Graduates Stephanie Cannon and Alison Smith are opening their exhibition at John Paynter Gallery at the Lock Up this Friday.

Stephanie is a sculptor and Alison a printmaker and they both were featured in our recent Ford Finalists exhibition.

The opening is 29th April at 6.oopm and the exhibition is on from 29th April to 15th May.

See the website for more details. http://www.thelockup.info/john-paynter-gallery

Images from the exhibition Abstraction

Photoimaging student MADELINE INGS has been selected for Lake Macquarie Gallery's

First Class 10

23 April – 5 June 2011

"The exhibition allows for a fascinating opportunity to see how our young artists view themselves and their world."

Madeline presents an accomplished series of photographs on the theme of teenage angst. Check out her intriguing ghosting technique.

Alumni news: DAVID KURZYDLO (NAS 2010) opens at Sydney's KALEIDOSCOPE GALLERY (Paddington) 14th-27th April.

www.kaleidoscope-gallery.com

Joanna O'Toole, 2nd year Diploma student was selected for the Montalto Sculpture Prize in Victoria. Pictured is her work "Sou’-Westerly"constructed with mild steel and recycled hardwood 285x150x80cm

The Montalto Sculpture Prize is on 20 Feb through 1 May2011 and details are at www.montalto.com.au She has also been selected for Lorne Sculpture 2011 and her work will be part of Sculpturescape – featuring installation work and will be on site for a week. Details at www.lornesculpture.com

Those who can't travel to Victoria can see some of her work in Hunter St in the shopfront gallery at 539 Hunter St opposite the Newcastle Art School http://www.shopfrontgallerynewcastle.com/

Great work Jo!

A short video of students working on the beach shot by John Morris

A day at the beach.

1st year Diploma Fine Arts students had a day at Merewether beach. We had the Merewether Surf Club booked so that we could meet and chat and view images. Mostly though we drew and sculpted in various forms on the beach. Braddon Snape and Lezlie Tilley took students along the south end past the baths to work with the range of forms on the beach, turning them into small sculptural forms, engaging in a play between the forms and the elements. Peter Lankas and Maizie Turner worked with those drawing on the beach and baths.

The weather blew the water and sky into many tortured shapes and patterns and we had some good discussions about nature patterns, the poetics of natural forms and the meaning we draw from these things.

Critically we all opened our eyes a little more and developed our sensitivity to things that we take for granted or pass quickly by - emphasising the work of the artist to examine and reflect on these things.

John Morris took a few videos of which I will try to post a section. Images and videos taken on the day will be posted in the foyer. I think this is Brad's photo above - apologies if I am wrong.