The Out of the Blue exhibition held during May at NSW Parliament House had a very long gestation period because of the interruptions caused by Covid. When it could be finally mounted in 2022, the effect of the twenty-six works was stunning.

In her Opening comments, Blue Mountains Member of Parliament Trish Doyle noted the artists’ deep attachment to the natural environment and to the local community of the Blue Mountains. Their amazement at its wild beauty was tempered by fears for its fragility, particularly after the devastation of bushfires. However, the regeneration of the bushland indicated hope and resilience and local ‘characters’ provided an antidote to the dilemmas of the pandemic and consumerism.

In announcing the awards, Ms. Doyle observed that all of the selected artists were ‘winners’ in such a strong exhibition. Linda Callaghan’s ‘Winter in the Blue Mountains’ gained first prize, Julie Scifo’s ‘Heading into Ktown’ second, and Tracy Ponich’s photograph ‘Still, Fern Bower’ third. The Photoprint Prize was won by Peter Hickey’s ‘Katoomba Falls Sunrise’.

For those not able to view the exhibition, a 3D Virtual Reality version of the exhibition is available on the BMCAN Facebook page and Website. The Exhibition was accompanied by a booklet “In Their Own Words’ which allowed the artists to voice their inspiration for this exhibition and to reveal a little of their current practice.

The BMCAN Exhibition group would like to thank the prize donors – Peter Poulos, Sublimation Solutions, ChromaLuxe, and Hope Tree Framing. Trish Doyle, Bendigo Bank, Auspress Marketing, and Springwood Removals also made valuable contributions to the Out of the Blue exhibition.

OUT OF THE BLUE SPECIAL VIRTUAL EXHIBITION >>