Sheryl Andersen studies art at school. After a secretarial career and family, Sheryl began folk art as a hobby in the mid 90s, winning several prizes and then teaching in Quakers Hill and Springwood. Keen to develop more realism in her work, Sheryl attended various drawing and painting courses in pastels, acrylics and watercolour with artists/tutors Linda Albrecht, Joe Cartwright, Peter Gonzales, Alison Orme and Owen Thompson. Sheryl also teaches beginner’s drawing and painting locally. Her interests include Australian flora, animals, portraiture and landscapes. Living in the mountains offers a wealth of natural beauty and her husband’s love of bushwalking takes them to diverse and breathtaking landscapes. Sheryl is a member of the Blue Mountains Creative Arts Centre, Nepean Art Society and Springwood Community Arts Centre.

Peter Ayres is the current President of the Society of Mountain Artists and member of the Blackheath Art Society. He is a frequent exhibitor locally and will undertake commissions. He has work in private collections in Australia and many countries overseas.

Dean Barford has explored his artistic side most of his life, only recently becoming more serious about it. This is his first year of exhibiting his art. He enjoys the art of tattooing, and has decorated some friends with his art.

Jan Bartrim has been painting for the last 20 years. She works mostly in oils, pastels, and charcoal, but has recently been interested in watercolour monoprinting after attending a workshop with Sandra Jakeman.

Anthony Begg has been painting with various mediums for some years. He has concentrated on watercolours seriously for two years and is fascinated with letting the water work.

Beth Burgess is a graduate of Meadowbank Art School, majoring in painting. She taught for many years at Castle Hill Evening College. Beth is a foundation member of the Society of Mountain Artists and has won many prizes in both oil and watercolour. Her paintings are found in collections here and overseas.

Peter Burger has held a number of solo exhibitions and has contributed to numerous group shows. Peter has represented in private and corporate collections around Australia.

Victoria Campbell specialises in pencil, pen and watercolour. Subjects include animals, pets and flowers. Sold to the UK, USA, Asia, New Zealand and throughout Australia.

Jane Canfield works ‘en plein air (outside) capturing light and shadow. She is influenced by impressionists, and women artists of the 1930s and 1940s. Jane’s work is represented in collections nationally and internationally. Her passion for architecture is prevalent in her works and, like architecture, she lays down strong foundations in her drawings before applying inks or paint.  Her use of black is certainly a trademark in her strong compositions. Her work is represented by Seeger Gallery in Leura.

Tricia Coop is a regular contributor to art shows, as well as various galleries in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Her landscapes and seascapes are much sought after as they depict the typical Australian outback mountains, bushland, river flats and ocean views. Tricia was born and educated in Sydney and country New South Wales, studied and spent her early years in the printing trade as a lithographic retoucher in Sydney and later in England where she met and married her husband, John, and their two sons were born. Tricia had always been interested in painting, but it was only after returning to Australia and their two sons were grown up and married, that she took it up professionally. Having tried various mediums and subjects she finally settled on oils and land and seascapes as her preferred choice. They lived on the Hawkesbury River for a number of years before moving to the Blue Mountains, and these areas provided a lot of the inspiration for her work. Tricia’s paintings have won various awards at shows locally and elsewhere, from ‘Best in Show’ to ‘Highly Commended’ and recently she won the ‘People’s Choice’ at the Winmalee Artfest, of which she is very proud as it confirms her paintings are worthy of hanging in anyone’s home.

Louis Crompassky has lived in the mountains for 20 years. He is showing both traditional paintings and some fine pen drawings of local areas. He is a member of the Society of Mountain Artists and the Blackheath Art Society where he exhibits his paintings and has won numerous awards.

Natasha Daniloff graduated with a Masters in Art (painting) from the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales. She has held solo exhibitions in Sydney and Bathurst Regional Gallery, and group exhibitions at the Art Loft, Singapore in 2006 and 2008. She was awarded Artist in Residence at the Hill End and Gudgegong Gallery. She has been shortlisted for major awards and published in “Artists Observed” by Carole Hampshire.

Mark Davis (trading under the name Functional Art) creates unique and individual pieces of art and sculpture that fulfill one of life’s purposes, at the same time as being an aesthetic feature to enjoy. Most pieces draw on the organic forms of nature, blending and complimenting the environment, rather than overpowering it. All pieces are hand-crafted, predominately using iron and blacksmithing skills. Various pieces have combined this medium with superb recycled timber and stone to create a wonderful blend. Examples include furniture, door furniture, household items and balustrades, as well as sculptures purely for artistic enjoyment, indoors or outdoors, with the simple function of pleasing the senses!

Contact: www.functionalart.com.au, enquiries@functionalart.com.au

Ruth Dengate began painting in 1978. She was taught at the Royal Art Society of NSW by Ron Stannard and the late Garret Kingsley. She has won numerous awards for watercolours, oils and pastels. She has had four solo exhibitions.

Don Elliott feels that “the patterns, colours and textures in nature have always been his guide. To look into the scene, not just at it”. Don is a regular exhibitor at the Blackheath Art Society. He has sold works locally in Australia and some works to international buyers.

Cath Farnell’s abstract artwork is expressive using bold colour in many layers over texture. The paintings are very slowly built up over time with many glazes. Her inspiration may be from an emotional response to a subject or from snapshots in time whilst travelling.

Hugh Flaherty is an ex-Director of four Art and Craft Galleries in Queensland and NSW. Hugh is now immersing himself in dabbling with the arts, creating colourful and titillating artworks. He is also creating sculpture out of recycled materials.

Ray Giles is an Australian born artist with a deep love for his country’s landscape. For more than two decades he dedicated himself to the traditional style producing landscape paintings of such superior quality, that he is now placed among Australia’s leading artists. In 1977 at the Camberwell Rotary Art Show, Ray was awarded first prize in the category “Best Australian Landscape in Oils”. In the same year he was awarded first prize in the Castle Hill Art Exhibition. Ray lives and works in the Blue Mountains.

Wendy Hambly has been painting for six years, commencing in oils, and now working with acrylics in contemporary style. She has a particular interest in Chinese brush painting, using traditional inks and watercolours.

Carole Hampshire has a Postgraduate Diploma in Photography from Sydney College of the Arts. She has had several solo and group exhibitions. Her next show is at Event Horizon Gallery (Katoomba). For her online gallery visit www.carolehampshire.com.

Geoff Hayes taught art in secondary school in South Australia in a career spanning twenty years. Since moving to Wentworth Falls in 2001, Geoff has concentrated on developing his own art practice and has been largely inspired by our unique landscape. Geoff has discovered his own special places that inspire him, such as the Kanangra region and his aim is to express a spirit of place as much as a visual representation. Geoff’s skills cover many art media including charcoal and pastels, as well as painting in acrylic and oils. In particular over the past year he has concentrated on developing his oil painting using glazing techniques over charcoal drawings. Geoff also convenes a life drawing class on a Wednesday evening. Geoff has had several solo and group exhibitions during the past four years and is represented by the Seeger Gallery in Leura.  He also works at Jakeman’s Framing and Art Supplies in Wentworth Falls and is happy to share his knowledge with his customers.

Damien Hudson is a local Wentworth Falls artist who’s current collection showcases the various magical creatures of the Blue Mountains, letting their hair down and puzzling through the local culture.

Sandra Jakeman holds a Diploma of Fine Art with a major in printmaking and sculpture. She taught printmaking at TAFE in Armidale before moving to Wentworth Falls in 1995 where she has taught printmaking from her studio for the past 12 years. She paints in oils and works with a variety of printmaking disciplines as well as drawing in pastels and charcoal. She has been involved in many group shows and has had 7 solo shows. Most of her work currently is focused on large landscape oils on canvas.

Bernd Jansons is a Blue Mountains based artist working in the digital painting medium. He has exhibited in China and Canada, as well as Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains.

Joanna Jensen has taught visual arts in Blue Mountains schools. She was selected three times for the Portia Geach Memorial Portrait Award. Her work was sent to Australia House, Washington for the inaugural portrait exhibition from Australian artists. She teaches at Springwood Art Centre – Ferguson Road. 

Torben Jensen tutors in woodcarving at the Glenbrook Art Centre. He exhibits with the Sculptural Society at Darling Park each year. He is highly commended for his work in wood sculpture.

Andrew Johnston is a ‘plein-air’ landscape painter who solely paints outdoors searching for the play of light in the vast Australian landscape.

Wyn Jones’s love and knowledge of the region and its flora and fauna is manifested in his photographic art, in his career as an eminent ecologist and his work as an educator. Wyn’s first camera was a 1934 model Ensign given him by his father in the early 50s. Wyn is now drawn to the artistry of digital technique combining the subtle complexities of film with technology to produce images that are both urbane in presentation yet wild and earthy in subject matter. Wyn says of his work: “I like to contrast traditional landscape photography with aspects of colour and design.”

Anna Kling is an accomplished international artist expressing and tasting continuously the beauty of the Blue Mountains nature. Trained at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany, she has found a niche in Australia and her vibrant paintings and products can be found all around NSW.

Michael Krynda does mostly oil paintings. He has been painting for over 70 years. He has exhibited in charity organizations and has been exhibiting at Wentworth Falls Artfest for over 20 years. He has been awarded prizes for his Australian landscapes.

Ruth le Cheminant studied art at the National Art School, Sydney from 1968 to 1972. Ruth completed the Graduate Diploma of Visual Arts, University of New South Wales, Sydney in 1991. Ruth has had twelve solo exhibitions. She was invited to exhibit in a group exhibition “Out from Down Under and Beyond: Fine Art from Australia and New Zealand” at Agora Gallery, Chelsea, New York in May 2009 and subsequent to that her paintings were displayed in the foyer of the William Morris Agency, New York for three months from July to August 2009. Other highlights include the solo exhibitions “The Intuitive Journey” at the Washhouse Gallery, Rozelle in May 2008, ‘Taking the Long Way’ at Gallery HM Sydney in 2007, and exhibitions 2006 and 2000 at Orange Regional Gallery. The travels that Ruth has undertaken in Australia and overseas has been an inspiration for her work and will continue to be in the future.

Les Love is a Sydney-born artist who has lived in the Blue Mountains since 1983. He studied painting and printmaking at the National Art School. Les specialises in etching and linocut printmaking, usually of Australian flora and fauna. His prints are in numerous collections both in Australia and overseas. Les has been a professional fire fighter with the New South Wales Fire Brigade since 1980, and is currently stationed at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

Leonie Lyall has exhibited widely from the late 1980s throughout south east Queensland, Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and also Scotland during her travels. She has been the recipient of many prizes and awards. Her depictions of rural townships and our unique landscapes has proved increasingly popular with both Australian and international collectors.

Sarah McCauley is a Blue Mountains photographer who takes pleasure in making the simple look beautiful. She particularly enjoys taking shots of flowers and portraits and can be found online at www.redbubble.com/people/cordelia.

Norah McGee has been involved with the study of art since childhood and although primarily a portraitist she has incorporated, in some of her art, the music and myth of her celtic descent. In particular, she finds the history and study of the ancient and primal myths of Mermaids and Fairies, which span from early pagan times to organised world religions, fascinating.

Esther McFarlane was attracted to painting in watercolour some 20 years ago. Apart from taking a few lessons then, and occasional workshops since, she is largely self-taught through reading, observation and, most importantly, practice or DOING. Lately she has been trying other media – oil, pastels, inks etc, to diversify a little. Esther is a member for the Society of Mountain Artists, and exhibits her work at Everglades Gallery. She also participates in exhibitions held by the Society. Her works have been sold to local and overseas buyers.

Donald McLean

Amanda McPaul studied Visual Communication at UTS and graduated with a Bachelor of Design in 1991. She has been painting and drawing for 25 years. She has lived in the Blue Mountains for 12 years.

Margaret Maguire has lived in the Blue Mountains for 9 years and a lot of her inspiration has come from the beauty of the surrounding bush. She has attended various workshops over the years including the Mitchell School of Arts. After dabbling in most mediums, she now finds watercolour, and pen and ink wash, her preferred choice.

John Marsh has been painting and exhibiting for many years. He has won many awards and his works are held in collections in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA.

Stephanie Mazure is an artist based in the Blue Mountains. She has a Visual Arts degree (Sydney College of the Arts) and worked in the film/animation industry in Sydney before moving to the Blue Mountains a few years ago. She has many creative pursuits including photography, painting, drawing, collage and card making. She draws inspiration from her travels and the beautiful place she calls home.

Fiona Morrison feels that photographs are such a wonderful medium in which to spontaneously capture the moment. She hopes that you enjoy these images as much as she enjoyed capturing them.

Lawrence Odell was born in Fairfield in 1935 and has been painting for 35 years. He was the winner of the W H Mathews Award at Parramatta in 1977, and co winner of the Randwick Exhibition in 1982. He was the recipient of Highly Commended Awards at Warringah in 1980 and 1981.

Liza Paizis describes her artwork as an intuitive alchemy of colour and emotion inspired by the creative forces around her – nature and the power of artistic expression in poetry, music and mythology. She is largely self taught and has exhibited in South Africa, London and here in the beautiful Blue Mountains.

Stella Pearse has more than 20 years experience in creative watercolour and contemporary acrylics. For 16 years she was a tutor at the Charles Sturt School of Creative Art Summer and Winter Schools.

Michael Piegdon is an international watercolour artist from Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. He is currently living and painting in the Blue Mountains with his Australian wife. His work is recognised by a wet on wet saturation of colour, which depicts the emotion and drama of every subject. Michael’s works are held in private collections throughout the USA and now in Australia.

Beverley Plaizier has an Art Certificate from Hornsby TAFE, and is the organiser of the Leura Art & Craft Expo. She taught children’s art at the Drummoyne Community Centre.

Rolf Pohl was born in Latvia in 1937, and comes from a family of artists. He attended school in Germany and graduated from University of WA with a Bachelor of Arts in 1979. Rolf received private art tuition in Germany but was unable to pursue an artistic career until retirement some five years ago and has been a full-time artist since. He is largely self-taught and sees his work as being representative of his feelings and perceptions. To Rolf painting is a process which, by combining colour and form, evolves into a composition from something which, at the beginning of the process, did not exist as a concept or idea. “It is a process that happens; it is my surrender into an unknown world and simply evolves by combining colour and texture with what I feel and see”.

Janet Reinhardt is a Blue Mountains poet, painter and printmaker. She is currently preparing work for a group exhibition in the city entitled Desire Lines.

Sophie Seeger of Seeger Gallery is an abstract expressionist painter – allowing intuition to lead in line, tone and colour in her quest for balance of composition. Sophie is represented nationally and in collections internationally.

Heather Skarratt took up painting upon part-time retirement in 1990 when she studied watercolour for three years. Since then she has attended many classes and workshops in a variety of fields including pastels, acrylics and mixed media. Painting with watercolour still remains her favourite medium. From her travels around Australia, Heather has painted landscapes and seascapes and of course particularly loves the beautiful scenery of the Blue Mountains, her home for twenty years. Flowers and garden scenes have also inspired many paintings. Heather is an active participant in the Society of Mountain Artists Inc. and exhibits regularly. She has received several awards for her paintings and has sold many paintings locally, interstate and overseas.

Marion Smart started painting after her retirement some years ago now. She enjoys the medium of watercolour which she feels helps her to capture the ever-changing moods and beauty of nature. At an earlier Wentworth Falls Art Festival she exhibited successfully as a guest artist.

Patricia Smart is a Blue Mountains based artist. She has worked as a professional mural artist since 1989. She has exhibited interstate and internationally.

Lina Tesoriero has been working with mixed media in her artwork since 1990. She draws inspiration from her travels and home environment, whether it is exotic locations in Europe or India, the Australian bush or the Sydney suburb of Bondi where she lives with her husband and son. She also teaches visual arts full time at the local high school.

Alan Thomas was born in England and migrated to Australia in 1963. He spent three years in Broken Hill in the early 70s where he joined the Broken Hill Art Society, and painted with artists such as Pro Hart, Eric Miuchin, and John Pickup. He came to the Blue Mountains in 1990 and has taken up painting again since his retirement in 2006.

John Van der Have is an architect in private practice, based in the Blue Mountains. He is the author of ‘Blue Mountains Magic – an architectural and landscape sketchbook’.

Linda Gai Waddington has been photographing for her own enjoyment for 15 years, taking inspiration from what she sees and experiences day to day in the places she visits. The diverse Blue Mountains region is one of Linda’s favourite places to photograph. This is the first public exhibition of her images. Visit www.lindagai.com.

Dennis West was born in London and moved to Australia in 2002. He was a silversmith for thirty years, finishing his working life in conservation for the city of London. He paints in watercolour, pastel, charcoal and pencil.

Shirley Williams is a member of the Society of Mountain Artists and has trained with Ross Doig and various workshops and tutors.  She likes to use her imagination to paint in all kinds of medium and all manners of subjects.

Anita White works as a colour consultant for Dulux between Penrith and Oberon. She only very occasionally manages the time to draw or paint, but hopes to do more in the future. “Road to Dunkeld” is her first attempt at landscape; she generally prefers to draw portraits.

Peter Young paints in an abstract expressionistic style  - often incorporating soil, stone and twigs to enhance his paintings. He lives locally at Blackheath. His work has sold throughout Sydney metropolitan area and the Blue Mountains.

Links:

Feature artist for 2009

Jennifer Morrison

Jennifer was born and brought  up in Adelaide before moving  to Geelong in 1956.  In 1960  she moved to Sydney from where she travelled for almost two years overseas. 

She returned to Sydney in 1965,  married and had two children.

In the late 1970s, she enrolled in an Art Course by correspondence, which she did not finish, however, she continued painting and  then joined an Art class in St. Ives, where she was encouraged  to do an Art Certificate Course at  MeadowbankTAFE, completing the course in 1987  with a major in photography. 

In 1989 Jennifer  moved to Victoria to be a full time carer, so for the next 10 years Art had to take second place.

Upon returning to NSW in 1998,  she attended various workshops in painting, printing, pottery and Botanic Art.  Jennifer  began painting in oils, but has since tried most mediums.  Since moving to the Blue Mountains in 2002,  she has worked mostly in Watercolour and coloured pencil.

Jennifer has exhibited in Victoria and NSW, and most recently with Blackheath Art Society, the Society of Mountain Artists,  the Botanical Art Society of Australia and the Wentworth Falls artfest.

She has won  awards in Painting, Botanic Art, Photography and  for Art

Quilts  and has sold works here in the New South Wales, interstate and overseas.

Her other interests include gardening with native plants, sewing, quilting -

especially Art Quilts, embroidery and photography.