The Shed Happens International Men’s Day Art Show was officially opened last month with all entries displayed at the Mackay Art Society and finalists announced.
The theme for the show and subject for the artists was the first pillar of International Men’s Day, ‘Celebrating Positive Male Role Models’.
The Art Show was officially opened by Mackay Regional Council Deputy Mayor Karen May who says it’s a fantastic initiative.
“I think to express what a positive male role model looks like through art is just fantastic,” she said.
“I’ve had the privilege of going to Shed Happens meetings and I see the number of gentlemen that go there and the comradeship that is formed within that organisation, it can do nothing but good for our community.”
Shed Happens Convenor Frank Cowell says the idea for an art show came to him in the middle of the night.
“I was woken up at 2 o’clock and a voice said to me, ‘art show’,” he said.
“I woke up, heard it again, got up and went to the computer, tapped out an outline for about an hour and went back to bed.”
Mr Cowell says he got in touch with the Mackay Art Society and the idea grew from there.
“The community involvement’s been fantastic; the council, the art section of council, has been fantastic, the RADF (Regional Arts Development Fund) committee have been fantastic.”
Entries were received across three categories with finalists from each category to be displayed in the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens Lagoons Café.
The works were judged by Mr Cowell, Councillor Fran Mann and Director of Artspace Mackay Tracey Heathwood.
“I was really interested in work that said something that we might not expect about what it means to be a man in our society and what it means to be a good man, so they were the kind of things I was looking for,” said Ms Heathwood.
“It’s so important to support these kinds of events and to support our local artists because they are reflecting back to you your world and what is happening in our world and they’re communicating things that are sometimes difficult to say or difficult to write.”
Art Show winners will share in $3000 prize money, with the piece voted most popular artwork to be donated to Shed Happens to auction.
Finalist works will be displayed at the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens Lagoons Café from Wednesday, August 31 to Sunday, October 2 with awards to be announced on Friday, September 16.
Mr Cowell says he hopes the Art Show will raise awareness for Shed Happens, International Men’s Day and the Mackay Man of the Year Award, urging people to nominate the men in their community.
“If you don’t win, what happens? You get encouraged,” he said.
“No one goes backwards with encouragement and that’s my job, every day, is to encourage every bloke I come in touch with, and I do it as best I can.”
Nominations for the 2022 Mackay Man of the Year Award are open until September 1 and can be made through the Shed Happens Facebook page.
International Men’s Day Art Show Finalists
Section 1: Rebetzke Homes Award (Art on Canvas)
Hayley Patterson – Treasure
Ben Ranson – Someone To Look Up To
Janet Ambrose – Peter
Roberto Catelli – Wide Bowled, Well Played, Well Umpired
Section 2: Shed Happens Mackay Award (Art on Paper)
Brigette Zimmerman – Still Good
Catherine Clark Dowden – I’ve Got You
Sharon Drew – Writing Home
Stephanie Allen – Helping Hands
Section 3: 2iT Technology Award (Emerging Artist Age <25)
Juliet Sorbello – Time is Passing
Charlie Attard – Her Day
L-R Artspace Mackay Director Tracey Heathwood, Mackay Regional Council Deputy Mayor Karen May, Shed Happens Convenor Frank Cowell, Mackay Art Society’s Ben Ranson and Councillor Laurence Bonaventura
L-R Ms May, Mr Ranson and State Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm. Photos supplied: Mackay Art Society
