Local Artists Unite

By Nicola Smith on April 21, 2021 in News

Seacave, painted by Randwick Art Society Member H. Hereth.

The Randwick Art Society’s annual exhibition will return to Prince Henry Centre on the first weekend of May in a celebration of local arts and artists.

The annual exhibition, as well as regular society meetings, was cancelled last year due to COVID-19.

In 2021 not only has the annual exhibition returned, but they have also entered into a new partnership with Bendigo Bank in Clovelly.

Member’s artworks will hang in the newly refurbished bank on Clovelly Road.

Society president Richard Bardsley-Smith said that the Bendigo Bank partnership will connect even more community members with the art society.

“We’re really fortunate to have that ongoing relationship with Bendigo with new artwork going up every two months. The bank wants to stay connected with the community and it allows us to connect with community members too,” Mr Bardsley-Smith told The Beast.

The society was founded in 2009 to promote a love of art in the Eastern Suburbs. It now boasts over 100 members.

RAS holds weekly Monday meetings where artists learn new skills, and other exhibition spaces include Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney Children’s hospital and Bowen library.

The society welcomes members of all abilities and doesn’t restrict members from joining other societies or exhibiting outside society events.

Margaret Morscheck, a founding member of RAS, said that connecting art lovers of all kinds was part of the original vision of the society.

Catherine Tony’s Wall by Society President Rick Bardsley-Smith

“There were so many people in the community who were hobby artists and were all painting individually and we thought now they can meet,” Ms Morscheck told The Beast.

Lifetime Randwick resident and RAS founding member, Patricia Reid, said that while art was a life-long love, it was only something she could give time to as she got older.

“Before school I was always colouring in and I studied art in primary and high school but then I had four kids and so I stopped until I was about 40,” Ms Reid said.

Part of the purpose of the society is to support members so they can maintain their love of art around busy life schedules.

“If you’ve got an art society that can support people, then you can find avenues for people who love art to be involved even if it’s not regularly,” Mr Bardsley Smith told The Beast.

This is motivated by a belief that art is not just good for artists, but beneficial for everyone in the community.

“Art is an outlet. You’ve got a healthier community if people can participate in the arts,” Mr Bardsley Smith said.

The society helped members to look after their mental health during 2020 lockdowns with a “sketch-a-day” program.

Members were sent a daily prompt of something to sketch or paint such as “ring” or “chocolate,” and could then share their creations on the society website to stay connected while socially isolating.

Randwick Art Society always welcomes new members and interested artists can get in contact via their website https://randwickartsocietyinc.org.au/.

You can also pick up a new piece of art at their annual exhibition that will run at Prince Henry Centre, Little Bay from 30^th April – 2 May 2021.