Things have been so busy that I had a post ready to go and never published it. So apologies for the lateness of this post.
Carmen and I had a great opening night of our exhibition ‘Highlights of the Landscape’, which was well attended and a lot of fun catching up with family and friends. We saw lots of visitors and familiar faces over the ten days with sales to match. Our paintings have now headed off to new homes or returned back to our walls. Carmen is back in Rockhampton preparing for her next painting trip.
I am also trying to get some painting done after the enjoyment of talking with visitors about my work and the amazing landscapes that we have in this state. But meanwhile I am still working from sketchbooks done while overseas visiting our son and his family in August 2023.
Other News:
I am also thrilled to be named a finalist of the John Villiers Outback Art Prize for 2024 with my monoprint diptych titled ‘Along the Fence Line’. This art prize is an annual art competition open to all Australian artists and held and presented by the Outback Regional Gallery and the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Queensland. Should you be doing a road trip out this way, be sure to pop into the gallery and check out all the finalists. Exhibition runs from 23rd March to the 19th May 2024.
‘Along the Fence Line’ Monoprint diptych by Joanne Kerr
A very good question, but luckily while I have not been keeping you updated with what’s happening, both Carmen and I been busy with painting and other art ventures. But I will try to give you a quick visual update.
Our July 2022 exhibition ‘Shared Journey’ was very successful, with lots of visitors with positive responses to our work and plenty of sales to lovely new art buyers and previous loyal art lovers. The Richard Randall Art Studio in the Mt-Cootha Botanical Gardens, is a lovely gallery space and we are pleased to be able to exhibit there again in February 2024. So, keep an eye out for future posts, hopefully!
Carmen’s art work from the exhibition, top: The Swamp (Litchfield National Park) Ink and watercolour, bottom: Regrowth Ink and aqua pastelJoanne’s work: 4 Collages exploring the theme of Sun, all are collage and mixed media, utilizing maps as part of the collage.
In August last year, we both enjoyed a family road trip to Outback Queensland which was just wonderful. We were exploring the dinosaur country but thoroughly enjoying family time in some wonderful spots. Great landscapes and inspirational views were experienced by all. We even managed to make time for painting and drawing.
Carmen’s Sketchbook – images of Porcupine Gorge Carmen’s sketchbook – Winton regionJoanne’s small collage – done back in studio; brown paper, music score and oil pastel
Moving on to September and I was thrilled to have been selected as a finalist in the Clayton Utz Awards for 2022 with my painting ‘Heading to the Coast’.
Clayton Utz Art Awards 2023 Opening night.
Carmen has also had success with her selection in the John Villars Outback Prize 2022 in Winton with her work ‘Remembering the Gorge’ oil on canvas.
Remembering the Gorge’ oil on canvas
More recently I was delighted to have presented a solo exhibition at the Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery titled ‘Open Roads, Closed Borders’. This exhibition continues the theme from my solo in Gladstone in 2021 with some newer works. The exhibition concludes on 16th July 2023.
Carmen and I are busy working towards another exhibition at the Richard Randall Art Studio in the Mt Coo-tha Gardens, Brisbane. We will be showing new works and a few older pieces as well. You may not remember but due to a out break of Covid19 we had to close our 2021 exhibition after only 2 days. It was very disappointing but amazingly we had a wonderful response in those two days.
Well we are back and have new works but also a couple of works that we felt deserved another viewing in the gallery. Here is a sneak peak of work that will be on display from Carmen and myself.
Joanne Kerr ‘Golden Landscape’ mixed media on paper
The exhibition titled ‘Shared Journey’ will run from Friday 1st July until Thursday 14th July 2022. We will be at the gallery from 10am till 4pm each day and look forward to seeing you there and having a chat.
Cheers, Joanne and Carmen
Carmen Beezley-Drake ‘Melaluca Swamp’ _ Ink on paper 2021
It has been a while since I have written anything, but Carmen and I have been busy working towards a group exhibition at The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum. The exhibition titled ‘Transfiguration of Place’ opened on Friday 1st April (a good omen we hope) with Carmen and fellow artist Gail Meyer in attendance. This exhibition tells the story of how the changing environment has contributed to a strong identity of place (Gladstone), through the eyes of the four artists. It has involved much research by all of us into the history of Gladstone and the surrounding area. We also looked at the land usage change and commercial enterprises that have come and gone as well as the central focus of Gladstone, the extremely busy Port.
With my work, I have continued to explore the landscape by creating images with meaning and history through the use of maps and musical scores. By choosing materials with significant connections both visual and literal, I have hoped to reference points in the history and growth of Gladstone . I exhibited 12 works showcasing Gladstone from it’s earliest beginnings in the 1800’s to the more recent years of a major Port on the Eastern Coast of Australia. Some images need no explanation while others have a story within them.
Three of my12 works on display are below: Wartime Harbour– with sheet music from the era reinforces the military significance during WW2 ; Racing Home – with maps and drawn pigeons refers to the first Gladstone to Brisbane Yacht Race at Easter in 1949 and Power and Progress with the use of colour and string as well as topography maps gives a more recent insight to Gladstone industry.
Joanne Kerr – Wartime Harbour – Gladstone _mixed media and collage on paper_18x56cm_2022 Joanne Kerr – Racing home – Gladstone _mixed media and collage on pine panel_18x56cm_2021 Joanne Kerr – Power and Progress – Gladstone _ mixed media and collage on pine panel_ 18x56cm_2022
Carmen while also exploring the history of Gladstone chose very different media with which to work. She based her section of the exhibition on black and white images created in Lino prints. These strong images reflect historical aspects of the region and have a very pleasing use of perspective that continues through the four works. The two shown below are Swifts Meatworks (Lino Print) – one of the early industries that utilized the Port through Export, only closing in the 1960’s and Gladstone Port Activities (Lino Print) highlights the current busy Gladstone Harbour and the industries that it supports.
Carmen Beezley-Drake – Swifts Meatworks, Gladstone _ Lino Print Carmen Beezley-Drake – Gladstone Port Activities -Lino Print
Amongst Carmen’s other works are two collagraph based works, one that was simply embossed, creating a very striking image in white and the other, seen below, was the collagraph plate which she has very lightly inked. These depict the landscape before the changes created by human habitation and industry.
Carmen Beezley-Drake – ‘Looking towards Mt Larcom’– Inked Collagraph Plate 2022
We thank the Gladstone Council for allowing us to present this exhibition and encourage you to get out and visit the regional galleries. This exhibition is on display at The Gladstone Region Art Gallery and Museum until mid May should you be in the Region. The Gladstone Gallery is a significant one and has several exhibition spaces for viewing, along with children’s holiday activities.
It has been a busy weekend of Art Events in the Central Queensland region. Carmen and I are pleased to have work on display in three regional galleries, each holding Openings over the last weekend.
The Barcaldine Art Awards for 2021 proved fruitful for Carmen, winning the Printmaking Section with her work titled ‘Brolgas Evening Dance’ and receiving a Highly Commended for her mixed media piece ‘Country Road’. Judge Karen Stephens from Winton’s Outback Gallery was very generous with her awards and also gave me a Highly Commended for my diptych ‘Sunrise over Berserkers’. I can only hope the locals and visitors to the region enjoy the exhibition that runs until 23rd October 2021.
Carmen’s – Country Road mixed media on paper – Highly CommendedJoanne’s – ‘Sunrise over Berserkers’ – Mixed media on paper
The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum also hosted an Opening over the weekend with The 46th Rio Tinto & QAL Martin Hansen Memorial Art Awards. Carmen and I both had work exhibited along with a large, and from reports an exciting array of art works. Two works below make up part of the Martin Hansen Memorial Exhibition. A great gallery and worth dropping into should you be travelling north, with the exhibition continuing until 29th January 2022.
Carmen’s – ‘Red Road’ – Acrylic on canvasJoanne’s – ‘Morning Light at Carnarvon Gorge’ Charcoal, Collage and acrylic on paper
The third regional art competition that Carmen and I entered into was the Brigalow Arts Festival 2021. This festival is supported by the Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery and showcased in their spacious and light filled gallery in Biloela. Exhibition is on display until 3rd December 2021. Carmen’s colourful and loose ink and mixed media work again caught the judge’s eye and was awarded the Burnie Smith Memorial award in Section One, for her work on paper ‘Flying Foxes in Night Sky’. Interestingly this work evolved from a week’s lockdown in Brisbane in August, when our exhibition Landscapes, came to an abrupt halt due to a Covid hotspot in Brisbane. The lock down provided Carmen with time on her hands where she could experiment with materials and enjoy the freedom provided by having no commitments requiring her attention. A win in lots of ways for her.
Carmen’s – ‘Flying foxes in Night Sky’ – mixed media on brown paper
Next post will be more on another regional gallery exhibition.
‘Landscapes’ is an exciting exhibition of new works that Carmen and I are holding at the Richard Randall Studio, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Toowong. The free exhibition opens on Tuesday 27th July and runs until Tuesday 3d August 2021, 10 am to 4pm daily and we will be in attendance to talk with visitors. The works featured, demonstrate their own sense of place through paint, collage and drawing, while exploring the varying landscapes of Queensland. The work on display uses a variety of mediums to create our own re-imagined landscapes.
Due to Covid restrictions, we are unable to have an Opening Night, but Carmen and I will be in attendance every day and would love to see you there.
Carmen and I were delighted to attend the Winter Showcase Opening at Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum last Friday evening. The Showcase featured 5 solo exhibitions and a NAIDOC exhibition and I was delighted to be one of the solo artists with my exhibition titled Open Roads, Closed Borders. Other artists featured were local artists Geoff Head, Patricia Coleman and Leanne Cole as well Scottish Photographer Judith Parrot. I presented an artist talk and workshop the following day which even with the wet weather conditions went well. Below are a few photos from the night and my paintings.
‘Ochre River’ Collage and Acrylic on paper 2019 by Carmen Beezley-Drake
Both Carmen and I have had great news from the Springsure Art Awards this year. Carmen’s work ‘Ochre Road’ was awarded First place in the Works on Paper section and I followed up with a Second place in the same section Works on Paper, with ‘Surviving the Fire’. Was a great result and looking online a wonderful night with plenty of local support for the arts. Both Carmen’s work and my own involved cutting and overlaying of papers along with drawing and painting onto the work. This mixed medium style of work is something that we both enjoy working with.
Cheers, Joanne
‘Surviving the Fire’ Mixed Media on paper 2020 by Joanne Kerr
‘Red Road’ – Oil on canvas by Carmen Beezley-Drake
Carmen is pleased to have had her work titled ‘Red Road’ selected for the 2021 John Villers Outback Prize. This exhibition runs from 13th March until 7th May at the Outback Regional Gallery, Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton. Congratulations to the many other artists who were also selected for this important Queensland Art Prize. This work Red Road is evocative of the dusty roads that crisscross Australia once you leave the coastal edges. Carmen has captured the heat of the sun radiating and pulsing in the colours she has used. Winton and this exhibition is well worth a visit should you be travelling the state.
It has been a difficult year, although for some, it has allowed us to revisit or reflect on what we have at home. It is family in a lot of case, but for some, it is the things that bring joy. With this thought in mind, Carmen has had three art lovers contact her in the last three months regarding paintings of hers that they own. They have been hoping for information about the painting’s subject – where it was painted or where the inspiration came from, the medium used and any other details Carmen could provide.
One of these enquiries was of particular interest as Carmen was able to provide some visual history for a painting that she had done almost fifty years ago. The current owners of the painting told her they had been given the painting from a friend who had connections to the Queensland Art Gallery. The painting is an acrylic painting done from visits to Nankin Creek in Central Queensland. it was exhibited in Brisbane as part of a competition where it was purchased. You can see below the newspaper article about the competition where Carmen’s painting is shown on the left.
It’s nice to hear the love people have for their artwork and their curiosity about the origins of the art. And a reminder of the importance to keep good records
Cheers, Joanne
‘Nankin Creek’ Acrylic on canvas 1973Courier-Mail Newspaper clipping 1973 Brisbane
Joanne and Carmen 