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

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!

click image to enlarge

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.

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/

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.

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.

 

3d Miniworks

3D Miniworks

3d Miniworks is our annual competition for sculptural work, less the 150 mm in any dimension.

Diana Robson – Curator of the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery was this years judge and announced her selection for the finalists and prize winners.

The 20 works will have their work exhibited at the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery in December. Details of this show to follow later.

The 20 finalists are: Caitlin Chapman "Planets"; Jeffrey Alexander "Sepik Dreaming" and "Bow Wow"; Cath Randall "Green Power"; Lisa MacKay "Fox and Wolf"; Alison Shore "Any Advice Dr Pat?"; Carolyn Eadie "Black and White (I need a Place To Read)", Ruma Hort "Sempervium 1" and Sempervium11". Kim Cooke "Rockmelon", Sheryl Anderson "Seed Pod Series" and "Open Seed Pod"; Sophie Abbott "Dear Deer"; Calen Starling "Jurassic Park" and "Hell Boy" and "E=mc2" Bron Newman "The White Rider (after SH)"; Paul Gould "Toxic Planet Dog"; Robert Linigen "Head"

And the winners are...
1 Calen Starling, "Hellboy" $200 prize from Western Sydney Institute
2 Sheryl Anderson "Open Seed Pod" $100 prize from Artsup
3 Bron Newman "The White Rider (After SH)" $100 prize from Hawkesbury Regional Gallery

Have a look at images of the finalists at our Flickr site

"Hellboy" Calen Starling 

Congratulations to the winners, finalists and all the entrants. Thanks to Diana Robson from Hawkesbury Regional Gallery and everyone involved in organising th eshow, particularly Susan Jorgensen and Paul Gould.

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.

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.

K9 Memorial, Tahmoor

Peter Lewis graduated from ceramics at Nepean a couple of years ago, and recently won a commission to create a bronze memorial to Police dogs killed in the line of duty. The original model was made in clay and then cast in bronze. The commission is now complete and has been officially opened.

"My sculpture was unveiled on 5th July and it was quite a ceremony. Despite a very cold wintery day about 200 people attended the memorial including the Mayor of Wollondilly, MP Jai Roland, Acting NSW Police Commissioner Catherine Burn APM, NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services The Hon Michael Gallacher, Sgt Sean McDowell (police dog handler of K9 Titan who was stabbed to death while apprehending an offender), and a number of other dignitaries", said Peter.

The official guests admire the sculpture by NADC graduate Peter Lewis

The Fine Art of Photography: A pop up show in the Trapezium Gallery

 click for a larger image

Come along and check out the work in the Trapezium Gallery by students studying fine art photography at NADC. The students are enrolled in the Diploma in Fine Art, or as part of a Program of Selected Study. Photography is one of a range fine art subjects the students are studying as part of their course.

This is a ‘pop–up’ and in some cases ‘pin-up’ show, put together somewhat spontaneously. We saw a gap in the exhibition program and decided to put together some work and work-in-progress gathered from the recent mid-year assessments. 

The show is open on weekdays from 9am-4pm until next Thursday July 26.

A vital part of the process of developing artwork is to take the opportunity to look at the work you are making, and reflect, evaluate, and gather feedback, and plan how the work can be improved or refined. This exhibition gives the selected artists an opportunity to do just that.

The represented classes will use the exhibition as a learning tool in numerous ways including creating a platform for discussion and ideas generation.

Studies in fine art photography gives the student an opportunity to not only develop technical skills in the medium of photography, but also to develop and refine a personal aesthetic or visual style. Projects are developed over numerous weeks, and students are mentored in the production of a body of work, a process that includes research, capture, editing, re-capture (if required) and printing.

The generation of photographic images has never been more prolific than it is now in the digital age. The study of art photography ensures that an image moves beyond capture into a well-considered print that has been refined, finessed and presented to create an art object suitable for exhibition. This pop-up show is a valuable tool to assist the artists on that journey.

 To find out more about studying fine art photography as an elective, or as part of a Program of Selected Study, contact Head teacher Cath Barcan at Catherine.barcan@tafensw.edu.au

Bruni's in the Silk Cut too!

The work by Bruni Guenther-Tsapilis selected in the Silk Cut Award

Stop Press! A THIRD printmaker from NADC is included in the prestigious Silk Cut award! A print by 2011 Advanced Diploma of Fine Art graduate Bruni Gunther Tsapilis  has also been selected. Congratulations to you too Bruni!

Two fine art students selected for the Silk Cut Award

Dead Love' by Carol Ann Fitzgerald, selected for the 2012 Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints

 Congratulations to Carol Ann Fitzgerald, Program of Selected Study, printmaking, and Ruma Hort, Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts, who have both been selected for the Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints. The Silk Cut Award is one of the country's most prestigious printmaking awards, and many of Australia's finest printmakers vie for selection in this exhibition. Congratulations to our students on their selection, and good luck with the judging in September, we have our fingers crossed for you!

'Syzygy,' by Ruma Hort selected for the 2012 Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints

  

The Making of Al Pacino

Have a look at the new video of the experimental drawing project by Diploma of Fine Art Year 2 students.  As well as exploring contemporary practice through the use of a maverick art material (did we mention the image has been drawn with coffee?), the students have developed skills and confidence in the fine art of mural production. Congratulations to the artists and their teacher Di Holdsworth!

Simon Cook - Sculpture Award Finalist

Congratulation to Simon Cook, a graduate of the Certificate 3 in Ceramics in 2011, who has been selected as a finalist in the UWS Sculpture Award.

"The UWS Sculpture Award showcases major works by significant Australian artists, some of whom have created sculptures especially for the University's Campbelltown Campus."
The Acquisitive prize is valued at up to $25,000.

"The UWS Sculpture Award and Exhibition aims to establish closer links between the University and artists, and engage with the community by providing a valuable educational and cultural resource, as well as enhancing the campus environment for teaching and learning."

Have a virtual tour of the work here

You can even vote for Simon in the People Choice Award.

Head-On exhibitions in Blackheath

A visitor views Wendy Watson's exhibition at the National Parks and Wildlife Centre, Blackheath, as part of the Head-on Photographic Festival.

NADC Fine Arts photography students past and present are engaging with industry in two impressive exhibitions as part of the Head-on Photography Festival. Current student Wendy Watson has an exhibition of silver gelatine landscape images on display at the National Parks and Wildlife Centre, at the end of Govett's Leap Road, Blackheath. The exhibition runs until May 27.

Former students Marcela Vilaplana and Lenore Gee are also showing as part of Head-on, at Gallery Blackheath (see previous post for details).

Congratulations to all the artists  on their inclusion in this important festival.

 Artist Lenore Gee, (left) and Marcela Vilaplana (right) with Dr Anne Graham, artist and academic, who was the guest speaker at their exhibition at Gallery Blackheath.

 

me, myself and i book launch

The new me, myself and i book is now available! - see below for a preview and to order (if you'd like to look at last years book - there's a link in the sidebar to the right). Currently there is only a hardcover version available - a (cheaper) softcover version should be up within the next few days. We will be putting a copy down at the library, and your teachers should have access to a few copies as well, should you want to preview the book 'in person'. Congratulations to all participants for producing some great work - the new show looks great, and we're really looking forward to selecting the work for our next publication. If you find any problems with the book, or have any questions, please email jo.newton@tafensw.edu.au

Me, Myself, and I by Nepean Arts and Design Centre, Western Sydney Institute of TAFE | Make Your Own Book

Me, Myself and I

We're gearing up for our annual open entry self-portrait show again, opening on Thursday April 26th. So far we appear to have a massive amount of entries - it was great to see so many works come in before the holidays - but if you're feeling inspired over the break there's always room for a few more! If you're a current student or staff member of NADC and bring your A4 self-portrait in to the gallery on Monday April 23rd you can help hang your work. Don't forget the rules! A self-portrait, A4, portrait format, preferably on paper. Works will be blu-tacked or pinned to walls. Please remember to put your name, class, and contact details on the back - it's a big job returning 800 works to their rightful owners - the more info the better.

Of course don't forget to join us for the opening on Thursday 26th at 12 noon, where we will also be launching a book of selected works from the 2011 show. Books will be available to purchase online from this date - unfortunately we can't sell them to you directly, but there will be several hard copies to view at the opening. All works entered in this years show are eligible for inclusion in our next book.

Click on the invite below to view larger.

Carole Fitzgerald selected for the Swan Hill Print and Drawing Award 2012

Congratulations are in order  for Carole, our  advanced Diploma  Printmaking student who  has been selected for the biennial   Swan Hill Print and Drawing Aquisitive Award ( 2012).
The  award  promotes excellence in Australian printmaking and drawing through  an  exhibition  that builds upon the  Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery collection. Selected works must  have been created after January 2010
Caroles' work has had  extraordinary success  having already been selected for - the Blacktown Art Prize (2010), The Fishers Ghost (2010), The Silkcut Lino Award (2010) .

“Anthony” - 4 colour linoprint, 82 x 62 cm (2010)