Jun Chen from Queensland was today announced as the Fleurieu Art Prize Hardys People's Choice Winner for his work Fertile Fields. Chen's rich and vivid landscape was overwhelmingly the crowd favourite, and he receives a cash prize of $2000.

Fleurieu Art Prize General Manager, Karen Paris said, "Visitors clearly felt that Chen's piece, painted following a trip to McLaren Vale, really captured the essence of the region through the rich colour and textures used in the piece, and reflected the abundant and productive landscape of the Fleurieu Peninsula. This announcement is a fitting end to a wonderful event!"

With a total prize pool of $90,000, The Fleurieu Art Prize is the world's richest Landscape Art Prize, a prize of critical and financial significance, attracting Australia's finest landscape artists and supported by internationally significant judges. 

The 2011 Fleurieu Art Prize saw thousands of arts lovers attending the six main exhibitions and auxiliary events, attracted by the very high calibre of artwork in this year's prize.

A highlight of the event was the Gala Dinner, held at Hardy's Winery on 12 November, where Julie Harris from NSW was announced as the winner of the $50,000 Fleurieu Landscape Prize, for her work Pagodas at Newnes, by the 2011 judges; Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, Nick Mitzevich; internationally acclaimed artist, Janet Laurence; and Chair of the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council and artist, Ted Snell.

Laura Wills from South Australia won the $10,000 Fleurieu Vistas Prize for her work, Rapid Bay Road. Gladdy Kemarre from Western Australia won the $10,000 Fleurieu Water Prize for her work, Anwekety (Bush Plum). Lynne Boyd from Victoria won the $10,000 Fleurieu Water Prize for her work, Lilac Time, Port Phillip Bay. Alice Blanch from South Australia received the $10,000 Fleurieu Youth Scholarship.

The Fleurieu Art Prize is fittingly centred in McLaren Vale and the Fleurieu Peninsula, a region famous for its striking landscape and extraordinary geological formations, as well as being renowned for its fine food, appreciation of art and as a producer of high quality wine. 

The prize celebrates both the local environment, which has long been the home to and a source of inspiration for some of Australia's most important landscape artists; and the local community, who continue to support and embrace the arts.

The next biennial Fleurieu Art Prize will be held in 2013, and a call for entries will go out early that year.

For more information visit www.artprize.com.au 

Presented by the Adelaide Critics Circle
Monday 5^th December 2011

http://www.adelaidecriticscircle.com/theawards.html

An ebullient arts community celebrated the 2011 ACC Awards, the ACColades, at the Arts Theatre, with Steve Saffell, CEO of Country Arts SA as guest presenter.

The Critics Circle Awards, which consist of cash prizes, as well as a trophy made by silversmith Christine Pyman, enjoy generous support from Coriole Wines, Coopers Brewery, Woodside Cheeses, Chesser Cellars and The Arts Theatre.

THE WINNERS

Individual Award – Professional
Tamara Lee, actor, That Face (five.point.one)

Group Award – Professional
State Opera of South Australia, Moby Dick

Emerging Artist – Performing Arts
Charles Sanders, artistic director, Early Worx

IAF Innovation Award
Adam Synnott, animation and sound, Side To One (Craig Bary and Lisa Griffiths)

Visual Artist
Amy Joy Watson

Lifetime Achievement
Barbara West

Group Award – Amateur
Therry Dramatic Society, Breaker Morant

Individual Award – Amateur
Megan Dansie, director, The Pillowman (University of Adelaide Theatre Guild

http://www.adelaidecriticscircle.com/

The Adelaide Critics Circle Awards, the ACColades, are to be presented at 6pm on Monday 5^th December 2011 at the ARTS Theatre, 53 Angas Street, Adelaide. This event is open to the public and entry is free.

Here are the nominees in each category.

Individual Award – Professional Theatre
Guy Barrett for the RBS Morgans International Piano Series
Tamara Lee, actor, That Face (five.point.one)
David Mealor, director, Buried Child (State Theatre Company of SA)

Group Award – Professional Theatre
five.point.one, The Eisteddfod
Soundstream Collective
State Opera of South Australia, Moby Dick
State Theatre Company of SA, Holding the Man

Emerging Artist of the Year
Robert Bell, actor, The Pillowman (University of Adelaide Theatre Guild)
Charles Sanders, artistic director, Early Worx
Nigel Tripodi, actor, A View from the Bridge (University of Adelaide Theatre Guild)
Alex Vickery-Howe, playwright, Molly’s Shoes (Accidental Productions)

Independent Arts Foundation Award for Innovation
Chris More, video and set designer, The Girl Who Cried Wolf (Windmill Theatre)

Jason Sweeney, sound designer, Three Sisters, The Eisteddfod
Adam Synott, animation and sound, Side To One (Craig Bary and Lisa Griffiths)

Individual Award – Amateur Theatre
Megan Dansie, director, The Pillowman (University of Adelaide Theatre Guild)
David Roach, actor, Red (Independent Theatre)
Russell Starke OAM, actor, Breaker Morant (Therry Dramatic Society)

Group Award – Amateur Theatre
Therry Dramatic Society, Breaker Morant
University of Adelaide Theatre Guild, A View from the Bridge
University of Adelaide Theatre Guild, The Pillowman

The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award will also be announced, as will the Visual Arts Award. There are no nominees announced in either of these categories, only the winners.

South Australia-based glass artist and JamFactory alumnus Deb Jones will present a series of new works, Heading in the Right Directions.

Jones' work explores some of the recurring themes of her practice and how they transform themselves into objects. This exhibition represents Jones’ philosphy of "less is more", focusing on a lean pallet of ideas and colour. Jones has created sculptural works in which the viewer can reflect on manipulations of form, light and colour density. Her raw and honest approach to materials is balanced by her pared back aesthetic.

Deb Jones was born in NSW and graduated from the Canberra School of Art with a Bachelor of Visual Arts in 1992. She then moved to Adelaide where she completed the two-year Associate training program in the JamFactory Glass Studio. In 2005 she co-founded the Blue Pony Studios and in 2007 opened a new studio, Gate 8, with fellow glass artist Jessica Loughlin. She presently shares her time between Gate 8 and her position as Studio Designer within JamFactory’s Glass Studio.

A significant glass artist, Jones has completed many public and private commissions and her works are held in public collections including Art Bank, The National Gallery of Victoria, The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and the Australian National Parliamentary Library in Canberra.

The exhibition is open from 10 December 2011 through to February next year.

Date: 10 December 2011 – 12 February 2012
Location: JamFactory, 19 Morphett St, Adelaide

For more info, visit the JamFactory website.

TAFE SA Adelaide College of the Arts (AC Arts) will share its emerging artists with Adelaide this festive season at the popular annual Arts Bazaar on 9 December. The 2011 annual Arts Bazaar will feature dozens of stalls of affordable art crafted by Adelaide’s next generation of visual artists.
 
AC Arts Creative Director Christie Anthoney says the Light Square campus is a hub of creativity with students busy learning the skills that will make them the jewellers, costume designers, printmakers, photographers and visual artists of the future. 
 
“In 2010 I purchased earrings for my mum, a beautiful white ceramic vase for my neighbour and a number of handmade cards that were exquisite. The work is very original, handcrafted and makes the perfect Christmas gift,” Ms Anthoney said of last year’s bazaar.
 
“Artworks from all the studio disciplines will be available for purchase at very reasonable prices.” 
 
It’s an exciting time of year for the more than 1000 students studying within the AC Arts building and for many is the culmination of years of creative endeavour.
 
There will be dance and acting graduating student productions running within the building in December. The final year acting students present The Laramie Project, a play about the reaction to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shephard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming. Helter Skelter & Heven and Erthe in Lytyl Space feature TAFE SA final year dance students and is directed by Peter Sheedy and Jonathon Taylor. 
 
The Laramie Project will run in the X Space Theatre from Wednesday 7 until Saturday 10 December, while the dance productions will be held in the Main Theatre from Wednesday 7 to Saturday 10 December. Tickets are available through VenueTix on 8225 8888 or www.venuetix.com.au
 
The annual Arts Bazaar will be held on Friday 9 December from 2pm – 8pm at Adelaide College of the Arts, 39 Light Square City.

Date: Friday 9 December.
Time: 2pm – 8pm.
Location: Adelaide College of the Arts, 39 Light Square, Adelaide.

STUDIO LINGO, a Renew Adelaide Project which has been running alongside it's shop-buddies, LittlestVINTAGE since July 2011, is having a celebratory break up party.

STUDIO LINGO is an artspace run by Michelle Lee and Mandi Whitten which has supported over 60 local, South Australian artists of a wide genre and of varying experience since opening it's doors in July 2011.

It's focus has been on making sure affordable art is accessible to it's Adelaide clientele by presenting artists' work for sale with minimum mark-up and maximum exposure.

The beautiful, open and light gallery space on Prospect Road, available only through the generosity of Maras Group and the innovation of Renew Adelaide, has been paramount to the success of STUDIO LINGO's ideals.

STUDIO LINGO will be closing it's “bricks and mortar” store on December 24th 2011, but will continue curating group exhibitions in the future so keep an eye out on the website for the next up-and-coming show.

WHEN: Sunday, December 4th
WHERE: 98 Prospect Road TIME: 2 – 4pm
WHAT: Live Art, Drinks and Nibbles, Sale Prices, Great Christmas Gift Ideas

For more information on Studio Lingo visit studiolingo.tumblr.com

An exhibition of striking steel sculptures that explores fragmentation, change and perpetuity is now open, adjacent to Adelaide City Council’s Customer Centre in Pirie Street.

Astra Parker’s Constancy explores the process of change in natural structures. Astra creates organic forms using steel, taking her inspiration from nature.

“Adelaide City Council is a proud supporter of the arts and is committed to providing financial backing,” Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said.

Council supports artists through a strategic partnership with the Helpmann Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts, a registered not-for-profit organisation established to assist the careers of emerging South Australian artists.

In 2010, Astra Parker was the recipient of The City of Adelaide Visual Arts Exhibition Award at the Helpmann Academy Graduates Exhibition for her steel sculpture Cell Formation.

The award provides funding for an artist to deliver an exhibition in the city. The judging panel included Councillors Clearihan and Wilkinson and Council Public Art Officer, Janice Lally.

Since 1999, Council has actively supported The Helpmann Academy through the provision of an annual grant to fund four awards and in 2011/2012, funding has increased to include support of a new event – the Classical Music Awards to be held in the Town Hall.

Astra is an Adelaide sculptor whose work focuses on the parallels of change and interconnection in physical and social environments.

From her studio at Thebarton, she creates sculptures for exhibitions for Adelaide and interstate.

“I work in a variety of materials and my current work is predominantly welded steel. I make my sculptures through a process of separation and reconstruction of multiple forms to create a new whole,” Astra said.

Stephen said, “This Award is about getting artists’ work out there and into the public eye.

“Council is thrilled that we have been able to help Astra exhibit this amazing body of work which has taken so much time and effort. I urge you to come for a wander and have a look.”

The exhibition will run until 30th November 2011.

For more information visit www.cityofadelaide.com.au

Pro Harts South Australian mural has returned to its original home on the Upper Ground Level at The Myer Centre Adelaide.

The ‘South Australian Mural’ was commissioned by the Myer Centre Adelaide in 1993. It is the largest artwork to be permanently exhibited in South Australia by the legendary Australian artist, Pro Hart.

The mural, measuring 6 meters by 2 meters, portrays the history of South Australia and is divided into four panels each of which was progressively completed by Pro Hart at public sittings at the Myer Centre in March of 1993.

Centre Manager Peter Lee states “We are proud to return the painting to its original location where it was initially created. This allows for all Myer Centre Adelaide customers to enjoy and admire an important piece of South Australian art history.”

The impressive painting is located on the Upper Ground Level above the entrance into the Myer Department Store at The Myer Centre Adelaide.

From an explosive light installation that clocks births, deaths and dying stars in real time to a full body cast that mimics the aging process by slumping, sagging and wrinkling in front of your eyes, the 2012 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art explores the ways in which ideas emerge, converge and re-form through time.

Through the inspired curation of Natasha Bullock and Alexie Glass-Kantor the exhibition, titled Parallel Collisions, considers the temporality of the present as it parallels and collides with the past.

“The Adelaide Biennial is the flagship exhibition of Australian contemporary art and the only remaining contemporary art survey in the nation, said Art Gallery of South Australia Director, Nick Mitzevich.

“It represents an important opportunity for Australian artists, as well as the Art Gallery of South Australia’s unswerving commitment to current Australian art. For more than two decades, the Adelaide Biennial has been the measure of the here and now – and more so than ever this year with an unprecedented number of new works made for the exhibition,” he said.

Parallel Collisions presents 21 commissioned works by some of Australia’s leading artists including Richard Bell, Stephen Bram, Pat Brassington, Philip Brophy, Robert Cooks vs Max Pam, Timothy Cook, Daniel Crooks, Nicholas Folland, Pat Foster & Jen Berean, Marco Fusinato, Shaun Gladwell, Susan Jacobs, Jonathan Jones, Yvonne Koolmatrie, Rosemary Laing, Rob McLeish, Tom Nicholson, Philip Samartzis, Tim Silver, Ricky Swallow and Michelle Ussher.

Curators Natasha Bullock and Alexie Glass-Kantor say that time is the conceptual key to unlock the 2012 Adelaide Biennial.

“What we were interested in when considering the Biennial was the idea of four key words; time, parallel, collision and trespass. We really wanted to explore the richness of ideas through time – how, when the dimension of time is introduced, collision becomes possible,” they said.

Parallel Collisions runs from Friday 2 March to Sunday 29 April 2012. Admission is FREE. For further information, including details on artist and curator talks, tours and public events visit www.artgallery.sa.gov.au

The Hon Mike Rann MP has announced that the Art Gallery of South Australia will host a significant exhibition of the work of iconic British artist J. M. W. Turner. The exhibition, scheduled for February 2013, is being jointly curated by Tate and the Art Gallery of South Australia and includes many of the artist’s most familiar oil paintings and watercolours as well as works that have never been previously exhibited.

Turner – the Makings of a Master draws from the finest and most comprehensive collection of the artist’s work – the Turner Bequest. There is arguably no greater insight into the working techniques of a great artist than this unique collection, bequeathed to the people of Britain after Turner’s death in 1851 and held by the Tate.

Art Gallery of South Australia Director, Nick Mitzevich said “This spectacular exhibition reveals why Turner is regarded as one of the greatest landscape painters of all time.”

Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856 “His poetic interpretation of nature was wondrous and revolutionary. His ability to capture the movement, appearance and atmospheric impression of light instilled his paintings with a sensory command that has transcended time and place”.

Mr Rann said that “Turner’s work is mesmerizing and so well loved and diverse that this exhibition is bound to be very popular among Australians who would welcome the rare chance to see such an extensive display of his works so intimately.”

“This exhibition is a real coup for our Gallery and Tate have been extremely generous in the scope and scale of the works of art they are sending to the southern hemisphere, some for the first time ever.”

Turner – the Makings of a Master has been organised by Tate, London, in association with Art Exhibitions Australia. The Art Gallery of South Australia acknowledges the South Australian Government for its support through the Major Exhibitions Fund.

Director of the Tate, Sir Nicholas Serota said “We are delighted to be working with the Art Gallery of South Australia on this exciting project, which will bring many of the very best examples of Turner’s work to Australia for the first time and in greater depth than the last Turner show in 1996.”

“Because Tate is privileged to be the custodian of Turner’s own Turners, we can uniquely explore the complete trajectory of his career, whether through his direct observations of the natural world, or the transcendent, light-filled images that continue to inspire artists. Turner made a huge contribution to the history of British painting, and to world art, and this exhibition offers the chance to engage with his development and the processes he used at first hand, especially through the experimental work that only came to light after Turner’s death,” Sir Serota said.

Further details will be released closer to the official opening of the exhibition.

www.artgallery.sa.gov.au

IMAGE: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775-1851, Venice, the Bridge of Sighs exhibited 1840, oil on canvas support: 686 x 914 mm.