Artists Collective, Kangaroo Island Inc, Media Release, 14 April 2023

The opening weekend of the Kangaroo Island Easter Art Exhibition has been a resounding success with higher-than expected visitors, increased artist participation and healthy sales.

A steady stream of visitors have admired 220 works from 130 artists, which began with an exclusive opening on Good Friday at Penneshaw Hall.

Kangaroo Island Easter Art Exhibition Committee spokeswoman Michele Lane said she did not envy the role of Exhibition judges Nici Cumpston and Olga Sankey.

Ms Cumpston, the esteemed and highly respected curator at the Art Gallery of South Australia, and Ms Sankey, an established and internationally recognised print-based artist, oversaw judging duties on the weekend, resulting in:

Lori Smith winning the esteemed the Diana Keir Art Award with her oil portrait of a local Islander, called Staring at the Sun.

Jennifer Macauley was awarded second in the Diana Keir Art Award, with her oil landscape called Suddenly the Sea. Winners of other sections included:

• Ria Byass – 2D Oil on Board: It’s Been a Good Year, Cactus Series #3;
• Jack McAvoy – Photography and Digital Art: March 6, Photography-film;
• Chris Guthleben – 3D Current Works Winner: Tree of a Kind, Group of three horse hair, feathers and fern Raku pots and;
• Michele Lane – The Ros Johnsson Floral Award : The Flourishing, Aluminium plate Hard-ground etching.

Ms Lane said it was very pleasing to have so many young entrants this year.

“I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Clover Marnika – grand-daughter of Jennifer Macauley – who won the Youth Category.

There is clearly a love of art in that family!” Ms Lane said.

“Jack McAvoy received the top honours in the Photography Category. His photo of people boarding the SeaLink ferry was very popular.”

Quentin Chester’s 2nd prize winning photograph, Standing Ground, displays his latest foray into drone photography with cliffside views only previously available to Sea Eagles.

Committee spokeswoman Michele Lane said she was thrilled with the success of the 2023 Exhibition so far.

“The Exhibition is still on, so if you have not experienced the creativity, fun and sense-of-community of this event, then I encourage you to come along,” Ms Lane said.

“There are still some amazing pieces of work available for purchase covering a range of affordable prices.”

The Exhibition is open daily from 9.30 to 5.00 pm until Saturday 22nd April when it closes at 3pm allowing buyers to collect work until 5pm.

The Kangaroo Island Easter Art Exhibition celebrated its 36th anniversary this year.