VISITORS to the Sunshine Coast during the Queen’s Birthday week-end in June will have the opportunity to indulge and enjoy the art on display along the Blackall Range. A feast of special events planned for the three days 12–14 June, is expected to attract large numbers to the Hinterland.
An “Art and Garden” Festival from Maleny to Mapleton and including Montville will marry the talents of artists and gardeners. The major feature of the Festival will be the Annual Maleny Art Awards and Exhibition. Now in its 17th year, this Exhibition will attract entries from over 200 artists and over 400 top quality paintings will be on display.
This year’s prizemoney of over $14,000 includes the major prize, “The St. Georges Award”, donated by the Anglican parish – a cash prize of $3000 – making the Exhibition one of the most attractive in the country. Local businesses and private individuals have helped foster the growth of this local event over the past 16 years.
A feature of the Exhibition has always been the display of flowers arranged by the Maleny Floral Art Group, this year under the leadership of Merryl Marshall.
Committee Chairperson, Barbara Fowler, said that with the Art Awards now part of the Arts and Garden Festival being conducted throughout the Hinterland, larger crowds are expected at this year’s Exhibition which will be open from 9am. over the three days of the long week-end. The Exhibition will be officially opened on Friday evening 11th. June. A limited number of tickets will be available for this highlight event on the social calendar. Entry will be by ticket only. Entries for the Art Awards will close on Monday May 24.
The prestigious Exhibition is open to the public over the three days. It is held in St. Georges Church and Hall in Maleny.
Dr. Christine Kirkegard will judge this year’s entries. Dr. Kirkegard is a visual artist and educator. She is a Doctor of Philosophy (Thesis and Painting practice) from the James Cook University. Christine has exhibited nationally and overseas for 23 years, including recent Exhibitions such as Tattersall’s Landscape Prize and the Westpac Art Prize in which she was a finalist.
Featured artist at the St Georges Hall is sculptor, Cathy Lawley (picture above).
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