Advanced Diploma Grad Show- you're invited!

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Our Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts students have had an amazing year this year. Their site specific project at The Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest is still on show until November 10, and neext week their grad show opens in the Trapezium Gallery, Nepean College Kingswood Campus.

You are warmly invited to the opening of Veni Vidi Vici, on Wednesday November 6, at 6pm. The exhibition will be opened by Dr Shirley Daborn, Collections Manager from Lewers. It promises to be an outstanding exhibition, and a great way for these emerging artists to finish off a year full of achievements.

Did you know that there is more than one pathway for entry into the Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts? The course is suitable for those who have completed a Diploma in Fine or Visual Art, but entry may also be gained by recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This means we have a great mix of people in our classes, including recent Diploma graduates, but also artists who have an existing studio practice, and who wish to reanimate their practice by studying with like minded people under the guidance of experienced and friendly mentor/ teachers, who are practicing artists themselves.

To register your interest in the Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts, visit the following links,  

or call the section on ph 9208 9513. 

Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts Full Time:

https://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/courseOfferingDetail.do?Command=offeringDetail&OfferNo=1229149

Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts Part Time:

https://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/courseOfferingDetail.do?Command=offeringDetail&OfferNo=1229154https://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/courseOfferingDetail.do?Command=offeringDetail&OfferNo=1229154

Master Printmakers in Conversation

Jo Ernsten convened a ''masterprintmakers in Conversation"at  Parramatta Artists Studios on Saturday the 19th of October.  The conversation  centred on the role of  masterprintmakers in contemporary arts  practice  and included Ben Rak from Throwdown Press at the College of Fine Arts and Matthew Ablitt - NADC teacher  and  freelance masterprinter.

The talk   complimented the exhibition ''A Semblance of Order''  exploring the limits of printmaking. The exhibition presented  an array of etching and silkscreen prints by five artists from Pakistan and Australia in collaboration with Cicada Press and was curated by Abdullah M. I. Syed.

2014 courses !

Our 2014 courses are  ready  for enrollments! 

Click on the  course  title and apply  for  the course   here at  WSI Nepean : Kingswood - then contact  9208 9484  to arrange an interview.


If you  would prefer to have a chat first  call us on 9208 9513
(leave  your name  and number  if no one  is available and we will get back to you asap!)

 If you prefer email contact Jo Ernsten  Course Coordinator at     joanne.ernsten@tafensw.edu.au


Diploma Visual  Part Time (10416)  2 years @ 1.5 days a week

Diploma Visual Arts Full Time (10416)   1 year  -@  3 days a week ( Tues, Wed, Thurs)


Advanced Diploma Visual Arts Part Time (10420)  2 years @ 1.5 days a week

Advanced Diploma Visual Arts  Full time (10420)  1 year  -@  3 days a week  ( Tues, Wed, Thurs)


see you  soon!

POP UP PARK

Several  students and staff  from NADC  took  part in 'Make My Park Pop - a pop up park project in Penrith -( try saying that fast!)
Make My Park Pop  is a Penrith City Council initiative  modelled on the principles and strategies of  of  ''Tactical Urbanism''  - fast , unexpected  projects  aimed at  remodelling and  reclaiming public  spaces through innovation  and creativity.

This, the newest park in Penrith  involved  closing off a street and  reclaiming it as a public park. It comes  complete  with a painted or grassed street(depending on where you are), lots of seating, trees, play areas,  eating and entertainment areas .

Find out more  about the project here:
http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/MakeMyParkPop/

Some of our students assisted in the painting  of  the street

NADC staff members Ken Morgan and Jo Ernsten  amongst others from  the initial design  team

 please visit - Its your park afterall!

The park is located on the corner of Riley and High street in Penrith

Art Prizes

Along with the busy  upcoming  student  exhibitions and assessment  season  teachers Cath Barcan, Tim Allen and  Jo Ernsten have also taken on board   judging duties at  various local art prizes.


Jo Ernsten judged the Blackheath Art  Society 2013  Art Prize - see the results and comments   here:

http://www.blackheathart.com/prizewinners/prizewinners.htm


Tim Allen  judged the Parramatta Art Society Foundation Day, Town Hall Art Exhibition.


Cath Barcan is judging the Rhodo Festival Art Show Photographic Portraiture Prize in Blackheath


Great  to see so many  keen  artists   showing off their creative talents in Western Sydney!

In Conversation

In Conversation continues until November 10th!

Join us for artist talks from 10am Tuesday 22nd - all welcome.

Diploma of Fine Art Exhibition opens on Wednesday

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You are warmly invited to attend the opening of 'Only Fools and Horses', an exhibition by final year students of the Diploma of Fine Art.

The exhibition opens on Wednesday the 16th of October at 6pm, with special guest speaker Paul Brinkman- Blue Mountains Cultural Centre Director. It promises to be a fabulous exhibition, so if you are looking for fresh affordable art for the home or office, or Chrissy pressies with a difference, then this is a must-see exhibition. We hope you can join us on Wednesday!

Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts Regional Gallery show a huge success.

Our Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts students at the opening of their exhibition at The Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest.

One of the many fantastic things about studying the Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts at Nepean Arts and Design Centre is the opportunity to bridge the gap between study and professional practice as an artist. The course is open to students who hold a Diploma of Visual arts or the equivalent, but the opportunity is also taken up by practicing artists who wish to reconnect with their practice or enjoy the community of practice and motivation that comes with supportive group environment.

The course is taught by professional artists, and places a strong emphasis on developing the  individual style and voice of the student, and providing bridges into the world of the practicing professional artist.

In conversation,  currently showing at The Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest is a fantastic example of an opportunity provided by the Advanced Diploma. As part of their professional practice study, students were invited to respond to an exhibition of works by the famous British artist David Hockney, which is currently on show in the Gallery.

David Hockney's brother John spoke at the exhibition, and was so impressed by the work the students had made, that he photographed the show, and is taking the images to show David when he visits him next month. He has promised to garner feedback from David and convey it back to the students.

Feedback from David Hockney on your artwork? Yes Please!!

To book your interview for The Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts, please call Regina Cooper on  

ph 9208 9484.

In conversation - Advanced Diploma Exhibition

Please join us at Penrith Regional gallery and Lewers Bequest on Friday September 20th between 5 and 6pm for the opening of In Conversation, an exhibition of works by Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts students. Students were asked to develop their works in response to the works of David Hockney, currently on display in the gallery in the small exhibition 'Love David'. The exhibition will be opened by Hania Radvan, CEO of Penrith Performing and Visual Arts, and will continue until November10th. Guests at the opening will also have an opportunity to stay at the gallery for Rock-Scissors-Boat special event (see details below) for a special price of $10. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Journeys II Opens on Wednesday!

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As part of the TAFE Western Sydney Institute Nepean College Open Day, we warmly invite you to the opening of Journeys II, the second of our two exhibitions featuring students of the Diploma of Visual Arts at NADC.  It promises to be a great show, and a really fun Open Day, so come and join Special Guest Reg Mombassa for the opening, this Wednesday, September 11 at 12 noon,  for an injection of creative energy!

For  all course inquiries for the 2014 Diploma of Visual Arts and the Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts, call the section on ph 9208 9325.

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Reg Mombassa at NADC Open Day!

 image by Reg Mombassa 

Our Open Day on Wednesday September 11 is fast approaching and we are very pleased to announce that our guest for the day is Reg Mombassa. Reg is a nationally and internationally renowned artist, designer and musician.

Reg is known for his irreverent designs for Mambo Graphics as well as his paintings. 
He has exhibited his paintings at Watters Gallery since 1975. In 2007 a retrospective exhibition
of his artwork was held at the SH Ervin Gallery in Sydney. His artwork is included in the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, The Powerhouse Museum Sydney, University of Sydney amongst others. Reg is the creative ambassador for the celebrations 
for Sydney New Years Eve 2013.

Reg says he is inspired by the wind, semi-professional birthday clowns, heavy machinery and the behaviour of domestic animals.

Our open day celebrations kick off at 12pm with the opening of the Diploma Fine Art student’s exhibition ‘Journeys 2’ in the Trapezium Gallery. Reg will be the special guest at the opening.
Following this at 1pm in T Block Reg Mombassa will deliver a talk and audio visual presentation  for NADC students, followed by a Q+A session. Visitors to the open day can see this talk streamed live.
At 2pm a BBQ and drawing session will be held in the P block forecourt. Easels will be set up and TAFE students will join in with Reg to draw en plein air.
Please join us for this for this exciting day of entertainment, and why not bring your own sketchbook and try your hand? NADC staff will be on hand to talk to you about study options and how to apply for our courses.

Noel Chettle Memorial Art Prize

Entries have arrived at Trapezium Gallery for the Noel Chettle Memorial Art Prize. This prestigious prize, which encourages excellence in life drawing, sketching and portrait painting, is open to all TAFE NSW students enrolled in fine art or visual art courses.

Entries have arrived from many campuses, including Meadowbank, St George, Newcastle and of course Nepean Art and Design Centre. Judging will take place on Monday 19th August. The judges are Anthony Cahill (NSI), Tim Allen (WSI) and Rhett Brewer, artist. Students will be judged on a portfolio of work including a series of specific life drawings.

The exhibition of selected work will open on Wednesday 21st August 12pm with the announcement of the winning entry. The exhibition will then run until the 4th September. Please come along to the opening or pop into the gallery to appreciate the range and quality of the figurative drawings produced by TAFE NSW students. Good luck to our entrants from NADC!

'Journeys' Diploma Visual Arts Exhibition opens on Wednesday

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This exhibition by students of the Diploma in Visual Arts opens at 12 noon on Wednesday 31st July. The exhibition will showcase printmaking, painting, photography, ceramics and drawing. This group of Diploma students have previously completed a Certificate IV in Visual Arts at Nepean TAFE and are majoring in two subject areas as part of their Diploma study. We wish them the best for their exhibition and hope everyone can join them to celebrate at the opening on Wednesday.

Stephen Hall's Exhibition

Artwork by Stephen Hall from his current exhibition. Click for a larger image.

Nepean Arts and  Design Centre's visual Arts teacher Stephen Hall has a solo exhibition on  at the moment at Sheffer Gallery, 38 Lander Street Darlington. The exhibition is on display until August 3, and the Gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday 11am-6pm.

The opening of the exhibition was a great success, with many colleagues and students amongst the guests.

Here is Stephen's artist statement from the show:

Tigers Horses and 16^th Century Men is the work of an artist who has been exhibiting for 30 years and has always been deeply interested in who humans are and what we do and why we do the thing we do.  This also brings into focus our relationship with, and the impact we have on planet earth itself and the other creatures we share it with.  Tigers hang on to existence, horses are the epitome of wild freedom but have been tamed and are now comparatively redundant and have been unwittingly implicit in mankind’s journey.  Pointy bearded men in ruffs seem to be a relic irreconcilable with our current understanding of life. I believe these three to be the perfect protagonists to be given a chance to talk about what the hell mankind is on about today. Narratives as well as figurative forms alter and breakdown only to rebuild and reform never admitting to an absolute truth.

The exhibition includes a three meter painting painted while watching a documentary about tiger cubs trying to survive in the simplest way where everything is about the essentials of life as well as six ceramic sculptures that lurch from one form to another restlessly morphing; a figure that might appear to be human or a horse at first glance but is quickly revealed as a hybrid form struggling to assert its existence. The final part of the exhibition is a series of twenty seven ink drawings depicting tigers, horses and 16^th century men and covers many aspects of transformation, relationships and how stupid humans can be especially when we think we know what we are doing, while some are just simply playful.

                                                                                                                                            - Stephen Hall, 2013

Ruma's Solo Show

Ruma Hort is a  recent graduate from our Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts, and she is having a solo show at the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery!

We hope you can help Ruma celebrate this fantastic achievement at the opening on Friday the 2nd of August. Click on the invitations below for more details. Ruma's art is a fascinating combination of her arts training and her experience as a hairdresser, you can read about what motivates her work below.

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Drawing upon 10 years of hairdressing experience, it is understandable that hair has become an important part of my life. Not only does it make a person’s appearance, it also says a lot about their personality and self-worth. Everyone knows when they having a bad day or when they are in need of a haircut no matter how shallow they are. Once they have left the hairdresser’s they often feel like a brand new person even if they only lost a centimetre off their hair. To be the person that can change someone’s appearance and have such an impact on their self-confidence is really quite empowering.
Cutting hair used to scare me, it was the one thing I feared most as I was learning, knowing that once the hair is cut there is no way to stick it back on, no way to rewind the clock. Mistakes were obvious and difficult to correct but once I mastered the technique there was no looking back.

I’m a very textural person, from visual patterns to surfaces that are sensitive to touch, every element matters. This is even more true to hair, no two people have the same textured hair and the differences define what you can do to it. This resonates strongly back to my art where I use my knowledge of the textural quality of hair as the core inspiration of my work. I let the materials dictate what I do, from creating the designs, sculpting the lino to assembling the elements into a finished work. It is all about process rather than the finished product. This is just like the hair on someone’s head, falling in its own way with each strand needing individual attention.

The human hair I use in my work comes from the hair extensions that I have collected over the years. Human hair has a softness and delicateness that is easy to manipulate from straight to curly, bouncy to flat. This contrasts with the horse hair that is strong, wiry and difficult to manipulate, it dictates to me where it wants to lay. Collected from a few sources, horse hair is quite valuable especially in the grooming of dressage competitors, which has resulted in sourcing the supply of a long black tail from a deceased horse.

My process is strongly dictated by documentation, analysing and recording all the bits and pieces that interest me along the way as well as the hours spent photographing of all the different compositions I trial to create the finished work. Even though I am predominantly a printmaker using traditional techniques, the contemporary presentation and framing of the work is very important to the end product.

The images I create begin with scanned strands of hair, with the emphasis on the linear quality and the natural shapes and patterns that intertwine and interact with each other. My work is multi dimensional, creating optical illusions that alter the viewer's sensation of depth and perspective. This is also combined with the repeated, mirrored and intricate designs that are inspired by my Bangladeshi heritage. I have always believed that where you come from defines who you are and I felt it was important to explore this completely different culture through my work and give a little more of who I am in my art.

- Ruma Hort, 2013.

Olena Kosenko a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize

Advanced Diploma student Olena Kosenko has had her painting 'Fold and turn and fold again' selected for the Mosman Art Prize. The $30,000 prize is one of the oldest and most prestigious municipally funded art prizes in Australia. This year the judge, artist Lucy Culliton, selected 116 finalists from 710 entries. Olena's painting was completed at TAFE as part of her Advanced Diploma painting major. The Mosman Art Prize runs until the 25th August at the Mosman Art Gallery.
Olena has also had a work selected as a finalist for the North Sydney Art prize, which runs until the 5th August. Congratulations Olena on your run of success.

A new experimental artwork in the Trapezium Gallery!

Gallery installation shot, 'Birth of Venus'

The annual experimental drawing project by students form the Diploma of Visual Arts is on again! This year, the students have made a version of Boticelli's 'Birth of Venus' using maverick materials including rice flour, salt, jelly crystals, tumeric and more.

The exhibition opens in the Trapezium Gallery on Wednesday July 16 at 12 noon. All Welcome!

Ruma Hort at PRG

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This new work by Diploma of Visual Arts graduate Ruma Hort is currently showing at the Penrith regional gallery & The Lewers Bequest in conjunction with the exhibition ' Crowning Glory'. Congratulations Ruma on your regional Gallery showing!

Mid-Year Intake for Visual Arts: Book your Interview Now!

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We still have a few spots left in the Diploma of Visual Arts July intake. If you or someone you know has a passion for visual arts, then this course is an ideal grounding in many aspects of visual arts studio practice. 

Subjects covered include painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics and art photography.

 Graduates of the Diploma of Visual Arts may later go on to specialise in advanced studies in one or more studio areas in the Advanced Diploma of Visual Art.

To book your interview for our July intake, call Regina now on ph 9208 9484.

Join us for our first Head On opening tomorrow!

Sam Friebel, Nate Moss, Destyn McMinn and Malcolm Nash, four of the artists from 'The Speed of Light'. Artwork on the wall by Caitlin Chapman and Mara Peralta.

Nepean arts and Design Centre is hosting two exhibitions ths year as part of the Head On Photo Festival. The  first one opens tomorrow at 12 noon in the Trapezium Gallery. Please join us! For more information visit our facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/wsi.nadc#!/events/371640719614111/



NADC Visual Arts Students in Head On exhibition!

Mara Peralta, work in progress for  'The Speed of Light'

The Speed of Light is the name of an upcoming exhibition of Visual Art photography students at NADC. The exhibition is part of the Head On Photo Festival, and will be held at the Trapezium Gallery at NADC from Tuesday May 21-until the 29th of May, with the exhibition event being held at the Gallery on Wednesday the 22nd of May at 12 noon.

The exhibition is experimental in nature, with the artists working within the Gallery space to explore image possibilities which may or may not stay within the confines of the rectangle. This exhibition offers the artists the valuable opportunity to explore and experiment with both image production and installation.

Featured artists are Nathaniel Moss, Ivy Jean, Caitlin Chapman, Georgina Taylor, Malcolm Nash, Destyn McMinn, Julie Bartolo, Anna Tebar, Mara Peralta, Samantha Friebel, Natalie Rowe, and Michelle Tholen.

A survey for current NADC Visual Art students: How did you hear about your course?

We are doing  some marketing research for our visual art courses here at Nepean Arts and Design Centre, and if you are a current Visual Arts student, we would love to know how you heard about our courses!  This is the simplest survey you will ever do, (it's only two questions long!) but remember, it is for our new Diploma of Visual Arts, and our Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts students only. Thanks for helping us out :)

To undertake the survey, follow this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5G9VBRS

Thanks for helping!

Catherine O'Donnell's Exhibition

Join Catherine O Donnell  - one of  our fabulous drawing and theory  teachers -  at her show 'Estates of Tommorrow',  at the Flinders Street Gallery:   - http://www.flindersstreetgallery.com/ .

Catherine's work was described by  Sydney Morning Heralds  Michael Fitzgerald as ' like crime scenes mixed with love'.

Be sure to see this amazing show of intimate and detailed drawings - closes on the  20th of April.

12 Week Extended Drawing Program: Enrol Now!

Artist, Stephen Hall, working plein air, 2012.

We are pleased to offer a new 12 week specialised drawing course. The teachers of the course are professional artists who will give insights into their own drawing techniques and working processes.

The artists, Stephen Hall, Di Holdsworth and Catherine O’Donnell will each teach a 4 week block offering an exciting program that will cover a wide range of drawing techniques and ideas.

You may enrol in this course independently of other studies or as an enrichment activity for the Diploma or Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts. 

About the teachers:

Stephen Hall’s work has been exhibited in major exhibitions such as The Dobell Prize for Drawing, The Blake Prize and Sculpture by the Sea and is included in the AGNSW collection.

Di Holdsworth has exhibited her work widely in commercial and regional galleries and is represented by the Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney. She has taught drawing at TAFE and University over the past 24 years.

Catherine O’Donnell: “Few will fail to be impressed by the artist’s painstaking mastery of charcoal, and her careful delineation of a piece of urban geometry that would make even Jeffrey Smart think twice.” John McDonald

About the course:

Start Date: 08/03/13

Timetable: Fridays 9:30 - 3pm, for 12 weeks

Cost: $990

For more information phone Tim Allen on 9208 9502, customer service on or 131 870.

You can also enrol directly here: http://nadc.wsi.tafensw.edu.au/fine-arts/course-info/

Study Visual Arts at NADC!

Check out our new video about studying visual arts at NADC, featuring some of our 2012 students.