Back in February I wrote about a trip I’d made up to Tea Gardens, to experience their art gallery (both inside and out) before I painted something to enter into their Anderson Art Award. Last night I received an email from the coordinator of that art award – Ian Morphett – to let me know that the painting I’d submitted (pictured above) had sold, which in itself was wonderful news. Then this morning I received another email from Ian:
‘You may like to know that the buyer is Lee Anderson who owns the building that the Gallery operates in and makes it available to our cooperative of about 50 artists for a nominal rent. Lee was so taken with your depiction of the building, she HAD to buy it. Yes, the Anderson Art Award is named in honour of Lee and her late husband Rob for their contributions to art on the Myall Coast.’
The strong sense of both gratitude and joy I feel when a painting of mine connects with someone enough that they decide to buy it is something I don’t think I’ll ever take for granted, but to receive that kind of acknowledgement is next level entirely and was more than I could have hoped for!
The exhibition in Tea Gardens is on for another week, so if you happen to be up that way, do stop by at this gorgeous gallery in the gardens. If you’re not heading quite so far from Sydney, however, perhaps one of the others listed below might be better suited …
The Gumleaf Collection: Beyond the Great Divide, at The Village Kitchen, 83 Old Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong (NSW), until Friday 16 May
Anderson Art Award, Galleries in the Gardens, 81 Marine Drive, Tea Gardens, until Sunday 11 May
Australian Society of Miniature Art Pop-up Exhibition, St Ives Shopping Village (NSW), Monday 12 to Sunday 25 May
LYOX Gallery Exhibition, 17 Lyons Rd (next to the Oxford Hotel), Drummoyne (NSW), Thursday 29 May to Sunday 22 June
A4 Art Australia, Herring Island Gallery, Melbourne (Vic), online until Monday 31 June
Until next month!