General News
14 June, 2023
Biggest year yet for Mortlake Art Show
HUNDREDS turned out to visit the Mortlake Art Show this year to view the largest range of works the event has exhibited in its history.
HUNDREDS turned out to visit the Mortlake Art Show this year to view the largest range of works the event has exhibited in its history.
More than 100 pieces of locally-produced art were on display over the King’s Birthday long weekend, highlighting the diverse talent the western district has to offer.
Mortlake Art Show co-convenor Cassandra Ellis said she was thrilled with what shaped up as the event’s biggest showcase yet.
“In recent years we’ve made it to around 80-90 pieces on display so we’re well up this year,” she said.
“Every year we’re learning better ways of marketing and spreading word of the art show, and we’ve become more connected with art groups across the district.”
Along with the number of pieces on display seeing an increase, so too was the number of visitors flowing through the doors to the Mortlake Returned and Services League hall.
“We had about 100 people through each day of the weekend, and the Monday public holiday was well over that average,” Ms Ellis said.
“We have probably had more than 400 people across the whole weekend.
“We even had one person from Melbourne visiting, who specifically came to Mortlake for the art show, which highlights the reach we’ve developed.
“We’re really pleased.”
This year’s Best In Show award went to Gwen Arthur for ‘Banksia behest’.
People’s Choice award, as voted by patrons, went to Lisa Clarke’ ‘My Mortlake journal.’
Packer’s award went to Caitlin Martin for ‘Doonaree’ and the Emerging Artist award went to 13-year-old Megan Wendt.
Highly commended exhibition items were:
• Lisa Clarke – ‘My Mortlake journal’;
• Tate Galloway, 14, ‘Gold’;
• Rose Hayden, 15, ‘Get it out of me’;
• Anne Hughes, ‘Once I was loved’;
• Murray Jennings, ‘Grumpy’;
• Kaye Netherway, ‘Mr Suave and Mrs (Frazzled) Emu’; and
• Margaret Moloney, ‘Going to the show’.
Ms Ellis said the feedback from visitors who travelled from across the south west had been overwhelmingly positive.
“People are amazed that this is all talent from across the western district,” she said.
“There was just so much featured, and so many people coming each year and learning that this is available as an option to start their exhibiting career.
“It’s a friendly environment; people are nervous about exhibiting for the first time so I think that’s what makes this art show so accessible.
“It’s all about community, it’s community run, and it’s all about people having an opportunity to do something which can otherwise feel threatening.”
The art show this year featured an expanded range of photography, which Ms Ellis hoped would be built upon in the years to come.
“We’ll have a dedicated photography award next year, so we’re hoping to see photographers getting back out there and doing what they do best,” she said.
This year 17 pieces were sold, the highest annual amount sold during the event, which in part was boosted by technological improvements.
“We found with gold coin donations that many people don’t carry coins or cash on them anymore,” Ms Ellis said.
“We have a Square (Digital retail terminal) now, where people can pay on their card or their phone.
“We don’t want to lose that small country vibe, but it makes it so much more accessible.”
