Rusten House - past exhibitions

Trees and Other Treasures
Judith Tokley

Tokley’s first solo exhibition reflects her love of remote places and the need to be still, which she expresses through the medium of painting. Her works embrace an emotional response to the environment, exploring the essence of landscape rather than a pictorial representation where colour, light, space and line are used as central motifs in her work.

Image: Judith Tokley, Cooleman Ridge No 1, Acrylic on canvas, 2019

Magpies and More
Maria O'Donahoo

Maria O'Donahoo paints from her kitchen table, currently exploring one of her favourite subject matters; resident magpie Mrs Dude and its offspring. Maria loves her kitchen-studio as it allows her to continue a spot of cooking between brushstrokes. Maria has been painting for more than ten years and has been a regular exhibitor at the Queanbeyan Art Society, most recently as the winner of their Landcare Art Prize. This exhibition showcases her beloved magpies and their unique and quirky mannerisms, but other birds have infiltrated the space. Maria’s works are predominantly painted with acrylic in black and white with added subtleties of colour and gold that reflect her passion for Australian birds.

Image: Maria O'Donahoo, Washing day, 2023. 

30 September– 21 October 2023
Tales from the late Anthropocene: Rise of marine megafauna.
David Smith

The exhibition Tales from the late Anthropocene: Rise of marine megafauna by David Smith is about climate change. Rather than repeating an urgent call to action, David is looking at a future where we have not responded and sea levels have risen, humanity has retreated from coastal cities, and a rapid evolution has given rise to new imagined marine animals. Smith’s sculptural works tap into the anthropic impact this crisis has on nature and the continual dialogue between humans and their environment to produce works that nudge our collective consciousness towards the reality of our imperilled planet.

Each sculpture elicits a narrative—a tale of a responsive, adapting world, of the preservation and decay, but also of sustained resilience and beauty in every epoch. Through this exhibition, David hopes to spark conversations, and perhaps, inspire actions that honour and preserve the fragile beauty of our earth before it’s too late.

Image: David Smith, Shopaholic, metal and wood, 2022

30 September– 21 October 2023
Cartography of Now  
The Canberra Printmaking Group 5 Ink

Cartography of Now is an exhibition of prints that invites viewers to explore the ever-changing landscapes of the lives of four Canberra printmakers. Through a range of techniques and styles, the prints in the exhibition capture the diverse and complex experiences of contemporary life of the artists to offer a visual map of their collective journeys through time and space. Ann Widdup intertwines themes of memory and place, Nicole Henry explores experiences of grief and personal loss, Giancarlo Savaris navigates masculine vulnerability, while Claire Young responds to the talk of a possible war in the Asia-Pacific region, collectively representing multiple narratives through their group practice.

Image: Ann Widdup, From the Four Rivers Series, woodcut, 2023

2 – 23 September 2023
Hudddlestone & Mortimer

On a chance meeting, Michael Huddlestone (Garmarroongoo) and Dennis Mortimer decided to collaborate artistically.

Michael is an internationally renowned Aboriginal Artist from the Ngardi language group in the Roper River region of East Arnhem land.
Michael’s art is based on the Dreamtime stories associated with his country. Painted in the Arnhem Land bark painting tradition of rarrk (cross-hatching) designs, Michael depicts Dreamtime stories of spirit figures, hunting, fishing, singing and dancing ceremonies with the wildlife of Arnhem Land region including crocodiles, Kangaroos, turtles, dugongs, birds and fish. The animals represented in Michael’s work are important food sources for Aboriginal people.

Dennis is exhibiting recent work that responds to extinct and endangered fauna and flora. People worldwide, with lived experiences like no other time in history, are availed of informed data educating us on the environmental impacts of plastics, pesticides, forest decimation, monocultures and fossil fuel burning. Dennis’ works in the exhibition are from an ongoing visual art project, ‘Silent Canary’ and showcase extinct and endangered fauna and flora that express the aesthetics and beauty of what we are losing and have lost in the natural world.

Image: Dennis Mortimer, Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io), acrylic on canvas, 2023.

29 July - 19 August 2023
Endless Possibilities
All Sorts Artist Collective

'The Allsorts' are a collective of artists from Canberra and surrounds. The exhibition 'Endless Possibilities' reflects the diverse styles of the group's work through their approach to nature of the area.

Image: Katie Volter, Cheeky Chap, 2023.

1-22 July 2023
Our Forest in Focus – the Wildlife that calls them home
The Canberra Tree Network with photographs by Graham Gall

The Canberra Tree Network is proud to present a photography exhibition showcasing some of the region’s spectacular trees and the creatures who live in them. This exhibition is a collaboration between ACT Government and Government House, Canberra Institute of Technology, Yarralumla Nursery, Australian Botanical Gardens, Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council, the National Arboretum Canberra, ANU, ACT Parks and Conservation Service. The stunning 22 photos were taken by local photographer Graham Gall. 

Image: Graham Gall, Spotted Pardolote, Our forest in focus, 2023.

1 – 8 July 2023
ECCE RED HILL
Frances Wild and Carol Williamson

Filmed as a meditation on the art of walking Ecce Red Hill, a short film by Frances Wild and Carol Williamson, follows a group of women who join forces to summit their local nature reserve in a weekly quest for wellness, friendship and a deeper connection to the landscape and one another. 

Image: Still from Ecce Red Hill, colour photograph, Canberra, 2021. 

Fever Ward Gallery Petite Gallery
6 - 27 May 2023
Exposed
Marsden Art Group

Exposed (2023) is a multimedia exhibition created by artists of the Marsden Art Group, featuring works centred around the theme - Exposed. As a group exhibition, it features a broad range of interpretations, each member bringing their own perspective and history to this exploration of ideas relating to exposure, vulnerability and revelation.

Image: Val Gee, I'll just stand here, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 76x76cm.

Gallery 3 - Reading Room Gallery
1 April – 27 May 2023
Nurturing Nature
Heather Groves

Nurturing nature is an exhibition of new woodcuts by Heather Groves. Abstract, figurative, and sculptural forms are observed by the artist at home and in nature. Groves uncovers the tensions among her subjects and uses wordplay and bright colour to exploit her ideas.

Image: Heather Groves, Making mountains out of termite mounds 1, 2022, woodcut with charbonnel ink on kozo paper, 15 x 15cm. 

Gallery 1 - Fever Ward Gallery
4 March - 29 April 2023
There are battles yet to win: Feminist Posters 1979 to Now
Alison Alder and various artists. Curated by Cindi Gillmore

This exhibition of screen-printed posters from the collection of acclaimed artist Alison Alder, utilise both anger and humour to graphically illustrate some of the issues and events facing women in their struggle for equal rights over the last five decades in Australia.

This exhibition formed part of the QPRC Women’s Festival and the Queanbeyan-Palerang Heritage Festival.

Image: Alison Alder

Gallery 2 – Petite Gallery
4 – 25 February 2023
Peace, Joy and Stillness
Susan Hey

In Peace, Joy and Stillness, Hey examines the beauty of light and shadow on water, by taking time in the moment to stop, listen and contemplate water. These special moments can easily be missed and by stopping to look through water from above or below Hey see’s the pattern and movement and feels the stillness and peace, she then translates these experiences into paint.

Image: Susan Hey Floating 8, encaustic on wood

Gallery 3 - Reading Room Gallery
4 February – 25 March 2023
Under the Sun
Jane Duong

Under the Sun is an exploration and celebration of public spaces and historical places in Queanbeyan - through the magic and coincidence that comes with the cyanotype process. Each cyanotype print is handmade, some have unique borders, some created with negatives contact sheets, some dipped directly into the Queanbeyan River, all are one-off photographs on cotton paper.

Image: Jane Duong Untitled, cyanotype print on cotton paper 28 x 40.5 cm  

Gallery 2 – Petite Gallery
4 – 25 March 2023
A Feminist at My Table
Claire Young and various Artists

A Feminist at My Table is an installation featuring the work of Claire Young from a series of screen-printed tablecloths made to spark conversations about heroes – or villains – over a meal. The feminists featured in this work are Bandler, Chisholm, Contos, Cowan, D’Aprano, Greer, Goldstein and Summers, who, despite their flaws or missteps, were just a few of the women with inspiring achievements who could have been included. Young’s tablecloth installation will be augmented by feminist chairs produced by local female artist to reside around this provocative table. 

Image: Claire Young, A feminist at my table 2023, from multi-panel screenprint on cotton and linen tablecloth with hemstitched border. 240 x 143cm

Exhibitions 2022

28 October – 17 December 2022 – Reading Room Gallery
Helen Peart, Wendy Antoniak & Margaret Steele
‘Feathered’

Helen Peart, Wendy Antoniak and Margaret Steele are experienced artists who met at the Botanic Art Group at the Australian Botanic Gardens.  They work in varying media including watercolour, coloured pencil, acrylics, scratchboard, graphite and inks.  This exhibition is a collection of works resulting from the study of birds, their movements and habitat, along with reference material from photographs.

28 October – 19 November 2022 – Fever Ward Gallery & Gallery 2
Amanda Adrian, Prue Power and Lorri Blackwell
‘Enigmatic Pathways’

Amanda Adrian, Prue Power and Lorri Blackwell are working down ‘enigmatic pathways’ creating images that reflect their life experiences, current realities, fears, delights and their hopes for the future and our environment.

30 September - 22 October 2022 - Fever Ward Gallery and Gallery 2
Sylvie Carter
Valleys, Views and Vines

Canberra born artist, Sylvie Carter, presents over seventy works in a rich and atmospheric solo exhibition exploring and appreciating the beautiful ‘Valleys, Views and Vineyards’ of Lake George, Wamboin, Bowral, Mossvale, Sydney and surrounding NSW region. Works include paintings of wild grasses, deep valleys, shadows and reflections, and the rhythmic land formations captured in oil and watercolour.

Image - Sylvie Carter, Wildgrasses and Duck in Flight at Wingecarribee Creek
Oil on canvas   

1 October - 22 October 2022 – Reading Room Gallery
Karen Warburton
Positives & Negatives

Karen transforms wood into unique 3D pieces that unveil deeply personal perceptions of reality in a colourful and textural form. Karen employs layering and different colour palettes to align with the design principles of positives and negatives to create these assemblages.

    

Image – Karen Warburton- Upcycle

15 -16 October 2022 - Workshop Gallery
AZ Oakley
Happy JP Designs

AZ uses very fine paper cords as the media for her art, incorporating classic knot tying techniques to make 2D and 3D small objects.  This Arts Trail exhibition focuses on festive and ritual objects such as Christmas baubles, New Year’s wreath and jewellery, symbolizing special occasions such as ‘tie the knot’.

3-24 September 2022 - Fever Ward Gallery
Marilyn Hutchinson
FEEL

FEEL is based on present moment drawings on paper creating  layered, abstract artworks using feelings. These are in response to different music genres, speeches and poetry reading. A second group of works in paint, in homage to Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama are referencing her infinity nets, letting feelings lead the way.

Image - Marilyn Hutchinson - Untitled
Soft pastel on paper - 59.4 x 84 cm

3 - 24 September 2022 - Gallery 2 and Reading Room Gallery
Celebrating 30 years of Wildcare

Wildcare Queanbeyan is celebrating 30 years of operating in the local area.  Established by volunteers and continuing with that model, Wildcare has continued with its core philosophy of rescue, raise, rehabilitate, release and has saved thousands of native animals, including macropods, birds, reptiles, wombats and small mammals.  This exhibition is about celebrating native wildlife through Wildcare’s eyes and features works in a range of media by Wildcare Members and Friends.

Image: Gary Cheung, Kingfisher

2 – 23 July 2022
Paul Martin
The Exploration of Space

A series of paintings based on actual exploration of space in both oil and water colour media. Martin  began this series in recognition of human evolution and ingenuity. He states that if we can do space exploration we can address climate change and human rights issues – this exhibition references this.

Image : Paul Martin,  Atlas V & Curiosity Landing on Mars 2019
Oil on canvas  1520 x 910mm

Gallery 2 and Reading Room Gallery

2 – 23 July 2022
Ingrid Ferguson, Rick Smyth, Ray Fraser, Jeanette Regan and Amanda Parker
Exploring Sculpture

This exhibition presents the works of a group of artists who delight in exchanging ideas but who have individual preferences in style, material and inspiration. See an eclectic mix of works and materials including stone, bronze and clay and a combination of natural forms and figurative works.

Internationally renowned sculptor and group mentor, Wojciech Pietranik will deliver a talk on sculptural processes at 3pm at the opening on Saturday 2 July.

Image: Ingrid Ferguson, Fish
Sandstone - 20 x 40 x 8 cm

4 – 25 June 2022
Mandy Ord, Jodie Zutt and Dennis Mortimer
3% 2022

An exhibition by three artists working in a variety of media; Mandy Ord, Jodie Ohm Zutt and Dennis Mortimer who attended Canberra School of Art during the early 1990s. The exhibition title ‘3%’ refers to a statement made by the Art School director Dr David Williams from his welcome to 1st-year students’ speech.

‘…five years after graduating, only 3% of graduates will have an art practice & only 1% of the 3% will be living wholly off their art practice.’

Opening 2-4pm Saturday 4^th June

Image: Jodie Zutt, Blue Pieces of Paper to Get Food
Digital print on metal

26 February - 14 May 2022
Art of the Tea Towel

Featuring a diverse display of Tea Towels from the past six decades. This exhibition explores the personal connections to textile treasures from collectors, designers and makers.

Please join us for a visual celebration of domestic art – the humble tea towel.

4 March - 2 April 2022
Alison Alder, Rachel Bowak, Mariana del Castillo and Sally Simpson
Making : acts of resistance

Celebrating artists of the Queanbeyan-Palerang region this exhibition spotlights local professionals who explore ideas of social justice, climate change and identity through time invested making practices.

These innovative works reflect contemporary art practice in printmaking, multimedia drawing, animation and sculpture.

Image : left: Alison Alder, Remember Me 2020 (Screen print on paper, aluminium, plastic, steel, electric motor and pump, 120 x 80 x 50cm)
right: Mariana del Castillo, Facades and other baggage 2021-22 (Mixed media, 112 x 226 x 41cm Photo : Alex Asch)

8 – 30 April 2022
Networks Australia
Site Specific - artists respond to Rusten House

This exhibition draws public attention to the history of Rusten House, its architecture, surrounding heritage garden, uses of the building and relationship to community. The artworks of this textiles-based group convey ideas about the early development of Queanbeyan, its health and social systems, its people, approaches to land use and landscape design. There are many stories to be told.

Image: Wendy Dodd, Restoration, Spring fever, A Stitch in Time (Mixed fabrics, thread, paper, polystyrene, each piece 20 x 20x 20 x 35cm)

In conjunction with the exhibition, public programs at Rusten House were planned. They were designed to bring the artists and the public together. These included the exhibition opening and talks, an Eco Dye Workshop and a Textiles Conservator’s talk and Market Day.

3 - 26 February 2022
Yasmin Idriss
The 40+ Project

The 40+ Project is a series of photographs celebrating women in their forties and over. Idriss states ‘The entertainment industry and fashion magazines make it clear they think we are too old and we become invisible. We will NOT be invisible! Moreover, we are certainly never too old to be pampered, photographed, loved, admired and adored.’

Liquid Light

A study of the natural world around us, while playing with the lines between painting and photography. 

Image – Yasmin Idriss

12 January - 19 February 2022
Our Forest in Focus | Graham Gall

The Canberra Tree Network is proud to present Our Forest in Focus – A photographic exhibition showcasing some of the region’s most spectacular trees. This exhibition is a collaboration between ACT Government and Government House, Parliament House, Yarralumla Nursery, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Namadgi National Park, National Capital Authority, The National Arboretum Canberra, ANU, Parks and Conservation and QPRC. The stunning photos were taken by local photographer Graham Gall.

Image - Graham Gall, Tree Eucalyptus Meliodora Government House
40 x 50 cm

Dreams of another place | Todd Fuller

For ten years, Sydney based Todd Fuller has been crafting hand-drawn animations exploring themes of love, loss, place, community, and difference. These award winning works are narrative based and are derived from Fuller’s experiences with a range of communities, sites, and histories.

'Dreams of another place' presents the story of 'Little Star', a dog who dreamed of going into space as well as other materials relating to Fuller’s animation practice.

Image: Todd Fuller, little star animation still 2, 2015
charcoal, chalk, ink and acrylic on paper 56 x 89cm

Download the Little Star activity sheet here(PDF, 458KB)