Annual Art Exhibition celebrates local talent

The City of Whittlesea is proud to announce the opening of its annual art exhibition, the Webs We Weave, which showcases an inspiring collection of oil and acrylic paintings, digital imagery, photography, sculpture, glasswork, and mosaic art, crafted by 97 local artists.

This exhibition which officially opened on Friday 17 November, invited artists to delve deeply into the local and personal connections and cultural influences that shape our lives and communities, resulting in the creation of 127 unique artworks.

What started as a community-driven initiative by local artist and community member Suzy Duncan in 2005, has since been a long-standing tradition in the municipality, serving as a platform for artists who live, work, or are connected to the City of Whittlesea to share their creativity with the community.

City of Whittlesea Chair Administrator, Lydia Wilson was impressed with the high calibre of artwork on display at this year’s exhibition.

"We’ve received 127 captivating artwork entries that showcase the remarkable creative talents we have here in the City of Whittlesea,” Lydia said.

“Over the years, the Annual Art Exhibition has helped discover and unearth some amazing local talent, some who didn’t consider themselves artists until participating in one of our exhibitions.”

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Suzy Duncan for her creative vision and dedication in launching the exhibition all those years ago. I am also grateful for her continued support today.”

“Art has an extraordinary ability to unite and inspire us and plays a vital role in fostering shared understanding and forging community connections. This exhibition stands as a testament to the vibrant and diverse creative community we are fortunate to have in the City of Whittlesea." Each year, the City of Whittlesea awards several honours for this exhibition. This year, the judging panel consisted of Suzy Duncan, Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson and Agata Chmielewski, Director Community Wellbeing. The 2023 Award recipients are:

• City of Whittlesea Annual Art Award: Jacquelyn Haverson, ‘A city intersected’

Highly commended: Jillian Evans Bromley ‘Entanglement’

• Award of Excellence – Innovative use of materials: Iaki Vallejo, “De la tierra vengo y a la tierra volvere (I come from the earth, and to the earth I shall return)”

Highly commended: Nicola Waters ‘Pearls and Hearts’

• Award of Excellence – Creative expression: Soo Chua, ‘Portrait of Life’

Highly commended: Ildiko Kormanyos ‘Fairy Tale’

• Youth Award: Renita, 9 years old, ‘My Web Galaxy’

Highly commended: Raven, 7 years old ‘Webs of Love’

• Ilma Duncan Award: Sulekha Rani, ‘Crochet Patterns Photo Frame’

A People’s Choice Award will also be awarded at the closure of the exhibition.

The Webs We Weave Art Exhibition

When:               Friday 17 November until Friday 15 December 2023
Open:                 Monday – Friday, 10am - 4pm
Where:              The Great Hall, Civic Centre, 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang
Entry:                 Free

For more information visit www.arts.whittlesea.vic.gov.au