Fleurieu Art Prize: In the Fleurieu Peninsula region of South Australia
The Fleurieu Peninsula is Adelaide's backyard playground and it's long been a magnet for artists. Like the late great Sir Ivor Hele who couldn't leave this part of South Australia as he continued his artistic obsession with spectacular locations like Banche Point.
Today the obsession continues for artist Geoffrey Missen who brings an abstract touch to popular Port Willunga and Brian O'Malley who's detailed depictions of the Fleurieu coastline can take weeks to complete. It's a labour of love and he'd have it no other way.
“I just find the environment, being able to look at scenes like this is a hell of a rejuvenation if you know what you're actually trying to do with your life I suppose.”
From the sea to ploughed fields and rusty corrugated iron sheds, the Fleurieu has it all. And much of it will be on show at Penny's Hill on the outskirts of McLaren Vale and at other wineries throughout the Peninsula over coming weeks as artists submit their works for this year's Fleurieu Art Prize.
There are five categories with a total prize pool of more than one hundred thousand dollars making it the richest landscape art prize in Australia and it taps into a rich vein of artistic inspiration.
“We set about having high standards for this event… entries are quite limited because the judges have gone for quality not quantity. It's open to all Australian artists and for the first time this year we've had international entries as well. We had an artist from Brazil, one from Peru, Singapore and one from New Zealand which was really exciting.”
The Fleurieu Prize is for Australian landscapes but these artists have entered the Fleurieu Vistas and for Rosemary Gartelmann today hers takes in Ingleburn Homestead, a classic piece of the Peninsula's heritage now part of Penny's Hill Winery. It took her eye on one of her frequent drives and she just had to stop.
“Invariably it's the one that you first stopped the car for that you end up painting.”
The same thing happened when she stopped on the back road to the Victory Hotel and painted her entry in this year's awards.
For Lesley Redgate, it's the rustic charm of the region which makes this a serene place to paint and it shows in her entry with it's combination of the old and new on the Fleurieu - a Peninsula which throughout it's many changes, maintains its natural beauty.
Entries in this year Fleurieu Art Prizes will be on show at various wineries in McLaren Vale over the next three weeks. For details contact 8323 7984. The Award winners will be announced next Saturday. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
