CAS Inc. Annual Exhibition 2024
Gallery 314, 314 Church St, Richmond
8 - 22 September
Review by Ann Ravenshield
The Contemporary Art Society’s Annual Exhibition held at the wonderful Gallery 314 venue, showcasing a diverse array of CAS Members’ works, is a bright point in this year’s art calendar of events with many exciting works on view and a time where artists, friends and appreciators of art can gather and share their unique perspectives on art. This year there were 98 entries by 53 entrants, 86 works on paper and 160 Artists Cards.
Artist cards stand, and attentive crowd during the opening speech and prize announcements
Guests enjoying refreshments and the Works On Paper
The Annual Exhibition this year was a strong showcasing of local talent from artists at all stages of their arts practice, with diverse art styles brought together in harmony and flow by skilful curation, where sculptures, acrylic and oil paintings, prints, drawings, digital art, cyanotypes and mixed media works, all co-existing in an aesthetically pleasing way. This curatorial expertise only contributed to the prevailing sense of peace which was present throughout the exhibition. The section of the exhibition which stood out for me to illustrate this point was the visual flow between Robert Lee’s humorous sculpture, “Faded Grandmother” and Susan Gustaffson’s delicately coloured acrylic painting, “Flower Fusion” and the gallery’s gardens outside, which are currently a blaze of colour, with the mass planting of orange clivia.
Flower Fusion, acrylic, 61 x 122 cm, by Susan Gustafson
Orange clivia growing in the garden outside the gallery
Faded Grandma, mixed media, 186 x 52 x 52 cm, by Robert Lee
Other works which caught my attention were Kate Howard’s sculpture, “Wine vessel 4”. Made from glass, crystal, copper and solder, displayed on a mirror, it was like a cluster of clear mandalas. The ethereal quality, almost invited the viewer to discover the intangible realm within the tangible form. Nearby “Japanese Windflowers A2”, a professionally printed digital drawing by Richard Impey perfectly enhanced the sense of a curated ethereal flow, with the buoyant flowers positioned against a commanding abstracted blue ombre background.
Wine vessel 4, glass, crystal, copper & solder, 18 x 30 x 30 cm by Kate Howard
Japanese Windflowers A2, digital drawing on cotton rag, 58 x 72 cm by Richard Impey
Next to the entrance to the exhibition, Soo Swan Goh’s mixed media, “Awakening Radiant Love” was an amazing 2D mixed media exploration incorporating deep relief sculptural elements. I was mightily impressed by the artist’s expertise and skill. Positioned adjacent to Soo Swan Goh’s work, the fresh beautiful pinks and greens in Farimah Eshraghi’s “By the river” abstract painting had a calming and uplifting presence, perfect for placement in a quiet and contemplative space.
Awakening Radiant Love, mixed media, 800 x 800 cm, by Soo Swan Goh
By the river, acrylics on canvas, 102 x 81 cm, by Farimah Eshraghi
On the quirky, fun and playful side, Analiese Fort’s two polymer clay battery operated sculptures in motion, “Performing Artist #1” and “Performing Artist #2”, made me smile for the whimsical quality the artist brought to these creations and were a laudable effort for first works.
Performing Artist #1, 21 x 12 x 12 cm, and Performing Artist #2, 20 x 20 x 20 cm,
polymer clay, brass, acrylic paint, cotton, plastic, by Analiese Fort
The list of judges for the Annual Exhibition is a rather impressive line up of esteemed artists and is like an historical view of the who’s who of the art world! Any judge would love to be on that list! This year we were honoured to have the esteemed artist Deborah Halpern judge the 2024 Annual Exhibition. The last time Deborah judged the Annual Exhibition was 25 years ago. Deborah Halpern’s practice centres on large whimsical and soulful sculptural forms, with beautiful mosaic surfaces that glitter in the sun. Deborah’s iconic works have been located around Melbourne for many years and evoke exuberant happiness and joy!
President Robert Lee and judge Deborah Halpern doing prize announcements
On behalf of everyone I would like to thank Deborah Halpern for the encouragement she gave to all artists at the end of her announcements: to keep going - no matter where they are in their practice, whether they like what they are creating or not, whether they are winning prizes or not: the overall loud and clear message is: keep going! There are certain times in one’s practice where it can be very easy just to let it all go, so these words Keep Going! are an anchor and coming from Deborah, a very powerful way to stay present and in the moment, here and now.
Deborah Halpern speaking at the opening
The Prize Winners were given generous awards from our sponsors from a prize pool of $6,914. Please see the list of sponsors acknowledged below. In light of Deborah Halpern’s artist message I would like to highlight that completing work and having it up on display in an exhibition makes every exhibitor a winner!
1st Prize $2,202. Winner: #18 “Open Plain”, oil on canvas by George Eustice. Judge’s comment: “Simple shapes and muted colours, abstract but realistic, skilful application of paint, nostalgic and futuristic.”
2nd Prize $1,511. Winner: #94 ”Out of View,” acrylic on canvas by Stefan Twaine-Wood. Judge’s comment: “Verdant city scape, energetic, engaging and inviting, mysterious and familiar.”
3rd prize $950. Winner: #5 “Bright Curiosity”, mixed media acrylic on wooden panel by Cheryle Bannon. Judge’s comment: “A tiny bird painted with love and attention detail. A petite jewel of a painting.”
4th Prize $650. Winner: #65 “Transition”, acrylic on canvas by Nathan Moshinsky. Judge’s comment: “Surreal amorphous figures and ideas floating and disappearing into the unknown. Beautiful use of paint and colour.”
5th Prize $200. Winner #78 “Expanse”, acrylic on canvas by Robyn Pridham. Judge’s comment:
“Skilfully painted, feels like nature overlaid in all seasons, and all weather, and all occasions.”
Special Prize for Innovative Use of Materials $1,101. Winner: #75 “It happened in the blue room”, mixed media by Theo Petrie. Judge’s comment: “Playful, jaunty, cheeky. A couple of people having a party.”
Judge’s Encouragement Award $300. Winner: #31 “Puex…purr” ...
AND #32 “Je suis..?” Mixed media by Siobhan Hannigan. Judge’s comment: “I would like to say this to the artist: “Just keep going”.”
Highly Commended: #27 “Journey to a New Horizon”, mixed media by Soo Swan Goh.
Judge’s comment: “As her comment says, “… the swirling waves mirror a range of emotions and dreams…”.”
Highly Commended: #69 “Bricks, mortar and the Holy Ghost”, linocut hand painted by Carmel O’Connor. Judge’s comment: “Really playful use of her linocuts - layers of playfulness.”
Highly Commended: #70 “Burnt Landscape 4”, oil on canvas by Brian Osbourne. Judge’s comment: “Almost like a memory of a burnt landscape and the time it happened.”
Highly Commended: #72 “Over the sea to a new Beginning”, bronze by Marija Patterson. Judge’s comment: “Evocative of being in the boat and going on the journey.”
Highly Commended: #91 “Past Lives - India 1972”, cyanotype on handmade paper by Gail Stiffe. Judge’s comment: “A dreamy nostalgic image evoking memories.”
Highly Commended: #95 “Still Life” steel / timber / paint by Bruce Webb. Judge’s comment: “His comment: “A still life, it is. But is it.” Is it a ram, or a girl with plaits running in the wind?”
Deborah’s general comment on the show: “A strong show. An exciting and inspiring body of work. As a group, there are clearly people who have been working for a long time and developing their practice, and there are others at the beginning of their journey and are in good company. So I would like to say to everybody, as I said to our Encouragement Award, “keep going.” I could have given more awards to more people, but you have to stop somewhere.”
We gratefully acknowledge our sponsors:
• Amora Hotels - Richmond • Art Almanac • Art Borads Australia • Art Stretchers • Arthouse Direct • Biggin & Scott • Chapman & Bailey Art Shop • Chroma Australia P/L • Deans Art • Derivan Pty Ltd • Grill’d Swan Street Richmond • Hydroxyl (Aust) Pty Ltd • Officeworks Vermont South • Omnus Framing • Royal Oak Hotel • Senior Art Supplies • The Art Shop Bayswater • Uniting Church Richmond • Victorian Artists Supplies • Zart Art Box Hill
Other Acknowledgements:
The Contemporary Art Society of Victoria Inc. would like to acknowledge and thank Members and Friends for the diverse range of tasks done to hold the Annual Exhibition 2024:
• Exhibition Curator and Co-ordinator: Robert Lee • Catalogue Editor: Robert Lee • Data entry: Fred Fair and Cressida Fox • Exhibition Hanging Committee: Thalia Andrews, Fred Fair, Analiese Fort, Karen Foley, Cressida Fox, Robert Lee, Susan Gustafson • Exhibition Sending In Day and Hanging of the Show: Robert Lee, Cressida Fox, Karen Foley, Analiese Fort, Susan Gustafson, Del Fadavi, Thalia Andrews, Soo Swan Goh, Brian Osbourne, Vida Ryan, Gail Stiffe, Stefan Twaine-Wood and Evelyn Young • Website: Fred Fair • Photgraphers: Robert Lee and Fred Fair