Local News

Ferry Park Gallery re-opens

The Lower Clarence Arts and Crafts Association (LCACA) – Ferry Park Gallery which was closed due to COVID-19, will re-open this Friday June 5, from 9am – 3pm and will be open 7 days.

Due to the closure of the gallery, this year’s official opening of the annual 8 x 8 Small Works Exhibition on March 27, could not take place.
This event was also to double as the launch of the annual month-long PLUNGE Arts and Culture Festival, which was also cancelled due to COVID-19.

Art works entered in the Small Works Exhibition had been hung prior to the closure of the gallery.

Curators saw a high standard of work across all sections, with a record number of 161 entries received (111 in the Open Adult section and 50 in the student section).

This year’s theme for the 8 x 8 Small Works Exhibition was titled ‘The Everyday’ and curators said that they were impressed with the artists interpretation of the title.

“The works reflect precious moments from our ‘everyday’ lives, something that suddenly feels more important and emotive in this current climate. It is significant that with six months of drought, fire, flood and now COVID-19, the subjects reflect things close to home; simple things that are important to us,” a statement from the curators said.

Entries in this year’s exhibition came from art groups in Maclean, Iluka, Grafton Sawtell, and Newcastle. One entry came from an artist from Belgium, who is currently in Australia.

The exhibition was judged by Krissi Rice (Open section) and Lynne Gerhke (Youth section).

The curators of the exhibition wish to thank all entrants for their contribution to what is a stunning show of responses to the theme, ‘The Everyday’.

The 8×8 Small Works Exhibition will be on display at the Ferry Park Gallery from Friday June 5 until July 18 and the public are encouraged to nominate their favourite artwork for the ‘Viewer’s Choice’.

For more information go to the LCACA website: ferrypark.net and their Facebook page.


Open Section
1st ‘Green Tea’ – Jenni Gander.
2nd: ‘Treasures of the Early Morning Beach Walk’ – Bobbie Winger.
3rd: ‘Backyard’ – Stewart Hase.
Highly Commended
‘Une Petite Poire – One Little Pear’ – Joy Courtney.
‘Net Results’ – Steve McKenzie.

Student Sections
Section 2 (4-7 Years)
1st: ‘Lego Man and Me’ – Hayden Thompson.
2nd: ‘Feeding the Lambs’ – Alexander Jagoe.
3rd: ‘Around the World’ – Dash Moore.
Highly Commended
‘Lost in a Dream’ – Frankie Grant.

Section 3 (8-11 Years)
1st: ‘Teeth Time’ – Kikika Symonds.
2nd: ‘Watching the Clarence’ – Charlotte Cheng.
3rd: ‘Feeding the Magpies’ – Charlotte Caldwell.
Highly Commended
‘Loving My Horse’ – Meckenzie Jagoe.
‘Watching the Lorikeets’ – Elle Latham.

Section 4 (12-16 Years)
1st: ‘Jeffery the Cow’ – Chloe George.
2nd: ‘Bad Hair Day’ – Cooper Rumpf.
3rd: ‘Junction Hill Sunrise’ – Beau Thompson.
Highly Commended
‘Tea Time!’ – Madeleine Wilson.

Some of the many entries in this year’s 8×8 Small Works Exhibition