ART PRIZE 2025 19 July - 13 September $42,000 Prizemoney
Major Sponsors’ Foreword Once again, our biennial art prize has attracted many entries. Along with our regular sponsors, art gallery staff and Friends of the Gallery, we welcome you to this amazing art event. Your presence is reassuring for the continuity of artistic interest in this area but like all organisations we strive to have more regular visitors to the gallery. We rely on philanthropy; it opens opportunities to get involved in the support of the arts community. This financial support, such as the support from our principal supporter and major sponsors, enables continued recognition and promotes the value of the arts. The Friends maintains the Art Fund, enabling them to support projects and art prizes organised by the Gallery. Bequests are greatly appreciated! We know you will appreciate this exhibition, realising the hard work, innovation and commitment of the artists. We thank Susi Muddiman OAM for kindly agreeing to the difficult task of selecting the winner. Philip Walkom OAM and Dusty Walkom OAM Gallery Patrons and Principal Sponsors President’s Message On behalf of the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 2025 Naked & Nude Art Prize. The $40,000 winning entry will be acquired by the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery and donated to the Manning Regional Art Gallery permanent collection. The Val Good Memorial Award of $2,000 will go to the most popular painting, chosen by our gallery visitors. Over the past 33 years, the Friends Art Fund Trust, The Manning Regional Art Gallery and the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery have collaborated to provide a platform for local and national artists to showcase the naked and nude genre. We had a record number of entries to choose from and thank our organisers, selectors and our judge, Lauretta Morton OAM, for their contribution in bringing us this fabulous exhibition to Manning Regional Art Gallery. Thank you also to the Gallery staff and for Midcoast Council in providing this wonderful cultural space to showcase these fabulous works. I would like to thank our major sponsors, Dr Philip and Mrs Dusty Walkom OAM and our other supporters without whom the Naked & Nude Art Prize would not have become what it is today: a nationally significant arts event. Lastly, thank you to the artists who contributed their time and effort in entering the prize. Where would we be without those creative minds helping us to engage in and inspire us to experience such a wide range of works. Peter Hugill, Friends President 2025
The judge for the 2025 award is Susi Muddiman OAM Susi has enjoyed a successful career in the arts sector and has over 25 years experience as a Director of leading regional galleries, including Grafton Regional Gallery, Wagga Wagga Regional Gallery, Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, and more recently, HOTA Gallery, Home of the Arts in Surfers Paradise. The winner is announced at the Gala Opening event Saturday 19 July at 6.30pm. The Prizes • Major Acquisitive Prize, most outstanding work in the exhibition: $40,000 • Peoples’ Choice Award: $2,000 (to be awarded at the conclusion of the exhibition) Past winners 2023 Summer Aldis 2021 Loribelle Spirovski 2019 Laura Matthews 2017 Dagmar Cyrulla 2015 Robert Malherbe 2013 Wendy Sharpe SALES INFORMATION All works in the exhibition are for sale. 2023 Naked & Nude Art Prize winner Summer Aldis Companion II graphite on paper
NAKED & NUDE ART PRIZE 2025 SPONSORS MidCoast Council in partnership with the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery PRINCIPAL SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS VALUED SUPPORTERS
NAKED & NUDE ART PRIZE 2025 SPONSORS PRINCIPAL SPONSORS Dr Philip Walkom OAM & Mrs Dusty Walkom OAM PLATINUM SPONSORS Barry Schlenker, in memory of Helen Schlenker Chris and Karen Larkin Harworth Holdings Pty Ltd, in memory of Debbie Scargill GOLD SPONSORS In Memory of Alice Klaphake Charles and Jan Everingham Alana Parkins OAM and Norman Shapro Paula Lowndes | ManningLife Pty Ltd Alan and Jonathon Tickle | Your Heritage Financial Planning Cate and Mark Braithwaite | Braithwaite Family Dental Ashley and Kylie Cleaver | Cleavers Tyres Mansfield on the Manning Stacks Finance VALUED SPONSORS Maurice and Deidre Stack Dr C Rose Paton Hooke Lawyers & Conveyancing A Hopcroft Johnson & Mongan Mid North Coast Sleep Clinic
Margaret Ambridge Maylands SA Veil charcoal, watercolour, silk thread on mulberry paper and dressmaking tissue This is the best time of my life. I love being old… because I am more myself than I have ever been. There is less conflict. I am happier, more balanced, and more powerful.’ May Sarton, American poet and novelist
Woman with Umbrella is a drawing of a woman holding an umbrella. Terence Beer Newcomb VIC Woman with Umbrella oil-based charcoal pencil on paper
I wanted to make a picture that had a sense of humour that represented, as a male in my sixties, someone not unlike me. Represented by Project Gallery Peter Berner Sydney NSW Naked Boomer acrylic on ply
Bird explores marginalized histories, private narratives and stories culled from folklore and myths. The sculpture Woman at a Spring draws inspiration from the Greek myth of Arethusa, a nymph who, while fleeing the river god Alpheus, was transformed into a fresh-water spring by the goddess Artemis. The work captures a moment of quiet transformation and resilience, where the natural world becomes a refuge and a site of metamorphosis. The figure’s posture and setting evoke the myth’s themes of pursuit, protection, and the enduring power of nature as a feminine force. Represented by Olsen Gallery Stephen Bird Mullumbimby NSW Woman at a spring glazed ceramic
Self nude with boots is a reflection on an interview with Wendy Sharpe. She said, by the subject wearing a pair of shoes and nothing else, changes the feeling from the the nude to something more sexual. Painting flesh, making it appear alive, blood flowing beneath the skin. Wanting it to appear effortless and confident. Represented by Studio Galleries Daniel Butterworth Kyneton VIC Self nude with boots acrylic on cardboard
This painting is about the beauty of people. All people. I want this little painting to be pure statement, to reach out to its audience and connect with them. I am the parent of two beautiful teenagers; a daughter and transgender son. Their stories are where mine begins. Represented by Han Feng NY and Shanghai and Stockroom Gallery Matt Butterworth Melbourne VIC Untitled (bump) oil on canvas
This artwork attempts to visually symbolise inner conflict. Cryptid is a part of a larger body of work, where the key investigation is abstracting the human body to reach a sense of otherness, maintaining inherently human expression and feeling. In this self portrait, the many breasted figure is curved over a barren stone, a chopping block, a sacrificial pillar, or simply a location. The body is both laid limply and full of tension as it spreads itself across the space. Many narratives can be attached to the expression of the limbs. Personally, an evocation of heightened feelings is present as the face is flushed with either frustration, arousal and relief, while the hands dig into the flesh, both caressing and holding itself down. Martina Clarke Woolloongabba QLD Cryptid oil on canvas
When I was in my mid twenties, I lived alone in a run down shack, way out the back of the Nambucca Valley. The place was isolated, being the last building on the winding mountain road, with no neighbours save the forest and it’s inhabitants. There was no power or running water connected to the property, but a few hundred metres away down a hill was a spring fed pool with the cleanest drinkable water I’ve ever sampled. As well as being my primary water source, I also used to bathe frequently in the pool. This led to plenty of naked swims in my mountain spring but also many naked walks through the lush bushland back to the shack as I drip dried in the sun. Being super prudish, as I am, I found the feeling of being naked in nature both vulnerable and very liberating. It was at this time that my love for being immersed in nature and its cleansing qualities were realised. Nature Bath is therefore my attempt to capture and share the essence of that feeling through a visual medium. Robbie Crane Wallabi Point NSW Nature Bath oil on canvas
As I get older, I can look back and see the pressure on staying young and beautiful. The images we see on television and the constant bombardment of images from social media. The couple on the television are Abdul and Amrita, locked in an embrace. I recently painted them for the Archibald Prize and they represent vitality and the beginning of a life together. I wanted the voluptuous woman in her 40s to be reflecting on her life and the pressure of being beautiful and vibrant. The view in the background is the grass to a yard, alluding to the “grass is always greener”. Represented by Wagner Contemporary Gallery Dagmar Cyrulla Ascot Vale VIC Pressure oil on linen
Ryan William Daffurn Sydney NSW Miners bathing, Hill End oil on linen This painting is part of a wider series about the Hill End region and the human impact on this strange, tortured landscape. Several important historical artworks guided this painting to its conclusion, including a painting of soldiers bathing by Sir Ivor Hele in the War Memorial, Canberra and the famous Boy at the Basin, by Sir William Dobell. This painting grew from many direct encounters while at Hill End, drawing and traversing this environment. Integrating the male form into these epic, dissolving structures was a fascinating process. On this particular site a dam used to exist and where I recreated a scene of miners exhausted from their toil and seeking refuge in bathing together. Represented by Maunsell Wickes & Lethbridge Gallery
The work Eric challenges the legacy of the male nude in art history by confronting its most sacred conventions with the absurd, and the feminine art of needlework. The image depicts a solitary figure with a hand-sewn chest - its crude stitches a deliberate rejection of the polished sculptural form. Emerging from this crafted armour is a cucumber, replacing the traditional phallic ideal with something farcical, vegetal, and perishable. In this choice lies a quiet rebellion against the heroic body: a dethroning of virility and the classical canon. The work draws attention to how constructed masculinity is, both socially and historically. This piece asks: What does masculinity look like when stripped of it’s mythologies? Represented by Art Collective WA Rebecca Dagnall Hamilton Hill WA Eric photographic/archival pigment print
Tamara Dean Cambewarra NSW Genesis photography My mother and sister drift through an abstracted landscape, a space where the passage of time is suspended. Surrounded by trees that resemble veins, the generational differences between them are subtly revealed. In this timeless environment, the absence of linear progression emphasizes the theme of genesis, the perpetual cycle of beginnings and transformations. Represented by Michael Reid Gallery
I am a multi media artist and explore different techniques such as linocut printing, painting, digital media, ceramics and glass work. My works depict emotional experiences using symbology and colour. Jen Delirium Taree NSW The Dance linocut print
Monika Viktoria Diak Woy Woy NSW Flesh of Venus ceramic and oyster shells In mythology, Venus emerges from the Sea in a floating shell, formed from the severed genital of Uranus cast into the ocean. Her origin echoes that of Eve’s, created as an afterthought from the body part of a man. Venus comes into existence fully formed as a desirable, nubile woman, having had no childhood. She is portrayed in Art as the perfect nude, created by man for man. In Flesh of Venus, each oyster shell houses a partially formed growth, recognisable as a symbol of the feminine form. 17 in total symbolise the girlhood she never experienced.
This work is an exploration of how the body can be used to evoke intellectual and emotional engagement through a painterly language. I attempt to redefine the traditional subjects of figurative painting against a psychosocial discourse of identity and the interior mind of my female experience. As a woman painter representing the female form, I seek to carve out a space to reflect on my own female agency. This work is created within a feminist framework in attempt to honour, empower and make space for the feminine form. Represented by The Frame Gallery Sharon Duymel Waikato, NZ Body Language IV oil on Belgian linen
Kris-Ann Ehrich Sunnybank Hills QLD Primal Being bronze The Paean bronze Primal Being - Water and woman in the flowing of life, as it moves everywhere uninhibited and unrestrained, as the universal formless nude. The Paean - Humble paean, within the threads of my dreams, I carve out the portraits of my children; They are my gift for all time.
My work is inclined towards the figurative. I am interested in what is raw and real, and explore energy, feeling, emotional states and the human condition in my art. During this process I am reminded of the common ground of humanity; the burdens we share, ideals, wants, needs and our stages of growth and attempt to bring some recognition of this through my work. This artwork has been influenced by what is happening in our world, both near and far. Represented by Lost Bear Gallery Jo Ernst Mooral Creek NSW Holding Close charcoal, ink and acrylic on board
Nic Fern Manly NSW The Three Garys charcoal, acrylic, oil pastel, stitched fabrics, found embroidered napery, salvaged commercial painters dropsheet The ‘hi my name is Lisa’ Vessel glazed ceramics My work is a collection from a variety of sources. I collect experiences; particularly the experience of living in Australian society. I collect knowledge; about the human condition, existentialism, critical and gender theory. I collect knowledge by asking questions, by being inquisitive and by trying to stay open minded. I collect materials; I collect old, used materials, the antithesis of capitalist production. I collect iconic imagery; I collect imagery from the Canon to question established narratives and contemporary notions of society in Australia, specifically to do with marginalisation, class and gender conditioning. Finally, I create. I paint, draw, stitch, knead and hand build clay. I experiment, fail, overlay, tear & mend. Represented by C Gallery
We only let others see those aspects of our true selves that we (consciously or unconsciously) choose to let them see. Even then they are filtered and diffused, and presented in imperfect, discreet portions rather than as a whole. And when we form an impression of another person, we can only ever see them imperfectly, as through a keyhole, but we build up an image of their whole from those fleeting impressions. Ray Fritz North Warrandyte VIC Sylph Sia, Warrandyte 2023 photographic print
This hand-painted watercolour animation depicts my partner undressing and redressing in an infinite loop, existing in the liminal space between clothed and unclothed. It subverts the traditional gaze, typically applied to young women, by redirecting it onto two men in an equal domestic setting. Even within a queer context, can the male gaze be anything but objectifying? Or does the quiet familiarity of this exchange challenge that power dynamic to offer something more domestic? The cyclical motion, recalling Muybridge’s motion studies, reinforces the act as both intimate and mechanical, stripping it of voyeuristic intent. The piece carries a sense of mundanity. Its quiet repetition resists spectacle. Represented by .M Contemporary, Sydney Todd Fuller Arncliffe NSW Chambermaid 2025 digital video: watercolour animation on paper
Natalie and I worked together playing around with images of her with numerous thin pieces of timber. I liked the way they fragmented the view of her. To me, they suggested restrictions and burdens. She stands encumbered but with strength. Represented by Jan Murphy Gallery James Guppy Myocum NSW Natalie acrylic on jute
In Enough Bared, I explore the emotional struggles of feeling inadequate within my own body, employing dark warm tones to create an intimate atmosphere that highlights the tension between self-perception and authenticity. The work depicts the female form that is both relaxed and disjointed, representing the restlessness of my human experience. This work was produced during a time where I felt the weight of societal expectations slowly distorting self-worth. I encourage viewers to reflect on and challenge the ingrained narratives surrounding self-acceptance and value. Tess Hagan Mooloolah QLD Enough Bared oil and acrylic on board
Nobody is watching the spontaneous, nude dancing in our living rooms at midnight on a Friday night. Or are they? In the age of social media and oversharing, we have an audience to these most rare pleasures of private joy and expression. Dance like nobody is watching. Represented by Art2Muse Gallery Tannya Harricks Wahroonga NSW Nobody’s Watching oil on linen
Jennifer Huang Box Hill South VIC Rückenfigur pencil and watercolour on paper Jennifer Huang, a Melbourne-based artist, has drawn the world around her for as long as she can remember. This love for working from life is foundational to her art practice, alongside a respect for process, craft, and deep research. Inspired both by her lifelong exposure to Chinese visual culture and a profound engagement with the work of the European Old Masters, she hopes to invite her audience to share a moment of quiet intensity with her work. In Rückenfigur, the artist’s own body is observed with mirrors and drawn from life. The title alludes to the Western painting tradition of portraying figures with backs turned to the viewer: inviting empathy and identification on the one hand, but also creating a psychologically enclosed space, private and mysterious, within the image. The artist approaches the female nude as an un-idealised self-portrait and a synthesis of paradoxes: defiance and shame; vulnerability and proud strength; passion and deep repose. In the making of this work, she utilised an intuitive drawing approach, layering both additive and subtractive techniques and employing wet and dry media to sculpt form from pigment. Solid flesh forms and dissolves on the paper surface as if in mountain mists: a territory both viscerally familiar and completely unknown.
In my latest works there is a recurring theme of intimate relationships. I draw from life every week where I facilitate a group of artists. I then take my work back to the studio to further develop the image, to engage me in a storyline, to capture a private moment. Represented by Gallery One Julie Hutchings Grafton NSW Private Lives oil stick on paper
Dianne Ingram Alstonville NSW Icarus Dream mixed media I have been drawing and painting the human figure from life for many years. My style is free and unconventional, I can wander off subject, and lots of times I incorporate the landscape too. I feel very passionate about the land also. These two subjects usually appear in most of my work, often combined into the one piece. As regards to this work Icarus Dream, I think most of us have had a very similar dream. Maybe it means vulnerability, or instability or maybe just a dream.
Alla prima study of a figure crouching on the studio floor. The lighting and curled up pose gives the model a gender ambiguity. Conor Knight Brisbane QLD Nude Study 2 oil on canvas
Anna Lloyd-Parker Hobart TAS Samodiva bronze Samodiva explores the feeling of shedding self-consciousness and stepping into the experience of being in a female body from the inside; how it moves, what it can do and how it feels through the senses. Immersing the body in the natural world means exposure to the elements: cold, warmth, wind and rain. Samodiva dances nude in the forest, her senses are alive. She is open to the primal experience of how her body is moving and feeling in the moment. The name Samodiva — meaning Samo (alone) and diva (wild and divine) — is drawn from the artist’s Balkan ancestry. Both feared and revered, these Samodivi from Balkan folklore are seen as protectors of the natural world.
Toowoomba based conceptual artist Yianni Maggacis creates figurative oil paintings that first appear familiar, yet on second glance seem strange and ‘not quite right.’ For Maggacis, this tension of the strangely familiar encourages the viewer to ‘look away’ and become an active participant in the meaning making process of his work. Represented by Lethbridge Gallery Yianni Maggacis Layburn QLD The Good Room XXI_Bathroom series I, No.3 oil on linen
Jocelyn Maughan Patonga NSW Contemplation graphite As a figurative artist I was trained in the early 1950s in the then 5 year full time diploma of fine art specialising in painting at the technical college Darlinghurst now known as the National Art School. This was a mainly figure based course, painting and drawing the human nude, portrait painting and figure composition and design. I continue to both employ models, paint portraits and attend a life drawing session every week. I enjoy observation but I also enjoy seeing beyond the surface to better express the subject. I also enjoy selective composition and design I have been a regular exhibitor in many competitions and I am an exhibiting member of the Australian Watercolour Institute
After an impromptu dip in the chill water of the river, two men relax on the bank to dry. One reads poetry out loud as the water beads and dries on their skin. This work examines the special places where we feel ourselves, where we are totally relaxed and we can let our guard down. Moments of quiet intimacy. Ray Monde Bombay NSW Watching ripples on the river ghostworked collage and synthetic polymer paint on canvas, framed in Tasmanian Oak.
Freyja Moon Taree NSW (I am) The monster under my bed hand embroidery and hand needle-lace on tea dyed cotton Creaking floorboards. A turning handle. The door sighs in my bones. I have cracked wide open. Informed by the experience of living with an invisible disability and mental illness, this work is driven by themes of perspective and clarity in relation to concepts of identity and memory. Drawing upon the symbolic capacity of textiles to communicate these themes, this work questions what lies dormant within us.
This work is a portrait of my friend, arts manager and disability awareness advocate Jeremy Smith, in the guise of Pluto, Roman God of the Underworld. Much of my art practice comprises nude portraits of my male friends as characters and archetypes from literature, mythology or religion, and this work is part of an ongoing series depicting the deities associated with planetary magick. As an artist whose practice interrogates the heroic male nude, I’m constantly baffled by the titillation and taboo that still inevitably surrounds images of naked men and am incredibly grateful to the many friends who offer to pose for me. In this work, I wanted to capture Jeremy’s intelligence and sexiness, while still evoking the gravitas of the chthonic god. Represented by .M Contemporary NSW and Art Collective WA Andrew Nicholls West Perth WA Invocation of Pluto, God of the Underworld (portrait of Jeremy Smith) watercolour on paper
Shea O’Keefe Wangaratta VIC Ecdysis repurposed nylon stockings, pipe cleaners, cotton yarn, sequins, pom poms, cotton thread, wire, hospital medical identification bracelets. Ecdysis combines readymade craft materials, hand-dyed repurposed hosiery, and intricate construction to represent a post-surgery body during the artist’s chemotherapy and recovery. The work, ritualistic in nature, expresses healing through abject materials and intense repetition. The hollowed form, with lungs rising in defiance, symbolizes the vulnerability of the naked form after a near-fatal ordeal. Each stitch represents time passing during treatment and post-surgical recovery, weaving a narrative of survival and transformation. O’Keefe challenges traditional textile perceptions by incorporating unconventional materials, crude stitches, and experimental techniques. The piece evokes themes of mortality and metamorphosis.
My partner is not only my closest friend, but also a constant source of support and understanding. Despite my flaws, my struggles or moments of impatience and indifference, his loyalty remains unwavering. I can feel his devotion through his actions, and I feel his adoration by the way he looks at me steady, patient, and always present. Both born under the sign of the Goat, we are symbolised in these bronze figures reflecting the approach we have of bearing all to each other, being open in every aspect, which unites our bond and creates resilience through acceptance. Nicole O’ Regan Hampton NSW Fortitude bronze and steel
Mica Pillemer Templestowe VIC Yesteryear oil on linen By its nature, figure painting is a variant of self portrait. It is more than superficial representation. Painting has the same potential for emotion and meaning as dance or music. It tells a story in a vicarious reality. The figure is the ultimate subject to convey our inner experience through external appearances. In my work I aim to create an experience that is familiar and thus relatable while connecting on an instinctive visceral level to the viewers core. It is to be seen and felt.
Her frozen perfection bears an all too human touch on her divine form, exposing the folly of embellishing what is already sublime. Fragile as flesh, the tattoo withers against her immortal grace. Her gaze seems to pity the vanity of the gesture, as if to ask, Why stain eternity? In quiet rebellion against the arrogance of alteration, the whispers of mortal pride are drowned by the silence of the sublime. Because perfection needs no signature. Matthew Quick Collingwood VIC Vanity’s Whisper oil and embroidery on canvas
Jasmine Raisbeck Mosman Park WA The sunbathers acrylic on wood panel This painting is inspired by an old photograph of my mother and sister sunbathing in our backyard. Through this work, I explore themes of motherhood, nostalgia and generational bonds. I hope this painting evokes the viewers own memories - memories of simpler times and carefree summer days.
I like my space to be overwhelmingly full of art. A wall feels wasted to me if there’s no art on it. I hang my own paintings - pretty much all of which are nudes of my friends. Spending time in my room is always pleasant; my friends are all around me with no barriers. Here, my friend jumps on my bed, but I’ve changed most of the paintings on the walls to works of other artists that have lead me to love art so much. Craig Renneberg Sydney NSW Regine jumping on bed acrylic on cardboard
Robyn Rich Frankston VIC The Space I Keep (self portrait) oil on timber panel This self portrait captures a moment of being both afraid and brave. Painted from above, I appear small and curled in on myself, trying to hide, yet still wanting to be seen. I made this work during a time of emotional heaviness. I didn’t want to present a polished or idealised version of myself. I wanted it to be the truth, showing the pain, the fear, and the strength it takes to be present. The surrounding darkness is not emptiness, but a space I chose to occupy. It holds everything I couldn’t say out loud. This painting holds the contradictions I often feel, soft and strong, ashamed and unashamed, invisible and yearning to be seen. It is a quiet act of honesty. A way of saying, I am still here.
My objective is to assert and reinforce women’s voices. Decline of a Colossus is drenched in the female psyche and steeped in women’s history. It is a depiction of a weakening and ultimately the deterioration of ‘misogyny’ in modern society. It is my mission to empower the onlooker, unburdening them of negativity and to provide the viewer with a refuge. We must all endeavour to understand our compulsions and irrationalities to rid humanity of misogynistic autocracy and its dogma. Decline of a Colossus postulates possibilities; it voices our intentions; it demonstrates our resolve. Now that I have told you my intent, dear viewer, the meaning is now down to you. Gwen Roberts Lake Cathie NSW Decline of a Colossus sanded charcoal and pastel on paper
Jenny Rodgerson Chewton VIC Poised oil on linen Poised captures the delicate interplay between vulnerability and strength. The subject, a naked woman lying face down on a trestled table, embodies a raw, unguarded state. Yet, her head, lifted above clasped hands, suggests resilience and quiet defiance. The vibrant yellow and orange background envelops her, evoking warmth and intensity, as if the world itself acknowledges her presence. This piece invites viewers to reflect on the duality of human existence—how fragility and fortitude coexist within us all. Through oil on canvas, I sought to celebrate the beauty of this tension, where the act of being “poised” becomes both a moment of stillness and a testament to inner strength. Represented by Australian Galleries
This print shows a naked woman sitting in an empty white space. There’s no chair or background—just her, centred and still. I carved the image as a lino print and added watercolour by hand, letting the colours flow softly across her body. I wanted to capture a quiet moment, where the focus is just on her shape and presence. The space around her makes the figure feel both strong and vulnerable, with nothing to hide behind. Mark Rowden Cammeray NSW Floating in Space watercolour and linoprint
Bruce Rowland Mayfield NSW Apples oil and gold leaf on wood panel A little Early Renaissance, a touch of Pre-Raphaelite, a little Modern and Apples. Rejoicing in the Forbidden Fruit!
Ealdmilde is an exploration of vulnerability and quiet strength, capturing the human form in a moment of introspection and openness. The figure, seen from behind with a gentle glance back, reflects a stillness that transcends self-consciousness. Using layered drawing techniques, I portray the interplay between softness and resilience, inviting reflection on the beauty inherent in simplicity and authenticity. Influenced by both classical and contemporary art, the work honors tradition while offering a modern perspective on change, growth, and acceptance. Linda M Schneider Harcourt VIC Ealdmilde charcoal, graphite, and ink on Arches watercolour paper 300
Naomie Shepherd Taree NSW Nudie in the Reeds ink and acrylic on watercolour paper My art is a reflection of my playful and whimsical nature, often inspired by the beauty of nature around me. I love creating intricate and delicate illustrations, with a childlike touch that embodies the innocence and wonder we often lose as adults. From delicate reeds to nudie figures, my artwork captures the simplicity and magic of everyday life. I enjoy exploring the possibilities of combining pen and ink with pops of colour from acrylic. It’s a journey of experimentation and self expression for me. I hope my art can bring a smile to your face and take you in a nostalgic journey to your childhood.
I am interested in subjects when the ordinary is disrupted and the questions raised by these narratives. Composition of colour and form is also a major concern. In this painting I combine abstract design with an intimate subject matter that I hope stimulates some curiosity and visual appreciation in the viewer. Andrew Shillam South Grafton NSW Blue nude with telephone acrylic on canvas board
Lauri Smith Stanmore NSW Dawn’s Visitors silicone, mohair, gold, resin, glass ‘Dawn’s Visitors explores the intricate connection between our waking life and the world of dreams and visions. The bridge between the tangible and the ethereal, and the invisible threads that connect these worlds. This work blends surrealism with hyperrealism, delving into the spiritual connection between the subconscious and dreams. My process is all handmade, from the initial inspiration to pastel drawings, sculpting in clay, rubber Mold Making, casting in silicone and resin, airbrushing and hand painting, followed by hair punching and the final touches. Represented by Traffic Jam Galleries
Steve Starr’s primary focus is on experimental printmaking, digital collage, photography and painting. In addition to his art practice, Steve is a published author, curator and heritage specialist with over 20 years experience in the arts and cultural sector. Stephen has published many books, essays and web exhibitions on Australian art, photography and social history. Steve was educated at East Sydney Technical College, The University of Sydney, University of the Arts London and UNSW: Art & Design. Steve Starr Elizabeth Bay NSW Sydney Boys screenprint
Alex Thorby Elanora Heights NSW Hanging out, reading gouache on handmade paper Working from life, I sought to capture the moment when we are most relaxed and unguarded, cocooned in our private spaces and able to let it all hang out. My work has been selected for the Archibald Prize, Doug Moran Portrait prize, Portia Geach Portrait Prize, Paddington Art Prize and Naked and Nude. I have works in the AGNSW collection, New England Regional Art Museum and Manning Regional Art Gallery.
So here I am! The Pale Immigrant is a self portrait. Or perhaps this rendering could be described as auto-fiction. Calliper and photographs were used to measure and view images of my body as a starting point for this work, as an attempt at accuracy, but the tan line created by a singlet and shorts, which is a fiction, talks about the vulnerability of the body and the passing of time spent in the Australian bush. So this is an interrogation. What is this? What do you want? I find myself an old man. We can not see or understand objectively. Especially when it comes to looking at, or understanding our self. So we make up stories… David Tucker Dundurrabin NSW The Pale Immigrant ceramic with painted wood artefact
Louise Vadasz North Adelaide SA Picassos at Maslins oil on canvas This painting is one from a series of nude paintings I have done with the theme, “ famous nudes at Maslins”. Maslins is a famous nude beach in South Australias Fleurieu Peninsula , one hours drive from Adelaide. It was originally set up by Don Dunstan in the 1970s and was very popular with local artists and creative types . With this painting I felt a sense of joy and freedom and I hope the viewer has that feeling too when looking at it . Represented by Art Images
In Valimberti’s paintings, she works to transform the mundane into something quietly beautiful through traditional oil painting. Drawing attention to the gaze, Valimberti alludes to the historical context of depicting the figure and subtly challenges conventional perspectives. Nuance and contemplation of the moment are captured, unpacked and re-assembled here. Her paintings emphasise ambiguity, inviting the viewers’ interpretation and imaginative faculty in the portrayal of the figure. Valimberti’s paintings convey a sense of introspection and sensitivity through the handling of light, tone, and texture. Elena Valimberti Brunswick East VIC The Green Chair oil on linen
John Van Der Kolk Sapphire Beach NSW The Veil Queensland maple The Veil is a response to the old adage that “beauty is only skin deep”. Beauty, as this piece suggests is not found merely in surface perfection, but also in the remarkable complexity of the machine beneath. The contrast between what is visible and what is concealed lifts the veil on our perceptions of the familiar and asks us to reconsider aesthetic ideals.
Have you ever started a trend? Is asking, can you stand by your convictions and can you hold true under pressure? Questions that have become more relevant in our current societal structures. The figure in the painting is constrained (both by the parameters of the painting and societal constraints) but is open and unshielded in her position, the gestured hand is captured in a moment of contemplation ready to count off on her fingers, the number of ways she and her contemporaries are ready to stand and demand justice. Julie Vinci Preston VIC Have you ever started a trend? oil on linen
Laine Walker Guanaba QLD Bare Necessities acrylic on canvas This is a self portrait from a candid photograph my husband took of me while I was in my sewing workroom. I was completing a fashion and design diploma and creating a lingerie collection as part of the course. While doing some fitting and adjustments he snapped the photo without my knowledge. I liked the classical feel of the pose set in my cluttered workspace with all my creative materials and equipment. I used the photograph to paint this picture in grey/black/blue tones and in a contemporary style which links the tradition of figure painting with today’s contemporary digital culture.
A Tasmanian based artist specialising in people and portraits, Ewen is passionate about the human form and diverse people and personalities. Ewen Welsh Bonnet Hill TAS The Lady Awaits acrylic on board
Joe Whyte is a Naarm/Melbourne-based Visual Artist. After graduating from Monash University with a degree in Visual Communication, he spent time studying classical figure drawing and painting in Argentonnay, France. Working in oils, his intricate works draw inspiration from the people, the places and the light of the place he knows best, Melbourne’s inner-north. His work examines the human connection between those of us living in large cities. At the core of this work is his study of the figure, an ongoing focus. Joe has exhibited widely and has been a finalist of many awards both nationally and internationally. He was the winner of the 2023 William Fletcher Foundation Rome Residency Prize and National Emerging Art Prize. Joe Whyte Brunswick VIC Bianca oil on linen
In my artwork, the focus is generally on the human condition. I often prefer to convey movement, which I hope creates dynamic and engaging images of people. While some pieces may be considered portraits, I strive to capture the essence of each subject, depicting the body as a vibrant, expressive machine, alive with energy. Marcus Wills Coburg North VIC King of Babylon oil on linen
Madeleine Winch Rozelle NSW Morning Quiet oil on canvas The subject in my painting is in her inner realm. In a turbulent world she cherishes her moments of solitude and the stillness of the early morning. It is a quiet time in which to reflect and contemplate. Represented by Grainger Gallery ACT
When The Leaves Fell is about change, quiet reflection, and the gentle strength that comes with letting go. Crowned in autumn leaves and mushrooms, she feels both grounded and otherworldly—like she’s part of the forest, caught in a moment between holding on and moving forward. Her calm, steady gaze invites us to pause too, to reflect on what we shed and what we carry. There’s beauty in this in-between space, in the softness of endings that make way for something new. Represented by Grainger Gallery Narelle Zeller Canberra ACT When the Leaves Fell oil on acm panel
The Friends of the Gallery Friends is an independent, incorporated organisation of gallery suppporters promoting and advancing the development of the visual arts in the Manning. We have no paid officials and have relied on the generosity of volunteers for 35 years since the Gallery’s inception. When you become a Friend of the Gallery you will be supporting the continued development of the Gallery. To join, pick up a membership form at the gallery or go to www.friendsmanningvalley.com.au COMMITTEE President: Peter Hugill Vice President: Dusty Walkom Treasurer: Norman Shapro Secretary: Rebecca Huett Membership Secretary: Jan Everingham Public Officer: David Denning Committee members: Catherine Calvin Rod Illidge Anke De Reuver Philip Koether Alexandrina Gray Alana Parkins Yvette Hugill Philip Walkom Jill Illidge Elizabeth Worth With thanks to the Manning Regional Art Gallery staff, Director: Rachel Piercy Assistant Director: Jane Hosking The Manning Regional Art Gallery is a cultural service of MidCoast Council We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and live, the Gathang-speaking people and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who now reside in the MidCoast Council area. We extend our respect to Elders past and present, and to all future cultural-knowledge holders.
MANNING REGIONAL ART GALLERY 12 Macquarie Street TAREE 2430 02 7955 7074 art.gallery@midcoast.nsw.gov.au
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