• Arts and wellbeing
• Visual arts touring
• Performing arts touring
• Branching Out
• Material Girl
• Tasmanian Youth Portraiture Prize
• RAA Volunteer Awards

Material Girl

Material Girl Annual Art Award and Competition celebrating International Womens Day.

Managed by Tasmanian Regional Arts, Material Girl has attracted prizes from major sponsors Zonta International and Rio Tinto together with the Premier’s Award.

The theme for 2010 Material Girl is ‘Succulence’ with prize money totalling $3,500. The judging panel comprised the Director of Poimena Gallery and renowned artist, Katy Woodroffe, Launceston-based arts consultant, Dr. Jane Deeth and Regional Manager of Women Tasmania (North), Ella Dixon, who faced the challenge of selecting the winners from over 60 entries.

The theme has inspired responses from many angles with ideas involving food, sexuality and nurturing represented in painting, ceramics, textiles and sculpture; a couple of entrants also chose to interpret the word “succulent” as the plant form with surprising twists.

Many artworks tell a very personal story: “Growing Angus” by Louise Daniels of Ulverstone is a painting of a friend in pregnancy. It says “Work completed 12th January 2010. Angus completed 11th January 2010” – so new life and artwork occurred simultaneously.

Overall the exhibition is a colourful and diverse mix of works by experienced and emerging artists with over half the pieces as 3 dimensional artworks in fibre, glass and ceramics.

Dr Marie Sierra, the new head of the Art School at the University of Tasmania’s Academy of the Arts in Launceston gave the opening address and winners were announced at the opening of the Showcase Exhibition at Poimena Gallery in Launceston on Friday March 12 at 6pm. the Winners were Premier's Award, Suze Van der Beek for her photographic print under epoxy resin, "Your Star, my Sun", The Rio Tinto Award for Overall Excellence Frances Joyce for her pastel on paper, Hello...Dahling...Mwah!, The Zonta Highly Commended, Jill Eastley for her ceramic tea pot "Drink My Tea, Eat My Garden", The Zonta International Award for Young Emerging Artist's (shared award) Julia Castiglioni-Bradshaw,for her acrylic, ink, charcoal on paper "Reclining Figure" and Rene'e Spurr for her charcoal on paper drawing,"Unseen Half"

As in previous years, Tasmanian Regional Arts will tour a selection of works around the state throughout 2010. Further information of tour dates and venues can be found on the Tasmanian Regional Arts website: www.tasregionalarts.org.au or by contacting the Material Girl Project Officer, Teresa Beck-Swindale on 6426 2344.

In keeping with Material Girl’s support for young and emerging women artists, the 2010 “Succulence” logo artwork was designed by Ashlee Griffiths of Port Sorrell.

In 2009, Tasmanian Regional Arts was proud to manage Material Girl with the support of Women Tasmania, Poimena Gallery (LCGS. Sponsorship was provided by Zonta International and Rio Tinto Alcan to complement the funding from Women Tasmania.

As in previous years, Material Girl asked artists to respond to a theme, provoking thought about issues impacting on contemporary women. In 2009 this theme was – Global Woman.

For enquiries or assistance please contact:
Tasmanian Regional Arts
PO Box 172 Latrobe TAS 7307
E: materialg...@tasregionalarts.org.au
Ph: 03 6426 2344