Visual Art Staff Show - you are invited to the floor talk!

The 2016 Visual Arts Staff Show is currently on display in the Trapezium Gallery. This elegant exhibition showcases the arts practice of staff currently teaching on our visual arts courses. 

This week, on Wednesday March 23rd, the weekly NADC Arts Forum will be held in the Gallery, with many of the artists present to speak about their work, and answer questions from the audience.

Join us in the Gallery at 12 noon on March 23 for drinks and nibbles. At 12.30, NADC painting and drawing teacher Tim Allen will M.C. the floor talks, introducing the artists who will speak about the motivation and techniques behind their works. The talks will last for approximately half an hour, and from 1pm to 1.30 pm you can mingle with the artists and continue to enjoy the exhibition.

The exhibition includes work by David White, Tim Allen, Catherine O'Donnell, Jo Newton, Samara Kendall, Anthony Cahill, Cath Barcan, Jacqueline Spedding, Linda Seiffert, Cameron Ferguson, Matthew Ablitt, Di Holdsworth, Stephen Hall and Shirley Daborn.

The exhibition continues until March 31. Gallery hours are 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday.

Artwork by Anthony Cahill(iphone snap by Peter Helm)

Artwork by Linda Seiffert (iphone snap by Peter Helm)

QSRT 2016 opportunity for NADC students!

 Join Adnan Begic and Angela Stretch in the T Block auditorium on Wednesday May 2 for the first Arts Forum of the year. Angela is the lead artist in this year's Queen Street Riches and Textures project, and Adnan s the project co-ordinator. If you are not familiar with this amazing project and the professional opportunity could  provide for NADC students, make sure you come along and find out! This year's project is suitable for students in  all course areas in NADC. The Forum takes place from 12.30pm-1.30pm on Wedneday in the T Block auditorium.

Read below for a bit of background infoto the project courtesy of St Mary's Corner- but best to come to the Forum and hear for yourself!

Queen Street Riches and Textures is a cultural initiative developed by St Marys Corner Community and Cultural Precinct in 2012. The initiative engages local residents in creative conversations about Queen Street, the main street of St Marys through re-discovering, documenting, creatively expressing and interpreting the street’s past, present and future.

Engagement: Queen Street Riches and Textures is informed by three principles – engagement, mentorship and partnerships. The engagement is one of creative collaborations, social interaction and conversations, between artists and community and people and places.

Mentorship: Each year Queen Street Riches and Textures works with contemporary artists and through a specific artistic medium explores people and place. In each annual project a professional

artist also mentors local emerging artists while creatively engaging with the community.

Partnerships: Queen Street Riches and Textures is constantly extending partnerships with civic,

community, cultural, art and educational agencies, organisations and institutions.

Achievements: Since 2012 the project has achieved great community endorsement and participation of more than 300 local residents, 40 local and metropolitan art students and emerging artists and a number of partners and associates through a building sustainable relationships with regional educational institutions and community organisations.

Emma creates her future

Emma Sputnik

 

 

Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts student Emma Sputnik is using her creative skills to create the kind of community she wants to live in. Emma was recently a finalist for the Camden and Wollondilly Small Business Awards, for her work in establishing the Picton Creative Traders Markets. This thriving local market for hand-made products is contributing to the local economy and providing income streams for local creatives.

This is what Emma has to say about how her studies at Nepean Arts and Design Centre have helped her achieve her goals:

"As a creative person, studying at visual arts at Nepean Arts and Design Centre, at TAFE's Western Sydney Institute has been instrumental to my career path as an events co-ordinator and emerging artist. From a humble beginning as a supermarket checkout operator, studying at a higher level has given me access to priceless skills, and knowledge without which I would have never found my current career path.

For all the skills acquired at TAFE, the most unseen aspect would be the generosity of teachers who tirelessly share their time, knowledge and personal  resources to inspire the hungry minds of students. The life long friendships and professional relationships forged through learning, combined with state of the art resources to practice technical skills make TAFE a priceless experience. I look forward to completing my Advanced Diploma at Nepean Arts and Design Centre this year, and can't wait to get stuck into the  Bachelor of Visual Arts degree next year!"

To find out more about the markets, which are also the site of another one of Emma's initiatives,  'The Universe' pop -up art gallery, visit the Picton Creative Traders Markets facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pictonmarkets

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.

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!

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.

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.

Barbara Kenny in Artist's Palette

Barbara Kenny, who graduated from the Advanced Diploma in Visual Arts at NADC in 2011, has been featured in the popular Artist's Palette magazine.

Congratulations to Barbara in successfully pursuing her visual arts career. Her article is in the current edition, no 116, widely available available in newsagents.

You're invited to the Visual Arts Bus Unveiling!

All welcome to the Great Unveiling on December 13!

We are getting pretty excited as the day of the Visual Arts Bus unveiling draws closer !

Here is a recap on the bus, and an updated timeline. We do hope you can join us for the festivities.....

More than seventy self portraits from the Me Myself and I project will adorn the side of a local bus that will travel the local region around Penrith and St Mary's. Me Myself and I is an annual project we host in the Trapezium Gallery at NADC, and features self-portrait images from NADC students and staff.

The bus will be officially unveiled  on Thursday December 13, at the Bus Stop outside of Gate 1 in
 O' Connell St, Kingswood. All friends and supporters of Visual Arts at NADC are warmly invited to join us for this celebration. We will gather at 10am, for a 10.30 unveiling.  There will be lots of photo opportunities, and the artists will be invited to sign their work on the side of the bus. We do hope you can join us.

At approximately 11.30am, the bus will then go on a tour of Penrith, and take us to the Penrith Regional Gallery, for a welcome to the latest exhibition from one of the Gallery's curatorial staff. (or if you prefer, the cafe does one of the best coffees in Penrith..)

Artists who are exhibited on the side of the bus get first dibbs on a seat, however if there are any spare seats, anyone can jump on board. If you don't get a seat, we would love to meet you at the Gallery if you can get there under your own steam. We expect to be back at the College around 1pm, with one stop off point in Penrith on the way back.

We don't have many seats left, but you can book yours by calling Regina Cooper on ph 9208 9484 :

If you can't come for the ride, we would still love it if you could join us for the official unveiling at 10 for 10.30am, Gate 1, O'Connell Street.

Featured artists are:
Aaron Berndt, Adele Bruens, Alex Curtis, AmorV, the late Arnold Freen, Blake Hicks, Carol Donovan, Chris Legaspi, Claire Lang, Constance Taylor, C Spillane, Danielle Pearse, David Raynor, Di Holdsworth, Elise Pike, Emma Smith, Eva Mahfoud, Georgina Taylor, Grace Edmonds, Jack Gibson, Jacqui Graves, Jade Martin, Jaimie Gall, Janet Reinhardt, Jason Dewhurst, Jeliza Vega, Jennifer Chapman-Paton, Jo Newton, Jodi McConaghy, Judy Frazer, Julia Samuel, Julieanne Bartolo, Julie Willis, Karen Normoyle, Karl Hellman, Karl Doyle, Katherine Kennedy, Kathryn Trippett, Katriona Asiata, Kerry Donnelley, Kimberley Miles, Lisa McKay, Lorraine Bateman, Lyndon Matts, Lynn Williams, Malcolm Nash, Maria Okon, Marion Brooking, Micheal Sharpe, Narwal Khatiwada, Naomi Murdolo, Natalie Horvat, Nelson Nyangole, Nerida Gibbs, Nicola Mason, Reena Mitra, Ricardo Della-Ricca, Robert Musgrave, Robyn Lewis, Rum Hort, Sally Evans, Samara Kendall, Sandra Hussey, Shannon Ring, Sharon Zou, Stephen Hall, Suzie Harris, Sue McDonald, Sue Evans, Susan Jorgensen, Tatiana Campos, Terrence Combos, the late Tim Dean, Tim Newman, Tom Brady, Tom Groves, Tracey Leigh Smith, Vaughan England.

Congratulations to all represented artists, we would have loved to include many more, but we would need another bus!

You can register and enrol for Fine Arts courses at NADC for 2013, by visiting our course information page:
http://nadc.wsi.tafensw.edu.au/art/course.aspx
or calling 131 870.

Previews of the Me Myself and I books can be found here:
http://www.blurb.com/books/2023001
http://www.blurb.com/books/3120682

NADC Fine Arts at the Hawkesbury Art Prize

Inanimate, by Robert Musgrave, black and white photographs, 2012

Recent Fine Arts graduate Robert Musgrave has been selected as a finalist in the 2012 Hawkesbury Art Prize. The non-acquisitive award has a $10, 000 first prize, and opens on Saturday the 17th of November at 6pm, at Purple Noon Gallery.

 Other finalists include our past graduate Louisa Antico, and Jody Graham from the Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts. Good luck to all!

http://purplenoongallery.com.au/art-prize-2/

Two shows on the one night!

Welcome  everyone to two openings on the same night! 
 'Kiln me softly'  is the showcase for graduating students of the Certificate3 in Ceramics  and  'Arrivals/ Departures'  showcases selected works of our graduants  in Advanced Diploma.  Please  join us  this Wednesday  night at 6 pm  at P and T Block  as we celebrate the culmination of  the years hard work  with the artists.  All welcome!

NADC at the Fisher's Ghost Art Award

Cath Barcan, Untitled image from the series 'Film', inkjet pigment print,
 35cm x 50cm, 2012 
This work won the Photographic Award, Fisher's Ghost Art Award, 2012.

A huge crowd filled the Campbelltown Arts Centre for the 50th Fisher's Ghost Art Award on Friday night. Amongst the artists included in the exhibition were NADC staff Nerine Martini and Cath Barcan. Also selected as finalists were current students Nawal Khatiwada, Julieanne Bartolo, Ruma Hort, Barbara Hellman and Katherine Kennedy. In addition, numerous graduates of fine arts at NADC were amongst the selected artists. And if that isn't enough, did we mention that fine arts T.O. Ricardo Della-Ricca helped install the show in his other role as freelance preparator?

The Fisher's Ghost Art Award offers a  first prize of $40,000  which was taken out by Raquel Ormella. Raquel is now a very successful Australian visual artist who started her art training with us at Penrith TAFE some twenty years ago.

The Fisher's Ghost Art Award has numerous category prizes, and Fine Arts Head Teacher Cath Barcan won the Photographic Award. Her winning image is pictured above.

The Judges for the prizes were Natasha Bullock, Curator Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of NSW, Lisa Havilah, Director  of Carriageworks, and Keith Munro, Curator Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Programs, Museum of Contemporary Art.

Congratulations to all NADC participants on your involvement in this show.

Fine Arts Graduate Timothy Dale carves out his career

 

Artist Pat Brassington with Timothy Dale, who installed her exhibition at Stills Gallery.

Certificate IV in Fine Arts graduate Timothy Dale has been in continuous employment in the arts industry since finishing his study at Nepean Arts and Design Centre, TAFE Western Sydney Institute in 2006.

Timothy works as a exhibition installer, a job which is also known by the name of 'preparator'.

As a freelance installer in the museums and art industry, Timothy has worked for such clients as the Art Gallery of NSW, The Biennale of Sydney,  and a whole host of Regional Galleries,  commercial galleries and other clients such as local councils and the Australia Council for the Arts. In addition, Timothy handles and installs work by many great artists past and present in private homes throughout Sydney.

Timothy has been in continuous demand as a preparator since completing his course at NADC. The exhibition practice skills and  thorough and practical knowledge of art practices Timothy learnt at Nepean TAFE have stood him in great stead in his professional life. Recent career highlights have included installing work for the Biennale of Sydney, and for John Kaldor projects at the Art Gallery of NSW.

"My time spent at Nepean TAFE was a great lasting experience where hands-on practical skills in the arts industry were gained", says Timothy.

Timothy's long term goal is to obtain a senior installation position in a museum or gallery in Australia or overseas, and with his impressive track record so far, we have no doubt he will achieve his dream.

International Exhibition

Congratulations to our fabulous painting and drawing teacher - David White, who has been accepted into the international drawing exhibition: ‘Contemporary Drawing 2012’ at the Schweizer Kunstraum (Swiss Art Space) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The exhibition runs between the 1st of November – 30th November, 2012.

David has had three works selected for this exhibition. Below is one of them – ‘The Patriarch’

Testimonial: Anne-Marie Hawley

NADC  Fine arts graduate Anne-Marie Hawley

NADC Fine Arts graduate, Anne-Marie Hawley, who now teaches art full-time at a local high school, tells us how her training at NADC set her on the road to her career.

What did you like most about studying fine arts at NADC?
NADC offers an amazingly rich course that covers all the art disciplines thoroughly. The teachers bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion to the studio which creates an electric environment in which to learn. After studying at NADC for three years, I had established strong friendships with an incredibly diverse range of students from different stages of the course. Not only did my peers offer support and encouragement, there were some incredibly inspiring emerging artists who motivated you to excel.

What are you doing now and how did TAFE help you get there? 

I owe my passion for learning and the breadth and depth of my artistic skills to my studies at NADC.  I am a vocal promoter of TAFE to the next generation of budding artists who I teach at a Western Sydney high school. I have recently been employed on a full time basis and teach Visual Arts, Ceramics and Photography. Before that, I was building up my teaching experience as an educator at Penrith Regional Gallery and Cockatoo Island. After speaking to many arts trained teaching graduates, I know that I was walking into the arts education field with an advantage. NADC’s Fine Arts course gives you comprehensive experience across all the discipline in a way not offered by many tertiary institutions. Being able to teach so many disciplines with confidences has really enriched my programming and teaching in the classroom.

What are your plans and goals for the future?
I love art and I really enjoy teaching so I am intent on staying in the arts education industry. The high school at which I teach is currently enjoying great success across a range of local art and photography competitions. This is inspiring me to develop more learning experiences that enable my students to promote their work around the community and build the profile of Visual Arts at the school. Ultimately, I hope I am able to inspire my students to further their arts education in the same way NADC did for me.

Latest Exhibition news

 Hot on the heels of the  Diploma One students show  will be 'Trihibition' an exhibition of works  by students of Certificate IV in Visual Arts.  The exhibition will open  on  September the 12th at noon in the Trapezium gallery. Feel free to come and have a look and  perhaps  purchase  some fabulous  works  - all welcome.

 

Amazing public art project involving our students

Eighteen NADC students are thrilled to be involved in a multi-media art and inclusive community event in Penrith in September called No Boundaries. For at least 12 of these volunteers, their participation in the project will turn into a paid traineeship, which will make them eligible in the future to work operating the multimedia equipment in use during the project, which is planned to remain in the community for use in future events.

No Boundaries will involve:
"Large scale architectural projection… interactive and playful displays… and a gathering of people from Penrith, Blue Mountains and Sydney… An unforgettable show bringing together creative and talented people from all walks of life to see something very new in Penrith!"  
 - from the 'no boundaries' website

The project aims to involve members of the community from all walks of life, and is being overseen by a creative industries company called Illuminart. This company specializes in the design and creation of world class projection art, cross-disciplinary arts and audiovisual storytelling of lasting significance to communities. Illuminart's avant-garde media art projects incorporate illumination, interactive projection art and performance, developed in creative partnerships and collaborations among a variety of disciplines. 
 - from the illuminart website http://www.illuminart.com.au/
Have a look at the gorgeous example of illuminart's work inthe clip below. In this video, the kinetic ship sculpture is also the source of the projections on the building. This is the kind of cool stuff our students are going to be working with, so keep your eye on this project !

 In another wonderful collaborative opportunity, NADC photoimaging students will document the performance events in September.

Studio Space at Parramatta Artists Studios

Here's a great opportunity from Parramtta Artists Studios for artists who are not enrolled in study, or will have graduated by the start of 2013.

Parramatta Artists Studios is at the fore of contemporary artistic production.
 Located in the centre of Parramatta’s CBD, the Studios offer affordable non-residential and residential studio space to contemporary artists.

Artists are invited to apply for non-residential studios with tenures ranging from 6-24 months. A residential studio is also available to regional NSW, interstate and international artists for up to 3 months.

Please note, Artists who are in the midst of tertiary studies for which a studio is allocated are not eligible for a studio here. The current round covers studio access from 1 October 2012 and throughout 2013. So if a student is gradating this year, then they should apply now and stipulate that they would take up a studio upon completion of their course (at the end of this year or start of next year).

Applications close 4:30pm Thursday 30 August 2012.

http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/play/facilities/arts/artists_studios for further information and to download an application form.

Enquiries on 02 9687 6090 or studios@parracity.nsw.gov.au

Miniworks on now!

MINIWORKS  2012 is our much loved annual 3D exhibition and competition. This exhibition comprises of sculptural and 3 dimensional work by NADC students and staff, with the only restriction being the work must be no larger than 15cm in any direction. The opening is at 12pm - 13pm at C Block

You are welcome to come and join us as Diana Robson – Curator of the Hawkesbury Regional gallery announces her selection for the finalists and first prize winner.