The cream of Mount Alexander’s art community gathered at Castlemaine Town Hall on Thursday afternoon for the Gala Opening of Rotary Castlemaine’s 37th Annual Art Exhibition and Sale.
This year’s King’s Birthday event featured more than 500 works by 166 artists in a wide array of mediums from oils and intricate works on paper to photography and sculpture.
Guest judge and managing curator at La Trobe University Bendigo Visual Arts Centre, Paul Northam was impressed by the calibre of the works and spoke passionately about some of the many standouts and finalists.
“I thank all the artists for their bravery exposing their heart and soul through art,” he said.
Northam awarded the major prize, sponsored by Narelle and Rob Waller of Belle Property in a continuation of their marathon 26-year support of the event, to Norma Bailey-Ramsay’s Karla.
Best 3D Work, also sponsored by Belle Property and presented by representative Blasi Mulholland, went to Jason Johnston’s In Motion with One.
Damian Callahan’s Still Life with Elipse captured the award for Best Oil or Acrylic 2D, sponsored by Pyrenees Quarries.
Best Watercolour, sponsored by Gunangara Property Sales, was awarded to Jason Conn’s Train to Nowhere.
Melissa Scott’s Queen on the Highway was selected as Best Photographic Work, sponsored by the Cumberland Hotel.
Rounding out the awards, Yvonne de Valle’s Uncle Harry took out Best Work on Paper, sponsored by Castlemaine Office Supplies.
Art Show Chair Robert Cordy thanked the sponsors, without whom the show could not continue, and paid tribute to the Rotary volunteers who are the backbone of the show. Special thanks were also made to show curator Catherine Tait and her incredible team of volunteers.
Funds raised by the show are returned to the community via grants to community organisations and community projects. Last year Rotary grants totalled about $80,000.