Local artists on display as Redland Art Gallery celebrates 20 years

Redland Art Gallery will close out its 20-year milestone celebrations by featuring exhibitions by two local art groups instrumental in establishing the visual arts hub.

Works by members of the Coochie Art Group and Redland Yurara Art Society will be on display at Redland Art Gallery (RAG), Cleveland from Sunday 10 December through to 28 January.

Showcasing diverse works across a variety of media, the two exhibitions celebrate the history and culture of Redlands Coast.

Redland City Council Mayor Karen Williams said the exhibitions were a fitting tribute to the importance of local artists and their collective works.

“As we mark two decades of the gallery, it’s important to acknowledge the role of our local art community in creating a thriving and inspiring space that has attracted many thousands of visitors,” Cr Williams said.

Since 1962, Redland Yurara Art Society has provided a supportive network for local artists, combining community, education, and exhibition opportunities that encourage both artists and audiences.

For its Images of Sound exhibition, Yurara members present a visual interpretation of the auditory by translating sound through sight. The exhibition includes abstract representations of sound into colours and shapes, alongside works sparked by music, local wildlife and geographies, and memories that connect sound to emotion.

In A Touch of Gold, artists from the Coochie Art Group (CAG) celebrate their 50th annual exhibition. Founded by artist Charles Barnett on Coochiemudlo Island in 1972, CAG’s first art exhibition saw works hung on hessian, draped over ropes and tied to the trees on Coochie’s foreshore, near Pioneer Park. In the 50 years following, CAG’s works have been showcased at various locations around Cleveland and regularly feature at RAG.

CAG President Donna Baldwin said: “With the support that the group gives each artist, not just in their artistic ventures but personally as well, they have become lifelong friends.”

An opening event for both exhibitions will be held at RAG, Cleveland on Friday 8 December, from 6pm. The exhibitions will be open to the public on Sunday 10 December from 12pm-2pm and during standard gallery hours from Monday 11 December to 28 January 2024.

A floor talk and morning tea will be held at 10am on Sunday 10 December 2023. Hear Images of Sound artist Lynne Wright in conversation with Simon DeGroot, followed by A Touch of Gold artists Beryl Home, Gillian Rich and Rhyl Henzell.

Bookings are essential for the exhibition openings and floor talks. Register online at artgallery.redland.qld.gov.au