Exciting and inspiring Tasmanian communities through arts and culture

• The Dance Project
• Arts and wellbeing
• Branching Out
• Material Girl
• Tasmanian Portraiture Prize
• Rural Broadband Campaign
• Open Your Eyes

Material Girl

Joining long-term prize sponsors Bell Bay Aluminum, Zonta International and the Department of Premier and Cabinet is our major partner  - the Bendigo Bank.

 The Bendigo Bank Material Girl Exhibition has also been recognised by the Australian Business and Arts Foundation under the Premiers Arts Partnership Fund. This additional financial assistance has allowed TRA to lift the profile of this competition and touring show that focuses on the creative contributions of Tasmania's Women artists working across all media in response to the annual theme.

Prize money of $3,500 was on offer for Tasmanian women artists in the 2013 Bendigo Bank Material Girl Exhibition.  With the theme of Dance of Life  as inspiration, 45 finalists  graced the walls of the Moonah Arts Centre  on Friday May 17.

Material Girl 2013 was opened by TRA's Incoming State President, Niecy Brown and was well attended.

Following its successful stint in Moonah, TRA will be touring a sample show of Material Girl 2013 finalists throughout the state. 

Congratulations to all finalists and well done to those whose works have already sold!

Can I still vote for my Material Girl 2012 peoples choice ward?

Yes you can. Either in person at the exhibition or on line at Pinterest. Simply click here, sign in, see all of the finalists and vote for the work that you think should be the peoples choice winner!

2013 Winners

The winner of the Bell Bay Aluminium Award for Overall Excellence was Pam Thorne for her work, 'The Blue Between'

The Premier's Choice Award went to Grace Gladdish for her painting, 'Wattlebird'

The Zonta International Highly Commended Award went to Aukje Boonstra for her garment, 'Ready for Anything'

The Zonta International Award for Young Emerging Artist went to Emily Blom, for her piece, 'Carbon Copy'

2012 Winners

Take a look at the 2012 finalists here http://www.flickr.com/photos/material_girl_2012/

The 2012 Bell Bay Aluminum Award for Overall Excellence was won by Susan McArthur of Burnie for her piece Engagement, a digital photograph.

Joyce de Ruyter of Launceston won the Zonta Highly Commended Award for her piece , Silent Communication, a coloured pencil drawing

The Premier's Choice Award went to Pam Thorne of Burnie for her papier mache sculpture Just by Reaching Out.  Here is the Premier with Pam's work after making her choice.

The Zonta Young Artist Award was won by Emily Blom of Hobart for her piece A Stitch in Time, an etching, screen print and collage.

Previous Material Girls

Women Behind the Wheel - Material Girl 2011

Friday 18 March was a red letter night for women artists in Burnie with the opening of the Material Girl 2011 Exhibition.

The Burnie Coastal Art Gallery hosted over fifty artists and supporters to see the 2011 winners announced.

Congratulations to Maureen King for her work The Printmaker which took out the Rio Tinto Alcan Award for Overall Excellence.

Annie Robinson's Coming, Going artist book won the Premiers Award, with the Zonta Award for highly commended going to Carol Maney for her work Believe

Excerpt from Coming, Going

Believe

Two women shared the Zonta Young and Emerging Artist Prize - Amber Koroluk-Stephensen for Young Emerging Artist and Mackenzie Gordon-Howard for Emerging Artist (special recommendation by the Judges) for their artworks She's too hip to be happy and The Chauffeur respectively

. The Chaffeur

Shes too hip to be happy

Material Girl helps build the profile of women artists in Tasmania and focuses attention on the issues which influence their work. As a regular fixture on the arts calendar it is eagerly awaited as an instigator of new work.
The diversity of works this award attracts has always been one of its strengths. Although it began as a showcase for textile based works, artworks in any medium are accepted within the dimensions set for exhibition.

In a nutshell, "Whatever drives you to create....just do it !"

The 2011exhibition opened at the Coastal Art Gallery in Burnie, a beautiful light filled venue which presents a regular program of workshops and art classes run by Burnie Coastal Art Group. Selected works then toured the state for the rest of the year through the Tasmanian Regional Arts Access and Touring program hosted by regional communities.

Previous Exhibitions - 2010 Material Girl

Many artworks told 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 was 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 (detail)

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"

Material Girl 2013

Theme:  Dance of Life!

The 2013 Bendigo Bank Material Girl award and exhibition ... celebrating and promoting the work of Tasmania's contemporary female artists

Exhibition at: Moonah Arts Centre

Dates: Fri 17 May 2013 - 30 May 2013

Touring: From June 2013 - March 2014

Submitted works must reflect the theme Dance of Life! The theme is designed to explore how movement guides us through our lives.

All media are permissible. Maximum dimensions for works are 80cm (height) x 80cm (width) x 80cm (depth) including frame. Maximum weight for works is 20kg.

A $20.00 fee contributes to meeting exhibition marketing and administration costs and is non-refundable.

Critical Dates:

Tuesday 30 April at 5pm - Entries close

Friday 10 May- Notification of selected artists

Monday 13 May- Selected works to be delivered

Fri 17 May, 6pm - Opening & award announcements at gallery

Wed 30 May- Exhibition closes

June 2013 to March 2014 - State Touring Exhibition of selected works

So now you have the dates and the theme, start creating, ladies!