The deadline for entries for the annual Mary Valley Art Festival has been extended to Monday 14 July.
This gives artists more time to apply for the exhibition which offers awards including the RJR Property Best in Show award of $2000, and $1500 for the Open winner from Gympie’s Bendigo
Bank.
The festival will be held at the Imbil Public Hall from 24-27 July, with the gala opening and awards night on Friday 25 July from 6pm.
This year’s judges are Dr Lisa Chandler, Adjunct Associate Professor in Art and Design at UniUSC, and teacher and natural history artist Jim Cox.
Dr Chandler is a curator, artist and writer and was the founding director of the UniSC Gallery. She has curated numerous exhibitions including co-curating the award-winning East Coast
Encounter which re-imagined Cook’s 1770 voyage from Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives.
Dr Chandler’s creative practice has an environmental focus. She has held multiple exhibitions, and her work is represented in public and private collections. She was the recipient of a National
Library of Australia curatorial research fellowship and for services to regional creative industries she received a Sunshine Coast Council Australia Day Creative Award.
Jim Cox will use his 14 years’ experience in the art industry to help judge the art festival with Dr Chandler.
Mr Cox taught at tertiary level for 26 years, until retiring in 1996.
Natural History has been a life-long interest and is reflected in his work. He has travelled extensively, settling in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in 2002 where he has worked with landcare groups, planted a rainforest, continued to paint, illustrated books, teach as fancy takes him, and continues to mentor emerging artists.
The gala awards presentation will be held on Friday 25 July from 6pm, with Dr Sharon Hogan as MC. Tickets available on Eventbrite. All details at www.maryvalleyartslink.com.au
