Gai Pritchett, Clarence Valley Independent
Whilst the world is in turmoil artist Caroline Varendorff’s beautiful paintings of nature in all its purity brings a calmness to the viewer. This local artist has exhibited extensively and now brings to Yamba her collection along with Caroline’s husband Paul Varendorff who has included some of his ink sketches in the show. Paul was a landscape designer, and his drawing skills were greatly enjoyed by his clients who often purchased and framed the drawings he did for their projects.
Attendees at the opening last Friday evening said, “it’s one of the better art exhibitions held in The Old Kirk”.
The public are invited to view and enjoy this wonderful display of pencil works and paintings. Entry is via the museum at $5 per adult, children under 15 are free.
This wonderful exhibition closes on Sunday January 28. Artwork will be available for purchase. Examples of Caroline’s work and bio can be found on her website: www.carolinevarendorff.com.au.
Caroline has been exhibiting her work for the last 20 years at galleries and for Art Prizes in Sydney, the Central Coast, Byron Shire and the Lower Clarence. In February 2022 her exhibition “Captivating Clarence” (charcoal drawings) at the Grafton Regional French Door Gallery was a great success with a number of sales. During the period of this exhibition Caroline won first prize in the Lower Clarence Arts and Crafts Exhibition with her painting ‘Decomposition’.
During the mid ‘70s Caroline attended an art college in The Hague, Netherlands where she studied painting, life drawing and ceramic sculpture. Returning to Australia, she continued her studies at the National Art School (‘East Sydney Tech’) with a course in bronze casting.
Her years in Sydney were spent doing part-time office administration while continuing her art practice. She entered art competitions in Sydney and the Central Coast, being chosen as a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize (2009), and in the Gosford Art Prize every year from 2007-2011. Returning to the North Coast in 2012 Caroline entered the Border Art Prize each year and won prizes in the annual Ocean Shores Art Expo until moving to the Lower Clarence in 2020.
The exhibition ‘All Things Great and Small’ provides the viewer with the broad scope of Caroline’s art practice which ranges from landscape to still-life to figurative in oils and charcoal.
This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 17 January 2024.
