Art that stands out on a wall
DUTCH born John Vanderwerf, above, arrived in Australia with his family in 1953 and has lived in Mt Evelyn for most of his life. He has worked as a visual merchandiser since he was 18, managing his own business for the past 28 years, including designing and building Christmas sets and exhibitions in major shopping centres and at trade fairs.
Vanderwerf says he has experimented with painting as a hobby throughout his working life. In 2002 he began water colour lessons. Since then he has exhibited and sold some of his artwork in various art exhibitions including an exhibition at Lady Hawke Cafe in Mt Dandenong, being the artist of the month, and through the Sherbrooke Art Society Gallery, of which he is a member
In both 2008 and 2009 Vanderwerf won awards in the Lilydale Show including Best Exhibit and First Prize.
“He has a strong desire for experimenting with a variety of mediums where his natural inclination aims for something novel and new, and the use of synthetic materials which form some of his contemporary artwork giving a three dimensional perspective,” art show organiser John Renowden said.
In 2011 Vanderwerf started making sculptures from aluminium composite.
Using this hard wearing and non-fading material (often seen on the outside of buildings as coloured panels or used for business signs) he has been able to transform the panels by cutting and bending the material manually into sculptures suitable for wall hangings, table centre pieces and garden ornaments.
A range of Vanderwerf’s work will be on display and for sale at the Mornington Art Show held at the Peninsula Community theatre, corner of Nepean Highway and Wilson’s Rd Mornington from the opening night Thursday 18 January to Australia Day, 26 January.
Young talent takes a bow
STUDENTS from year 10 to VCE have again entered works in the annual Mornington Art Show.
This includes award-winning photography by Toorak College, Mt Eliza, students.
Toorak student Grace Dymond will display her stained glass windows.
Students from Balcombe Grammar, Mt Martha, are exhibiting art work from a range of genre, including pencil portraits and a backlit abstracts.
Mornington Secondary College students are also showing their photographic skills as well as some portraits which have won awards.
Feature artists and ‘never shown before’ works
KATE Jenvey and John Bredl are the invited featured artists at this year’s Mornington Art Show.
Jenvey is from north eastern Victoria and Bredl from the Mornington Peninsula.
The more than 800 works at this year’s show include several by David Chen, including three of which have not been on public display.
Kate Jenvey, pictured with two of her works, specialises in painting and drawing animals, from horses to the wildlife of east Africa, where she once lived.
Now in Victoria’s north east Jenvey says she is enjoying creating works of art as well as running adult classes and holiday workshops for children at the Benalla Regional Art Gallery.
In contrast, Bredl experiments with a variety of mediums including synthetic materials to create a three-dimensional perspective.
In 2011 Bredl started his most recent form “outdoors” content capturing Australian land and seascapes.
He is regularly invited to judge art shows, give demonstrations, workshops and art classes.
He paints daily, either in the field or at his studio and has been a regular at Mornington Rotary Club’s art shows since 1993.
Top End art
SCULPTURES from the Tiwi Islands form part of this year’s Mornington Art Show. Twenty three pieces of hand carved and painted art work from the Jilamara Arts and Craft Association on Melville Island will be on display and for sale.
Smaller painted iron bark carvings of birds will be featured together with some almost two metres high totem pole carvings of Tutini Tokwampini – the bird carvings.
These authentic pieces will stand on the stage, adding to its environmental theme.
Trees from art sales
THE Mornington Art show has for the past 46 years been a source of money for projects undertaken by Mornington Rotary Club.
More than $1 million has been raised over the art show’s lifetime with more than 60 per cent being spent in Mornington.
Following Rotary’s International environmental them for this year, the 70-year-old club plans to plant 70 trees in autumn.
After talks with Mornington Peninsula Shire representatives several locations have been chosen within the Civic Reserve, Mornington, including near the rose garden.
The stage decorations at this year’s art show will reflect the club’s environmental theme.
Other projects recently been by Mornington Rotary include building a long table in Mornington Park, repainting of the clock tower in Main St, Mornington, buying a defibrillator for the Mornington Support Centre and a CPR dummy for the Bays Hospital.
The Mornington Art Show is at the Peninsula Community Theatre, cnr Nepean Highway and Wilsons Rd, Mornington from Friday 19 January to Australia Day, 26 January.
First published in the Mornington News – 16 January 2018
