Above image details: Jenny Rodgerson Mum’s orange cardigan 2024 oil on linen 60 x 40 cm
Congratulations to Jenny Rodgerson and Peter Wegner, who have been selected as finalists for The 2024 Lester Prize for Portraiture
The Lester Prize Main Awards exhibition will be held at Western Australian Museum from 13 September to 27 October 2024. In April 2019, the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, one of the country’s richest prizes for portraiture was renamed The Lester Prize in honour of the award’s leading patron, Richard Lester AM.
The Lester Prize has become Wester Australia’s most prestigious portrait prize.The 40 finalists’ works will be on public display at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip from 14 September through to 17 November with the main winner announced on the Opening night on Friday, 13 September.
In the meantime, you can view all the Finalists online via The Lester Prize website.
Image: Jenny Rodgerson Self portrait with mudras 2023 oil on linen 165 x 107 cm
Congratulations to Michelle Hiscock and Jenny Rodgerson, who have been selected as a finalists in the 2023 Portia Geach Memorial Award.
Michelle Hiscock The Listener (Christopher Lawrence, broadcaster musician and conductor) oil on paper 29.5 x2 5.2cm
The Portia Geach Memorial Award is Australia’s most prestigious art prize for portraiture by women artists. The Award was established by the will of the late Florence Kate Geach in memory of her sister, Portia Geach. The non-acquisitive prize is awarded by the Trustee for the entry which is of the highest artistic merit, ‘…for the best portrait painted from life of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters, or the Sciences by after any female resident who was born in Australia or was British born or has become a naturalised Australian and whose place of domicile is Australia’.
The exhibition of finalists is now showing at the S.H Ervin Gallery, Sydney until 17 December 2023
Visit our online stock rooms to view available paintings and works on paper by Michelle Hiscock and Jenny Rodgerson
Jenny Rodgerson Languid line 2 oil on linen 110 x 220 cm.
Congratulations to Jenny Rodgerson, who has been highly commended in the 2023 Naked & Nude Art Prize at Manning Regional Art Gallery, by judge Lauretta Morton, for her painting Languid line 2.
Presented in partnership with the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery, the biennial ‘Naked & Nude Art Prize’ is the only art award of its kind in Australia and has attracted entries from artists at all stages of their careers and working in all mediums since commencing in 1990.
“Naked & Nude refers to two things: firstly, the great tradition of the Nude: a person who is bare with no covering or decoration. Secondly, a wider definition: something that is revealed, laid bare, unmasked or vulnerable.”
Naked & Nude Art Prize
Manning Regional Art Gallery
12 Macquarie Street, Taree, NSW 2430
2 September – 15 October 2023
“I have for many years worked from life, painting the life size figure works. I originally painted this pose about 10 years ago when the model brought a fluorescent green cloth to the studio as a backdrop. I liked the contrast of the orange in her tanned skin against the green. The idea of the painting was one long line created by the figure. As she stretched out full length, a fluidity was evident and hence the title languid line. I enjoy revisiting poses with different models and with the progression of time to see what has changed in my interpretation and method. This is the second of the languid line series painted with a local Castlemaine model, Pippa. Pippa is a tall, athletic model who was in the human circus, and the pose worked well with her.” – Jenny Rogerson, 2023
Image above: Mary Tonkin The shimmer of Spring’s mellowing, Kalorama 2022-23 oil on linen 183 x 248 cm. Photographed by Matthew Stanton.
Congratulations to Graeme Drendel, Paul S. Miller, Jennifer Keeler-Milne, Glenn Morgan, Rodney Pople, Jenny Rodgerson, and Mary Tonkin, whose works are included in the 2023 Salon des Refusés at S.H. Ervin Gallery.
The Salon des Refusés is the S.H. Ervin Gallery’s ‘alternative’ selection from works entered into the annual Archibald Prize for portraiture and Wynne Prize for landscape painting and figure sculpture. Initiated in 1992, this exhibition responds to the large number of works entered into the Archibald Prize, held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which were not selected for display in the official exhibition.
Each year, the panel is invited to go behind the scenes of the judging process for the Archibald and Wynne Prizes to select an exhibition from the many hundreds of works entered in both prizes but not chosen for the official award exhibition.
Congratulations to our represented artists who were included in this year’s Salon des Refusés for the following works:
Mary Tonkin – The shimmer of Spring’s mellowing, Kalorama
Graeme Drendel – Portrait of Hertha (Hertha Kluge-Pott, artist)
Paul S. Miller – Cut to the Bone (self-portrait)
Glenn Morgan – The talented photographer Mr Rod McNicol (photographer)
Rodney Pople – FF descending a staircase (Felicity Fenner, curator)
Jenny Rodgerson – Self Portrait – Stumble
Jennifer Keeler-Milne – Golden Beech
The Archibald Prize is one of Australia’s most well-known and respected awards which attracts hundreds of entries each year. The Salon des Refusés has similarly established an excellent reputation rivalling the selections in the ‘official’ exhibition, with works selected for quality, diversity, humour and experimentation, and which examine contemporary art practices, different approaches to portraiture and responses to the landscape.
2023 Salon des Refuses
National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery
Watson Road, Millers Point (The Rocks), Sydney
6 May – 23 July 2023
Of her work The shimmer of Spring’s mellowing, Kalorama, (pictured at top) Mary Tonkin says: “Made in a tree fern gully, this painting began in the first glorious trumpet blast of Spring, when the ferns were plump, vertical and verdant. Then it rained, and rained and rained. The painting continued, between new creeks, and into high Summer as the ferns sagged and shrivelled. It felt as though I was painting with a new awareness of the frailty and brevity of life, the shimmer of its Being.”
Graeme Drendel Portrait of Hertha (Hertha Kluge-Pott, artist) oil on canvas 30 x 26 cm.
“Yesterday I had the pleasure of painting and talking with Hertha Kluge-Pott, brilliant printmaker and mentor to so many students over her long life.” – Graeme Drendel
Paul S. Miller – Cut to the Bone (self-portrait) 2023 dry brush watercolour and pencil on paper 102 x 132 cm.
Paul S. Miller’s unique visual language is utterly uncontrived and unobtrusive, his works are profoundly relatable and inspire a poignant emotional response.
Glenn Morgan The talented photographer Mr Rod McNicol (photographer) acrylic on board 59 x 121 cm.
Glenn Morgan’s sense of humour, integrity and masterful skill as a storyteller are always present in his works. The honesty and openness in his bright, bustling sculptures immediately engage the viewer and draw us in for a closer look.
Jenny Rodgerson Self Portrait – Stumble oil on linen 107 x 168 cm.
Jenny Rodgerson’s figurative paintings are powerful. They embody both a stillness and a potent sense of inhabited presence. In her distinctive self-portraits, the contrast between nuanced light and shade combines with a bold sense of colour to arrive at an arresting resolve that captures the essence, or what Wittgenstein would call, the “whatness” of the subject.
Jennifer Keeler-Milne Golden Beech (Mt Wilson) 2023 oil on linen canvas 76 x 184 cm.
“Golden Beech (Mt Wilson) is a painted response to the overwhelming beauty of the autumn foliage I witnessed last May when I spent a month as artist-in-residence in the Blue Mountains village of Mt Wilson. Beach trees lined many of the streets and captivated my imagination as they literally shone out!” – Jennifer Keeler-Milne
Rodney Pople FF descending a staircase (Felicity Fenner, curator) oil on linen 207 x 141 cm.
Rodney Pople is an interdisciplinary artist that works across various mediums such as painting, photography and sculpture. Pople is a multi-award winning artist who received the 2016 Paddington Art Prize, the 2012 Glover Prize, 2014 Fishers Ghost Prize, 2009 NSW Parliament Art Prize and 2008 Sulman Prize. He was recently a finalist in the Gallipoli Art Prize, the Muswellbrook Art Prize and the Glover Prize in 2020, as well as the 65th Blake Prize and the Mosman Art Prize in 2018, and has been selected for the Archibald and Wynne Prize over 12 times since 2000.
Images above: Jenny Rodgerson Tangled – Self Portrait oil on linen 62 x 72 cm; and Michelle Hiscock Sister of the Brush No.1 (Stephanie Monteith, artist) oil on canvas 50 x 40 cm.
Congratulations to Michelle Hiscock and Jenny Rodgerson who have been selected as finalists in the 2022 Portia Geach Memorial Award. Michelle has presented a beautiful portrait of fellow painter Stephanie Monteith, while Jenny offers a dynamic and highly engaging self portrait.
First awarded in 1965, the Portia Geach Memorial Award was established by Florence Kate Geach in memory of her sister, artist Portia Geach. As per the direction of the will, the Award is annually presented to an Australian female artist for the best portrait painted from life of a man or woman distinguished in art, letters or the sciences. Geach was widely acclaimed as a leading artist and was a frequent commentator in the national media – making her an iconic figure in the Australian arts community. The $30,000 non-acquisitive Portia Geach Memorial Award is given by Perpetual as trustee, to the entry with the highest artistic merit.
Michelle Hiscock Sister of the Brush No.1 (Stephanie Monteith, artist) 2022 oil on canvas 59 x 40 cm.
“It seems natural to feel a kinship with fellow women painters, especially those who share the commitment to balance their creative work with motherhood and other caring roles. The challenges promote empathy rather than rivalry and we feel encouraged by each other’s success. This is the first of a series of portraits celebrating these sisters of the brush.” – Michelle Hiscock, artist statement.
Jenny Rodgerson Tangled – Self Portrait oil on linen 72 x 62 cm.
The winner will be announced on Thursday 15 September 2022.
Portia Geach Memorial Award
S.H. Ervin Gallery
2 Watson Rd, Millers Point NSW 2000
16 September – 6 November 2022
Jenny Rodgerson Vegan in a leather coat 2022 oil on linen
Congratulations to Glenn Morgan and Jenny Rodgerson, who have been announced as finalists in the Darling Portrait Prize 2022.
The Darling Portrait Prize is a national prize for Australian portrait painting honouring the legacy of Mr L Gordon Darling AC CMG (1921-2015), who was instrumental in establishing the National Portrait Gallery of Australia.
The judges have selected 39 paintings from a field of hundreds. To view all finalists, visit the the National Portrait Gallery website here.
The winner will be announced when the exhibition opens on Saturday 25 June 2022. All finalists will be exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery alongside the National Photographic Portrait Prize from 25 June to 9 October 2022.
Bookings essential – click here to book.
Tickets grant entry to both the Darling Portrait Prize and National Photographic Portrait Prize.
Glenn Morgan COVID self portrait 2 2020 acrylic on board 47 x 37.5 cm
Having begun in 2007, The Percivals is an open competition for artists. While showcasing the outstanding and innovative work currently being produced by Australian artists, the competitions have also given many emerging artists an opportunity to engage with portraiture and share their expressions of themselves and those close to them.
Exhibition Dates
23 April – 3 July 2022
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery will be closed on Saturday 23 April from 10am – 1pm. The Percivals will instead open to the public on Saturday 23 April for the VIP launch event starting at 6pm.
The gallery have an exciting launch event organised, including live entertainment, roving artists and a licensed area for the general public in front of Perc Tucker Regional Gallery. This area will not be ticketed and include a big screen to broadcast the winners announcements.
Launch
Saturday 23 April 6pm for 6:30pm speeches (winners announced)
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
VIP Session (invite only)
6 – 7:30pm
General Admission Session
7:30 – 9pm
Free, limited ticketed event – Booking details coming soon.
Judges Talk
Sunday 24 April
11 – 12pm
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
Free, limited ticketed event – Booking details coming soon. For more information please visit the website.
Jenny Rodgerson’s figurative paintings are powerful. They embody both a stillness and a potent sense of inhabited presence. In her distinctive nudes and self-portraits, the contrast between nuanced light and shade combines with a bold sense of colour to arrive at an arresting resolve that captures the essence, or what Wittgenstein would call, the “whatness” of the subject.
Rodgerson’s eclectic degrees include a Bachelor of Commerce, a Diploma of Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts. Currently, she works from her studio and lives in Castlemaine with her treasured dogs and chooks.
Prizes include the 2001 Australia Council New Work Development Grant, the 2016 Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Percival Portrait Painting Prize in 2018. Her self-portraits and figurative paintings are represented in private and public collections and she has exhibited in solo shows and regional galleries across Australia.
Image: Christine Wrest-Smith Body of Water – Portrait of Valerie Taylor AM 2022 oil on linen 71.5 x 81.5 cm
Painter and draughtsman Christine Wrest-Smith studied at Monash University, with a semester at the Prato, Italy. Over the past several years, Wrest-Smith has been creating large scale portraits of Australian artists. Wrest-Smith paints her sitters predominantly from life, capturing much about the artist’s inner world by incorporating elements of her subjects’ own artistic style and inspiration into her work. The unique characteristics of each sitter are masterfully rendered in oil paint; the sensitive portrayal of individuality, strength and fragility are testament to the artist’s close and perceptive observation.
Wrest-Smith’s works have been exhibited in Melbourne and Italy. She was awarded the Savage Club Prize in 2010 and the Masterworks Contemporary Art Prize in 2011. She has completed several portrait commissions and her work is held in public and private collections.
Visit the Australian Galleries online Stock Room to view available works by Jenny Rodgerson and Christine Wrest-Smith.