Meroogal Women's Arts Prize 2011

Meroogal Women's Art Prize: UPDATE 2013

The Historic Houses Trust has proudly presented the Meroogal Women’s Art Prize since 1998.

We held the 13th prize with the theme Made By Hand at several venues including at our house museum, Meroogal in Nowra, the Shoalhaven City Arts Centre in Nowra, the Spiral Gallery in Bega, the HHT Members’ Lounge at The Mint, Sturt Gallery and Lady Denman Heritage Complex in Huskisson in 2012/13.

For the past few months we have been undertaking a review of the competition, focusing on what we have achieved so far to inform its future direction. One of our goals is to give greater prominence to the house itself so we are redefining the requirements for entries in the prize to this end. In order to undertake this work we have decided to not proceed with the Prize in its current form in 2013. This allows the Historic Houses Trust time to develop greater interpretive links to Meroogal at the core of the Prize. We are planning to bring back a refreshed version of the MWAP in 2014 that we hope will tour to venues following its presentation in Nowra.

There will be an update in mid-2013 setting out the new direction and new time frame for the Prize.

The 2011 competition and exhibition

Established in 1998 by the Historic Houses Trust, the competition is open to women of the South Coast and Southern Highlands. Entrants are invited to explore the objects in the Meroogal collection to draw inspiration for their submission. In 2011 they were asked to respond creatively to the theme ‘made by hand’ in one of the genres of visual arts, crafts or design.

This touring exhibition displays winning, commended and selected works from the 2011 prize.

Winners/Commended:

1st Prize - Tania Maria Mastroianni: Ode to Gradisca

2nd Prize - Arja Välimäki: Hand made man made

3rd Prize - Tracey Mitchell: Konteyner

Bundanon Trust Regional Artist in Residence Scholarship - Juilee Pryor: Yvonne

Commended - Elizabeth Hobbs: Petticoat

Commended – Kylie Douglass: Spiritual procession

Commended – Kaye Johnston: Pioneering women

Packers' Prize Winner - Brodie McAulay: Stitching

People's Choice Winner - Margot Curtis: Handmaiden

Exhibition dates:

Shoalhaven City Arts Centre
12 Berry St, Nowra
27 August - 20 September 2011 | Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am – 4pm & Saturday,
11am – 3pm

Selected artworks will tour to:

Spiral Gallery
47 Church St, Bega
23 September - 13 October 2011 | Open Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm & Saturday,
10am – 1pm

Lady Denman Museum
Woollamia Rd & Dent St, Huskisson
1 - 30 October 2011 | Open daily, 10am – 4pm

HHT Members Lounge, The Mint
10 Macquarie St, Sydney
2 November 2011 - 26 January 2012 | Open Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 4.30pm
Join a talk and tour of the exhibition with Meroogal curator Barbara Konkolowicz
Talks: Thursdays 24 November, 1 December & 19 January | 10am | Free | Bookings not required.

Sturt: Australian Contemporary Craft and Design
Cnr Range Road & Waverley Parade
Mittagong NSW
12 February 2012 - 25 March 2012
Open daily 10am to 5pm (except Good Friday, Christmas Day & Boxing Day)

Meroogal
cnr Worrigee & West Sts, Nowra
7 April – 1 July 2012
Hours: Saturday 1pm — 5pm, Sunday 10am — 5pm | Open Friday to Sunday 10am – 5pm in January | Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day Tours on the hour.

Supported by Shoalhaven Arts Board