DOMAINE MILAN WINE COLLABORATION - SAINT RÉMY DE PROVENCE FRANCE 2020

Domaine Milan loves to share the love and I’m so excited to be apart of their passionate philosophy. I’m incredibly honoured not only be the first artist after a ten year wait to collaborate on their prestige 2018 vintage label, but I’m also the first ever Australian artist…that makes it pretty special!

The CLOS has traditionally been the label they share with artists. It’s so wonderful to be apart of this amazing heritage listed boutique winery’s history in the very heart of Saint Rémy Provence France. As the labelling machine punches away…Cheers to the first bottling in ten years! and cheers to it’s global distribution to places like the exclusive Living Wines specialists in Hobart Tasmania who will be stocking this amazing CLOS in the coming months. Stay tuned for more fabulous announcements about this unique organic biodynamic wine to be bottled soon.

Thank you to Henri Milan and his amazing team of family and staff for helping me (and us) get this far!

Artwork featured, ‘Venus sewing the Breeze’, photomontage and mixed media by Louisa Chircop

'COME SHOWER WITH ME' - SOLO EXHIBITION OPENING 22nd FEB 2020 @shac_robertson

Pen in the Date!…Please join me at the opening of my solo exhibition 'Come Shower with Me' at the SHAC (Southern Highlands Artisans Collective) in Robertson in the wonderful community of the Southern Highlands - which we all know has recently been through a terrible period of the recent bushfires. It's a great opportunity to visit the area, and support the local businesses doing it tough (from buying a coffee to booking a place to stay for the weekend) like at the Robertson Hotel who are proud sponsors of The SHAC. Alternatively join me at Robertson Pub for a drink and an early dinner after the show.

Exhibition to be officially opened by award-winning Sydney Artist Halinka Orszulok Saturday 22nd February 2020 at 2pm at The SHAC (NEXT TO THE BIG POTATO) Exhibition continues and closes Monday March 6th 2020 at 4pm

PLEASE NOTE: the Official opening with drinks and opening address by award winning artist Halinka Orszulok will be Sat 22nd Feb 2020, However the exhibition will be open to the public from Friday 21st Feb 2020 if you happen to be already in the area.

The event is free but please RSVP here to give us an idea with numbers.

Drinks and nibbles provided.

If you can't make the opening you are welcome to drop in Gallery hours are Friday-Monday 10am-4pm

All works for sale. Works will also be available for purchase in an online catalogue coming soon.

enquiries@theshac.com.au

Enquiries: Patsy Peacock (President)
patsy@theshac.com.au
0614 0299 8644

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

‘Come shower with me’ invites viewers into the intimate world of Sydney based artist Louisa Chircop. As the title of her exhibition suggests, Chircop not only utilises the idea of the history of women’s activity in the bathroom but also uses the concept of showering to parallel her creative process in an ode to free association and surrealism, similarly the way ideas come to mind in the shower.

Through Chircop’s experience and interest in art history and psychological phenomenons, she explores the human condition creating images that are illicit in nature, rendered with complex meaning and hints of the shadow self. Chance encounters are played out repositioning women in art history whilst simultaneously positioning herself in relation to history, creating a metaphorical allegory about our present time.

Chircop is comfortable as chameleon, every image is a reconstruct of thought drawn from a stream of subconscious detritus into the reservoir of her conscious awakening. She creates with the inquisitive mind of an octopus foraging through its shady garden on the ocean floor. Every work, a token re-cleansing of the body, mind and spirit is an attempt to navigate existential pathways through the world resurrecting the female image from the grave of western art.

RECIPIENT - DRAWinternational ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE 2020 FRANCE

2020 is certainly shaping up to be a busy one and I’m pleased to announce I’ll be heading of to France again for a couple of months as Artist-in-Residence at DRAWInternational Caylus. The AIR programme aims to support artists in their professional practice/research and encourage creative exchange and fosters artistic research to promote and reveal ideas within a contemporary context.

DRAW welcomes applications from artists of all countries and all disciplines 
(drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, photography, printmaking, design, multimedia, video, installation as well as writers) for residencies of 1 to 3 months.

Artists are selected on the quality of their residency proposal, it's relevance to DRAW's philosophy and environment and evidence of previous artistic work. The centre organises events (exhibitions, open workshops and seminars/presentations to promote it's activities and share creative experience and opportunities within the public domain.

DRAWinternational offers international artists, teachers and students the opportunity to extend professional practice through cultural exchange.

Board :
Artistic director :
John McNorton

Administrator :
Grete McNorton

Board Members :
Professor Deanna Petherbridge CBE
Professor Graham Button
Paul Beauchamp - Principal Lecturer

GROUP SHOW GALERIE HEIMAT SAINT-RÉMY FRANCE- 'EXPOSITION NOËL_001' 2020

Feeling the Christmas spirit and feeling very special to be included in ‘Exposition Noël_001’ at Galerie Heimat in Saint-Rémy Provence France, the village town where Van Gogh made it famous. Curated by the ever so lovely and beautifully spirited Alexandra Chiara director of this stunning commercial gallery in the heart of Provence. She has brought together nine artists (painters, sculptors and jewellery makers) both locally and internationally from France, Germany, China, Finland and me from Australia. It touched me that she was so excited to welcome me as her first ever Australian artist from wayyyy down under! and be representing me in this exhibition. I wish I could be there for the opening but I’ll be seeing you all again in 2020 when I will be doing my residency. Exhibition opens Saturday 7th December. The exhibition continues until the 11th January 2020. Gallery Hours Thursday - Sunday 11am - 7pm. JOYEUX NOËL !

‘Mange moi, bois moi, aime-moi’ (Eat me, drink me, love me), mixed media and photomontage on paper 51cm x 40.5cm

SEMI FINALIST - 2019 DOUG MORAN NATIONAL PORTRAIT PRIZE

I’m over the moon and so grateful to make it to the semi finalists for the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize 2019. What an honour to be selected amongst this fine bunch of Australian talent. The judges of the 2019 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize are artist and 2013 DMNPP winner Nigel Milsom, Director of the Ian Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne, Kelly Gellatly, and Peter Moran, Managing Director of the Moran Health Care Group.  Peter’s parents Greta and Doug Moran established the Moran Arts Foundation in 1988. (See Judges comments below).

Judge Nigel Misom: “If portraiture is one of the means used to communicate our individuality, connection to each other, and the world around us, look no further than the 2019 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Semi-Finalists. The variety and scope of the selected portraits are vast, yet they all seem to share a commonality, that is, the painter and subject have united to share in the ‘magic’ of creativity.”

Judge Kelly Gellatly: “While the sheer volume of entries to this year’s Doug Moran Portrait Prize was initially overwhelming, it was a privilege to experience such a breadth of contemporary portraiture and to be able to get a glimpse into how some of Australia’s most talented artists are currently exploring, and pushing, the genre.  For the judges, the shortlisted artists collectively demonstrate the way in which portraiture can and should be much more than the sheer skill of capturing of a likeness. The power of portraiture instead manifests from the almost intangible coming together of artist and subject; a tension or ‘rub’ that encourages the viewer to remain with a work and to return to it time and again, well beyond the initial moment of recognising the subject.”

The Doug Moran National Portrait Prize…

Founded by Doug & Greta Moran and family in 1988, the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize (DMNPP) is an annual Australian portrait painting prize supporting Australian artists.  The prize has encouraged both excellence and creativity in contemporary Australian portraiture by asking artists to interpret the look and personality of a chosen sitter, either unknown or well known.  With a first prize of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) it is Australia’s richest art prize.

Finalists announced - 16 Oct

FINALIST - HAZELHURST ART ON PAPER AWARD 2019

Since 2001 The Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award has been a significant national biennial exhibition that aims to elevate the status of works on paper while supporting and promoting artists working with this medium. So thrilled to be a finalist this year with my work ‘Fright and Delight-Bundanon’, a work that was inspired when I was artist-in-residence at Bundanon Trust last year. Congratulations and best wishes to all artists who are finalists. This will be an amazing exhibition.

Exhibition launch and announcement of award recipients will be held on Friday 20th Sept 6pm at Hazelhurst Gallery.

CURATED EXHIBITION - 'EVERYDAY MADONNA' CASULA POWERHOUSE ARTS CENTRE

Very happy to be included in this exhibition at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre with works featured from over the last five years sourced from private collections. Exhibition launch event on Saturday 18 May (2-4pm) All Welcome.

"Drawing from iconic and classical images of the Madonna and Child (created mostly by men), artists in Everyday Madonna respond to the ideas of motherhood from their own perspective”.

18 May 2019 - 30 Jun 2019 | 9.00am - 4.00pm

Everyday Madonna features works by these artists: Eddie Abd, Linda Brescia, Louisa Chircop, Karla Dickens, Mona Ibrahim, Nicole Monks, Susan O’Doherty, Pamela Rodoreda, Marikit Santiago, Rokeya Sultana.

COMING UP - INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 'CONNEXIONS SILENCIEUSES' EYGALIÈRES, FRANCE

I’m very excited to be heading back to Eygalières in Provence France this month. After having finished a residency that I won with NG Art Creative Residency Program last November championed by the wonderful Nicky Ginsberg. I’m finally making the pilgrimage back to where it all started for the opening and vernissage of ‘Connexions Silencieuses’ an International Group Exhibition of artists from around the globe. I’m very proud to be showing amongst an amazing cohort of International talent including other wonderful fellow Australian artists and will be giving an artist talk as part of their public programs on the 5th of May 4-5pm at the 800 year old Elise Saint Laurent where the exhibition will be staged. If you are in France or heading to Provence you are very welcome to attend the opening and talks. Bisous!

Credit: Matthew Robertson

RECIPIENT - Georges River Council Artist-in-Residence 2020

It’s still some time away but I’m very pleased to have been recently awarded this fabulous artist residency with Hurstville Museum and Gallery for Carrs Park Cottage to create work for my next upcoming project in 2020. Thank you so much to Hurstville Museum and Gallery and Georges River Council for this fantastic opportunity. See more

WINNER - NG Art Creative International Art Residency Provence, France 2018

I'm so excited about this amazing opportunity...

I've been selected as the mid November candidate Artist-in-Residence with for an international Residency with NG Art Creative in Provence.

The NG Art Creative Residency Prize aims to discover and celebrate emerging and established creative talents from a variety of disciplines.

The Prize Winners will receive a free two-week placement at the NG Art Creative Residency in Eygalieres, Provence both in November 2018 and February 2019. This includes board and lodging, mentorship and residency-related outings, valued at up to AUD$2,000/ USD$1,435/ €1,244/ £1,106.

The Prize winners will have the opportunity to explore the Provence region, learn the native tongue and try their hand at traditional Provencal cooking. They will engage with fellow creatives and the local artistic community at evening soirées, feasts for the senses dinners and special events. They will also have the chance to exhibit their work in France in the 12th century Eglise St Laurent Eygalieres, for a 3 week exhibition in April 2019, attracting large international audiences.

The competition is multidisciplinary; It is open to artists, writers, poets, musicians, performers, filmmakers, photographers, academic scholars, and other creatives who seek to enrich their process, embark on imaginative endeavours and immerse themselves in an environment of reflection and creative freedom.

A very big thanks to Nicky Ginsberg and the team at NG Art Creative Residency. Read More

Mas des Pelerins - NG Art Creative Residency Eygalières, Provence, Southern France

FINALIST - INAUGURAL BAM NATIONAL ART PRIZE 2018

It’s wonderful to be selected as a finalist for the BAM (Byron Arts Magazine) NATIONAL ART PRIZE. Congratulations and best wishes to all the finalists selected.

Offering both $5000 prize money and a unique visibility opportunity, the new BAM Art Prize offers a significant opportunity. The winner will be featured on the cover of BAM. First Prize and Highly Commended Award winners will be featured in the summer 2018 issue of BAM. Open to all artists nationwide, this new, non-acquisitive prize is for works of art in any medium.The inaugural prize will be presented on November 9, 2018. A finalists exhibition will be held at Byron Bay's Thomgallery in November. Byron Bay’s leading art gallery, Thomgallery features contemporary art and sculptures from renowned local and international artists and sculptors. All Finalists will be featured digitally.

FINALIST - OPEN SECTION - FISHER'S GHOST ART AWARD 2018 CAC

One of the highlights of my art calendar year and I’m stoked to be a finalist amongst such a fine bunch of artists across all categories in this year’s Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize with my painting titled ‘#Sorrow’. Looking forward to a fantastic opening night at Campbelltown Arts Centre, they certainly know how to really turn up the party!

Official Opening Night and Award Announcement  Friday 2 November

Exhibition open to the public  Saturday 3 November – Thursday 13 December

All works will be available for purchase

‘#Sorrow’, oil on canvas, 220cm x 214cm

Sneak peek Installation at Campbelltown Arts Centre

SNEAK PREVIEW OF FOXTEL ARTS 'PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR' - SEASON 4 LAUNCH

It was so lovely and so much fun working with Foxtel Arts and Linda Leman on Season 4 Promo of 'Portrait Artist of the Year'. What an experience! and what a fabulous job they have done on this. So here's a sneak preview of part of the launch campaign for one of Foxtel Arts most watched series. A big thanks again to all at Foxtel Arts X

AUSTRALIA'S 'PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR' - NEW SEASON LAUNCH CAMPAIGN FOXTEL ARTS

Here's something I've never done before! I got asked to feature in this years new season Australia's Portrait Artist Of The Year promo for Foxtel Arts. I'll be attempting a portrait of the wonderful Margaret Pomeranz, Australian film critic, writer, producer and television personality. It's going to be lights, camera, action! alongside two other wonderful Australia painters, Tony Costa and Adrian Lockhart. What a wonderful opportunity to be supported by the arts, should be heaps of fun! Thank you Foxtel Arts!

Foxtel Arts New Season Launch Campaign 'Portrait Artist Of The Year' 2018

FEATURE INTERVIEW FOR 'THE SILVER WOMEN' NEW YORK

What a wonderful experience to be interviewed for this amazing initiative for women all around the world. Here's little old me featured on The Silver Women, an inspiring New York website passionately lead by an incredible woman Simone Silverman. It's amazing to have my story around so many kick arse women. Massive thrill! Big thanks to the Silver Women for the opportunity. To read my story go to https://thesilverwomen.com/louisa-chircop/

2018 INAGURAL WINNER 'THE VINCENT ART PRIZE'

Ears some good news! So lovely to have won the inaugural Vincent Art Prize so proudly and totally supported by Art Van Go and hosted by the fantastic crew at Duckrabbit Gallery Redfern. To be judged alongside all my Australian artist heros and such a stellar finalist bunch by an art hero himself esteemed artist Alan Jones was an absolute treat and honour. The exhibition and prize was such a success that I know it will continue to grow for many years to come. Happy ten year anniversary Art Van Go it was a real pleasure to celebrate it with you in real support of the arts. A big thanks to Gilli Pepper Jewellery thank you for your stunning bronze trophy🏆 its the coolest I’ve ever seen! A Big congrats also to the amazing painter Paul Ryan who was runner up!  

Inaugural Vincent Art Prize Trophy

2018 Finalists

ARCHIBALD SITTING 2018 - JUZ KITSON

It's that time of year again where I like to challenge myself by taking on a portrait. A portrait for me is more than a mere representation of the sitter's appearance, expression or simple gestures of their biography. A portrait articulates the psyche between the sitter and the artist, presenting an opportunity to reveal the inner workings of the subject's mind through the artist's own intimate thoughts on life and doubt through an exploration of their existential being. Heartfelt thanks goes to Juz Kitson one of Australia's best contemporary artists for allowing me delve into her as a subject and for sitting for me for this painting titled 'Juz Kitson Imitating Venus'. I've been so privileged to be able to paint her.

'Juz Kitson Imitating Venus' oil on canvas, 220cm x 167cm, 2018

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE BUNDANON TRUST RECIPIENT FOR 2018

I am very pleased to announce that I am a 2018 recipient for an ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE at Bundanon Trust. Big heartfelt thanks to Bundanon Trust for this amazing opportunity and congratulations to all the other 2018 recipients of the residency award. I'm really, really looking forward to some fresh air and creativity. See you Bundanon in 2018!

The Bundanon artist-in-residence program is the largest program of its kind in Australia, welcoming around 350 artists each year. It is open to applicants from all disciplines and levels of experience, making it highly sought after by artists nationally. 2018 will see an impressive range of applicants from all genres: visual arts and new media, theatre and performance, dance, sound and music, and writing. https://bundanon.com.au/residencies/2018-residencies-list/

ARTISTS 'IN CONVERSATION' at Manly Regional Gallery and Museum

Please join me Sunday 19 November 3-4pm for Artists 'In Conversation' at Manly Regional Art Gallery and Museum with senior curator Katherine Roberts on a discussion about how the curated artists in the exhibition approached the concept of 'Land' as well as their creative processes in making the work for the exhibition. All welcome to come along! Please see the flyer for other listed events. Hope to see you there!

2017 WINNER OF THE FISHER'S GHOST JAMES GLEESON AWARD FOR SURREALISM

It's not every day you get to win the same prize twice. Still shell shocked, I'm pleased to announce that I'm the '2017 Winner of the James Gleeson Award for Surrealism' at Campbelltown Arts Centre. The judging panel included esteemed art professionals, Daniel Mudie-Cunningham (Senior Curator of Art Bank, artist and writer), Ben Quilty (artist and AGNSW board of Trustee Member) and Tess Allas (artist, curator and writer). I would like to thank Campbelltown Arts Centre for putting on an amazing evening and to the judges for finding my work worthy and honouring me the award. I would also like to thank the sponsors of the award Michael and Marilyn Reardon-Small for purchasing my work for their collection which will become part of Campbelltown Arts Centre's collection in future years to come. For all other category winners please visit Campbelltown Arts Centre website http://c-a-c.com.au/fishers-ghost-art-award-2017/

Notice board announcement - 'I Fucked with Matta and Van Gogh' Oil on canvas, 167cm x 167cm (purchased by the Sponsors Michael and Marilyn Reardon-Small for their Collection)