The annual Midge Point on Repulse Bay (Whitsundays mainland) Basil Sellers Art Exhibition is on this Saturday 17 August at the Point Tavern, 11.00am opening.
Last November the arts group met at Jill Liepertz home where Judy McDonald and Jill took on the role of publicity and promotion. Inas Jackson who organised the art prize for the past 8 years is handling applications and listings.
At that gathering a second decision was to change the wording from Basil Sellers Art Prize to the Basil Sellers Art Exhibition.
The reason behind this was that in all the Art Prize years - only sparingly was a painting sold, rather the entire emphasis was on the winning entry. There was a sense it which no one realised the paintings were for sale.
Judy McDonald is placing laminated titles and price on each art work – rather than a hand written and often scribbled title on a piece of scrap paper. Much better.
Commission
Meanwhile Ann Campbell has been commissioned to paint a ‘Hawk’ which was photographed.
Ann Campbell is a regular artist belonging to the Bloomsbury – Midge Point – Art and Craft Group. When we are at the Basil Sellers Laguna Quays Respite cottage, Delma my wife attends this group on a Thursday morning.
And for the first time, as this is an exhibition and not an art prize, I am placing in an entry and even had it framed - Angels Dancing.
Program
Mr Basil Sellers AM has been able to attend 2 of the six art prizes and may not be able to get here in 2019.
I am arranging to have specific art works sent to Basil Sellers to his Sydney address. Hans and Jill Liepertz are pleased to do this for the art community. Jill Liepertz has won three of the Basil Sellers Art Prizes, 2013, 2016 and 2017.
The other winners were Gail Passfield 2014, Margaret Pearce 2015, Betty Moxham 2018.
Big deal
This annual art exhibition is a big deal for this arts community - Bloomsbury and Midge Point on the Whitsundays mainland. It all began in 2011 when the Basil Sellers Laguna Quays Respite cottage for missionary respite was opened. In 2013 Basil Sellers agreed to sponsor an art prize for this arts community.
This is a ‘big deal’ for the local community with the Point Tavern offering their facility to host the art prize each year.
The art community ‘art exhibition’ leaders Inas Jackson, Judy McDonald and Jill Leipertz visited my wife Delma and I last Monday for morning tea at the mission cottage to final arrangements.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html