The Grace Cossington Smith Gallery at Abbotsleigh in Wahroonga officially opened to the public on Saturday 12 October. It is named in honour of past student Grace Cossington Smith and is an innovation that creates a connection between art, artists and cross curricular education for the School and the local area.
The gallery’s inaugural exhibition in the Grace Cossington Smith Gallery presents ten artists, each with a strong established practice. Through their exhibition programs, these artists provide positive role models and inspire others to engage in a critical reflection with artworks. Director Mary Faith invited artists Cressida Campbell, Elisabeth Cummings, Viola Dominello, Marian Drew, Cherry Hood, Lisa Jones, Janet Laurence, Julie Rrap, Sally Smart and Shona Wilson to contribute works to the exhibition, each of whom represent different aspects of contemporary artmaking practice and have had a far reaching impact in Australian art.
Generally the idea of a mentor suggests a formal one-on-one relationship between two people, but successful mentoring can also exist in informal situations. Much can be learned through the artist’s exhibition history, through considering their choices and decisions and varied practical approaches. By its very nature, the visual arts are about sharing experiences, and this inspirational group of artists has been consistently generous in providing opportunity for us to share their vision.
The Grace Cossington Smith Gallery is free to enter, open to the public Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. See their newly launched website for details of exhibitions and workshops.
