Advertisment

General News

15 June, 2023

Golden Textures exhibition begins

The seventh biennial Golden Textures Contemporary Art Quilt Award exhibition will kick off this weekend, with the winner of the national award also to be announced. The Central Goldfields Art Gallery is now housing 21 art quilts from around...

By Riley Upton

Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella and Central Goldfields Art Gallery coordinator Helen Kaptein ahead of this weekend’s opening.
Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella and Central Goldfields Art Gallery coordinator Helen Kaptein ahead of this weekend’s opening.

The seventh biennial Golden Textures Contemporary Art Quilt Award exhibition will kick off this weekend, with the winner of the national award also to be announced.

The Central Goldfields Art Gallery is now housing 21 art quilts from around Australia that have been selected as finalists in the award and exhibition, which will be on display until August 20.

The winner of the prestigious award will be selected by National Wool Museum director Padraic Fisher and Central Goldfields Art Gallery coordinator, Helen Kaptein.

The winner will receive $3000 and the art quilt will become part of the Central Goldfields Art Gallery’s permanent collection. There will also be $500 awarded for a highly commended work, the first time this has been done.

This is the seventh time the biennial Golden Textures Contemporary Art Quilt Award has been presented by Central Goldfields Art Gallery after the inaugural award was initiated by Maryborough art quilter Jenny Bacon and the then gallery manager, Kay Parkin as a homage to the region’s long connection with textile manufacturing and craft.

Ms Kaptein described the exhibition as a “big deal”, and said its growth over the years reflects what it means to the community.

“To have artists from all around Australia here in the one venue is a big deal,” she said.

“Every time we’ve run the award we really look into how we can add to its value so there was a pre-selection process for quilts this year which we’ve never had before.

“It will be fantastic to showcase these unique and creative works in the redeveloped gallery space and give them the respect they deserve.”

The exhibition brings together leading exponents of art quilting from around Australia with artists contributing work from Western Australia through to Tasmania.

All of the art quilts have been created in the last three years and none have been publicly exhibited before, with the Central Goldfields Art Gallery the sole venue presenting the exhibition.

Artists included in the exhibition are: Anna Brown, Mandy Baker, Sandra Champion, Robyn Cuthbertson, Sue Dennis, Dianne Firth, Jan Frazer, Jackie Gorring, Lynne Hargreaves, Ronda Hazell, Judy Hooworth, Glenyce McGauchie, Jem Olsen, Beth Reid, Trevor Reid, Melanie Sampson, Greg Somerville, Caitlin Stewart, Linda Steele, Tania Tanti, Lisa Walton and Brenda Wiseman.

On the same day, in the Gallery’s ramp space, the gallery will be launching an exhibition of paintings by Fiona Somerville titled Fiona Somerville: Landscape which are inspired by historical buildings around the her Talbot home. This exhibition will be on display until August 13.

Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella encouraged residents to come and see both exhibitions.

“This (Golden Textures) is an incredible exhibition,” she said.

“As an avid craftsperson I can appreciate the skills that are needed to create these quilts — I may not be a quilter, but I certainly appreciate the time, effort and the incredible thought processes behind each of these works.

“We have people coming from everywhere for this which is fantastic, this exhibition in this redeveloped gallery space is well worth seeing and I encourage residents to attend.

“Fiona Somerville’s exhibition is also absolutely brilliant and well worth looking at.”

All are welcome to attend the official opening on Saturday, June 17 at 2pm at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery in Neill Street.

Advertisment

Most Popular