Emerald Art Gallery

The Emerald Art Gallery has been bringing arts to the Emerald community for more than two decades. The gallery provides a high-profile exhibition space located in the Central Highlands Regional Council corporate office building at 65 Egerton Street in Emerald. The exhibition space is large and bright with impressive hanging space and high ceilings.

Features

• Spacious gallery with high ceilings and white gallery walls
• Two moveable walls
• Professional gallery wire hanging system
• Professional lighting system
• Plinths and lockable glass display cabinets

Emerald State High School – “Nothing is as it Seems”

‘Nothing is as it Seems’ is the latest exhibition from the students of Emerald State High School class of 2022. The exhibition showcases artworks by students from Year 7 through to Year 12, that are filled with hidden meaning, waiting to be decoded by their viewers.

These talented individuals have utilised a variety of media, techniques and processes to bring their ideas to life, ranging from abstract watercolour portraits in the junior years. Senior students have explored concertina artist books and mixed media installation works.

Inspiration for these unique works comes from a variety of sources including personal experiences, stance on current social issues and the desire to adorn.

Join us for the official exhibition opening 6.00pm on Friday 3 February 2023.

Exhibition will be on display from 16 January – 17 February 2023.

Gallery opening Hours: Mon – Fri 8.30am – 5.00pm

Geoffrey Head – “Over the Fence”

This collection of paintings is inspired by the natural landscape seen over the fence at the rear of our property. The exhibition is celebration of observed suburban landscape through the interpretation of its unique character and composition using a dynamic visual language.

We have never lived so close to natural bushland before and although still in suburbia, our new location has provided us with the enjoyment of living close to nature. The fence barrier keeps the regular planned landscape of our property separate from the haphazard natural environment, but it is still possible to observe and, interact to some extent with the range of flora living beyond it.  In these works, I have presented images influenced by the plant forms that I see every day developed from recorded snapshots of this vegetation over time.

There exists a variety of vegetation over the fence, including grasses, rushes, gums, melaleucas, and the environmental pest, Leucaena which is in abundance. Also represented is the blue butterfly-pea vine and wild passionfruit.

In these works, I am trying to escape the conventional landscape composition arrangement of foreground, midground, background and sky, to view the landscape in a more unconventional way. After the manipulation of photographic images of the natural landscape using digital processes, the natural, organic forms are transformed into vibrant lines and shapes. The viewpoint taken means that most works do not have a definite sky area and in most cases the depth is shallow.

I have used exaggerated colours suggested by the manipulated images to create more dynamic interest in the quiet, natural forms that exist in this borrowed landscape. This accentuates and celebrates the various grasses and plants and their surrounding environment, providing a more contemporary representation of the Australian bush. The images also serve as a reminder of the importance of these suburban environments and how they should be valued and respected as significant ecosystems.

The exhibition communicates themes of celebration and respect for the natural environment which most people can respond to. My aim is to share these ideas with others in similar regional areas where suburban landscapes can be overlooked and threatened by industrial and housing development.

Geoffrey Head – Bio

Born and raised in Rockhampton, Geoffrey completed his post-secondary studies in visual art and education in Brisbane. He completed study in Visual Arts at the Central Tech College majoring in painting and drawing. He then attended Kelvin Grove College of Teacher Education before starting a teaching career in Visual Arts at Mt Morgan State high School. He completed a BA majoring in Ancient History and German at the University of Qld in 1987.

Geoffrey has been living and working in Gladstone as an artist and art educator in both secondary and tertiary sectors for the past 43 years.

During this time, his art practice has focussed primarily on painting and drawing with the inclusion of printmaking in more recent years. His work has been exhibited in several solo and numerous group exhibitions.

Working with the lino cut and screen-printing mediums, Geoffrey has completed a series of prints of local buildings in both Gladstone and Rockhampton.

His painting and drawing works involve stylized imagery depicting the natural and built environment, figures, or forms of texts.

More recent work reflects a response to Geoffrey’s surroundings – both the natural landscape and the built environment.

Join us for the opening on Friday 24th February 2023 at 6.00pm

Exhibition on display 27 Feb – 31 March

Gallery opening hours: Mon – Fri 8.30am – 5.00pm

Opening hours

Monday: 8.30 AM to 5.00 PM
Tuesday: 8.30 AM to 5.00 PM
Wednesday: 8.30 AM to 5.00 PM
Thursday: 8.30 AM to 5.00 PM
Friday: 8.30 AM to 5.00 PM
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: CLOSED

The Central Highlands Regional Council Annual Art Awards – Emerald, is the gallery’s premier art event. It attracts local and national artists and is held in August each year as part of council’s Arts around August program.

Established and emerging artists of all ages can submit entries in up to seven categories. From easel, paper-based and three-dimensional works to photography and digital art, each category comes with a $750 prize for first and $250 prize for second place.

For information on exhibiting with the Emerald Art Gallery contact us on 1300 242 686 or email chgalleries@chrc.qld.gov.au