61 cm, by W Howard Brandenburg
Highly Commended - Dependencies by W Howard Brandenburg.
His earthly toned painting of petrol nozzles crammed into a single outlet, showed an insight into tackling todays big issues.
Highly Commended - Sunflowers by Paul Cacioli.
This mild steel sculpture of sunflowers showed a high skill level of his smithing craft and artistic arrangement.
Swan and Cygnets, watercolour, 31 x 44 cm, by Damian Curtain
Highly Commended - Swan and Cygnets by Damian Curtain.
In this work he showed a great control of the medium, resulting in a lovely work.
The One and Only Amy Winehouse, acrylic on glass, 100 x 95 cm, by Yvonne de Valle
Highly Commended - The One and Only Amy Winehouse by Yvonne de Valle.
This beautiful work was technically very challenging as the image was painted in reverse on glass.
Stieg also said how wonderful and generous the prizes from our kind sponsors were. And now for the prize winners:
Autumn Ends, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 cm, by Robyn Pridham
First Prize, total value $1,740 - Autumn Ends by Robyn Pridham.
This abstract painting was completed on a square canvas which usually creates a series of challenges. The use of colour, form, and dynamics in her work made for a very competent composition. The more he looked into this painting, the more engaged he became with the various aspects that revealed themselves at each subsequent viewing. He described it as a “slow release” work.
Garden Walk, mixed media, 41 x 31 cm, by Kathy Siganakis
Second Prize, total value $1,230 - Garden Walk by Kathy Siganakis.
Kathy’s collage work in mixed media utilized repurposed works on canvas in an interesting and creative manner, creating a well resolved flowing composition. He liked the way the snake forms flowed around the two human forms.
Transitions: diptych mixed media, 83 x 51 cm, by Robert Lee
Third Prize, total value $660 - Transitions: diptych by Robert Lee.
Robert’s pixelated diptych played with the disruption of form utilising negative and positive space. This very simple method (of using pieces of perforated metal as stencils) was used to create a visually complex and engaging artwork.
Bare My Soul, mixed media, 101 x 101 cm, by Payam Khajeh
Fourth Prize, total value $400 - Bare My Soul by Payam Khajeh.
Payam’s work was likened to the famous American artist R.B. Kitaj in the way he rendered the faces of his work. These faces and the imbedded texts created a variation of abstract and figurative elements.
Ice Cream, acrylic, ink & pencil, 32 x 23 cm, by Cressida Fox
Special Prize for innovative use of material, total value $850 - Ice Cream by Cressida Fox.
Cressida used large commercial paint swatches that had engaging colour names, to bring humour into the artworks drawn on these cards.
Trinkets on Carpet Landscape, digital print on cotton canvas (1/10), 40 x 30 cm, by Antonietta Sanfilippo
Judge’s Encouragement Award, total value $150 - Trinkets on Carpet Landscape by Antonietta Sanfilippo.
Antonietta has used digital technology to present a print that gives the appearance of tapestry work. She had painted the original work on a loose weave canvas. She has demonstrated a high level of technical proficiency. Stieg said that artists should embrace technology.
- CAS proudly acknowledges our sponsors:
- Adara Apartments Richmond
- Art Almanac
- Art Stretchers
- Arthouse Direct
- Cam Art, Craft and Technology
- Chapman and Bailey Art Shop
- Chroma Australian Pty Ltd
- Grill’d Swan st Richmond
- Hocking Stuart estate agents, for providing two beautiful 8ft x 6ft féte boards
- Jasco Pty Ltd
- Kami Handmade Papers
- Michelangelo Russo
- Uniting Church Richmond