Volunteers from Portland’s art committee, the men’s shed and Portland Central School have been kept busy by the 424 entries into the Portland Art Show they’ve been hanging in the Crystal Theatre over the week.
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Rich Evans, the publicity officer for the Portland Art Purchase Society Committee, said that the record number of artworks had also brought a greater number of artists to the show, as the maximum number of works allowed to be submitted by artists had been reduced.
“There is a wider range this year. We do tend to receive a lot of very traditional landscape paintings but there is a huge diversity this year.”
He said about 80 per cent of the works were from local artists but the show had attracted works from artists based in Sydney, the Central Coast and Melbourne.
“What attracts them is that the Portland Art Show has a good history of selling paintings.”
“The show has good quality paintings at a reasonable price. There is something for everyone’s budget.”
Mr Evans said that this year’s show detailed an evolution in a few regular contributors’ style.
“For example Susan Summers entry is quite different from what she typically does. Usually her works are more romantic streetscapes, but this is a more abstract and dark work.”
Apart from the feature collection of mostly landscape works by local artist Annie Joseph, a retrospective of more than thirty works has been put together to commemorate the talent of Portland Art Show patron Mary Hampton, who passed away last November.
A digital arts category has also been included this year, featuring submissions by Portland photographer and artist Sue Daley.
The exhibition opens at 6.30pm on Friday and the exhibition continues over the weekend.
Included in the entry fee on Friday is a glass of wine and a light supper, the official opening is at 7.30pm.
