Gallery Talk Friday, 18 September 1pm FREE

Rosemary Crumlin, Art Historian and author of the forthcoming major monograph on the history of the Blake Prize will lead a tour through this year’s exhibition.

National Art School Gallery, National Art School, Forbes Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

Art Forum Wednesday, 9 September 1pm FREE

Join 58th Blake Prize exhibiting artists as they discuss their work with Rev Rod Pattenden.
National Art School Gallery, National Art School, Forbes Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Out of this World, Saturday 5 September, 2–4pm - FREE

Starting at the Art Gallery of NSW this tour will introduce the print works of William Blake on view in Printmaking in the Age of Romanticism and will continue on to the NAS Gallery to consider Blake’s legacy in relation to the work of contemporary artists in this year’s Blake Prize. Refreshments will be served. RSVP (02) 9339 8744.

Click here for Tour details

Special Guest Lecture

Friday 21 August 2009

2:00pm - CELL BLOCK THEATRE

Stephen Farthing RA
‘this is drawing’

A Cloud over Amagansett on Long Island. Photo S. Farthing 2007.

The Rootstein Hopkins Professor of Drawing
at the University of the Arts London, UK
will offer in 53 minutes an explanation in
pictures and words of what drawing is.

Alan Peascod - Influences and Dialogue - Gallery Talk

The National Art School Gallery is currently showing an exhibition of ceramics featuring works by the acclaimed Alan Peascod and other ceramicists who have been influenced by him.

Join Craig Judd, co-curator of the exhibition Alan Peascod Influences and Dialogue for a discussion on Alan Peascod's practice and lasting influence on Australian ceramics.

When: Wednesday, 5 August at 6pm - FREE
Where: NAS Gallery, National Art School, Forbes Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010

The exhibition runs until 15 August.

NAS student ceramics exhibition

To coincide with the Australian Ceramics Triennale, National Art School students Addison Marshall, Annabel Mason and Deborah Burdett invite you to view their work in "this is not a bush dance".

The Clay Room
Ground floor, Building 24
National Art School
Forbes St
Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Thurs 16 - Mon 20 July
Mon 27 - Fri 31 July
9am - 5pm

National Art School Fellowship

The Hon Nathan Rees MP, Premier of New South Wales presented the 2009 National Art School Fellowship to Bert Flugelman AM, at the National Art School Graduation Ceremony last week.

A sculptor and painter, Bert Flugelman graduated from the National Art School 59 years ago. Presenting the Fellowship, the Premier said Mr Flugelman has made an enormous contribution to the visual arts in Australia and been a great teacher and mentor to young sculptors. He has also shown unwavering support for the National Art School.

Mr Flugelman was born in Vienna and arrived in Australia in 1938. He studied Sculpture at the National Art School between 1947 and 1950. Regarded as one of Australia’s pre-eminent sculptors, his works have been commissioned form many public sites in rural and metropolitan areas, and include the Dobell Memorial in Sydney and The Cones in the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery in Australia.

Inaugurated in 2002, the National Art School Fellowship has been awarded to Colin Lanceley AO, Peter Rushforth AM, John Coburn AM, Geoffrey Bardon AM, Elisabeth Cummings, Margaret Olley AC and John Olsen AO OBE.

Directors appointed to the new National Art School Board

Thursday 21 May 2009

The Premier and Minister for the Arts, Nathan Rees today announced the appointment of six directors who will form the board of the newly-independent National Art School.

Mr Rees made the announcement during the school’s annual graduation ceremony where he also presented a National Art School Fellowship to one of Australia’s best-known sculptors, Bert Flugelman, himself a graduate 60 years ago.

“This is a historic day for the National Art School which fought for and has achieved independence – you have new leadership, a new structure and a future that is assured.

“The members of the board, approved by the NSW Cabinet this week, have enormous knowledge and experience in arts, finance, education and heritage.

“The chair will be one of the State’s most gifted and experienced cultural leaders, Peter Watts AM, who for 27 years was the director of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW.

“Joining him will be will be Mark Tedeschi QC, Sandra Yates AO, Hon. John Aquilina MP, the Director General of the Department of Arts, Sport and Recreation Carol Mills and Mr Peter Riordan, the Deputy Director General of the Department of Education and Training.

“One of the board’s earliest tasks will be guiding the school in its transition with the help of a strong business plan,” he added.

The Minister for Education and Training, Ms Verity Firth, said the government had consulted widely to develop the best possible operating model for the National Art School.

“In January, I was pleased to announce the School’s new director, Professor Anita Taylor, who commenced at the school in May.

“This highly skilled and experienced board will help the director to lead the School through this new phase of its history,” said Ms Firth.

The three year appointments take effect from 1 June 2009.

Presenting the fellowship to Mr Flugelman, the Premier said Mr Flugelman had made an enormous contribution to the visual arts in Australia and had been a great teacher and mentor to young sculptors. He had also shown unwavering support for the National Art School.

The National Arts School operates from the former Old Darlinghurst Gaol and uses a unique atelier or studio method of training, with teachers who are practising artists.

Under the new arrangement, the National Arts School is no longer overseen by the NSW Department of Education and Training.

Media: Vivienne Skinner 02 9228 5239, 0411 206 224

National Art School Welcomes New Director, Professor Anita Taylor

Following the recent announcement of her appointment by the NSW Minister for Education and Training, The Hon Verity Firth MP, Professor Anita Taylor has arrived in Sydney to take up her new role as National Art School Director.

An experienced and highly regarded artist, academic and former Dean of Wimbledon College of Art, London, Anita Taylor comes to the National Art School from her most recent appointment as the Director of The Centre for Drawing at the University of Arts London. Anita has exhibited and taught extensively both in the UK and internationally and in 2005 was elected an Academician of the Royal West of England Academy (RWA), and was recently an appointed member of the Art & Design Panel for the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2008).

Anita is well known to many in the National Art School community, following her visit as Artist in Residence in 2004, and for her instrumental role in the National Art School’s partnership with The Centre for Drawing in 2007 to present Drawing Breath a survey exhibition and symposium hosted by the National Art School Gallery, which documented a decade of the annual Jerwood Drawing Prize - the most prestigious award for contemporary drawing in the UK - of which she is the founding Director.

This wealth of experience, coupled with her sustained belief in the vital role of drawing in contemporary art practice and art education suggest both a deep respect for the greatest traditions of the National Art School and perhaps of equal importance, a similarly great enthusiasm for the future of the School.

"The National Art School has a long and distinguished history,
and I am delightedto have been appointed to lead this exceptional
institution at this particular moment in time. The challenges and
opportunities afforded by our new model of operation as an
independent entity herald an exciting new era in which we can
confidently enhance and develop our unique position in art
education in Australia and in an international context."

Anita Taylor will present a lecture exploring the role of drawing in her practice as an artist as part of the NAS Weekly Forum lecture program on Wednesday, 27 May 2009 at 1.00 PM in the Cell Block Theatre at the National Art School. Attendance is free and members of the public are welcome to attend.

http://www.nas.edu.au/Whats_on_Events.htm

Australian Ceramics Triennale comes to NAS

The Australian Ceramics Triennale will be held 16-20 July. The majority of the event will be held at the NAS campus with exhibitions and activities also at COFA, SCA and The Manly Museum and Art Gallery.

To view speakers, papers, program, exhibitions and activities associated with this event please visit the website www.australianceramicstriennale.com

In tandem with this major event, the NAS Gallery will host two ceramics exhibitions - LINK: Korean Australian Ceramics Exchange Project and Alan Peascod: influences and dialogue. Both exhibitions run 8 July - 15 August 2009.

LINK is the culmination of an exchange between the National Art School Ceramics Department and Kongju National University, Seoul, and features artists from Australia and Korea.

Alan Peascod's exhibition is an investigation of traditions and techniques, creative interaction and influence over three decades, centring on Alan Peascod’s vast, stylistically varied and technologically brilliant career. Also on display are ceramics by Elizabeth Charles, Simone Fraser, John Kuczwal and Graham Oldroyd, each of whom worked with and were influenced by Alan Peascod.

NAS graduate wins 2009 Archibald Prize

Guy Maestri has won the 2009 Archibald Prize with his painting of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupinguoil (on linen – 200cm x 168cm). Guy was inspired to use Gurrumul as his subject having seen him perform live last year on New Year's Eve, which was "truly an unforgettable experience."

The opportunity to meet with Gurrumul was limited - 40 minutes at Sydney airport before he flew to the US, during which time Guy sketched and studied him closely. The painting was completed after a month's work, with Guy listening intently to Gurrumul's music most of the time.

Born in Mudgee, NSW in 1974, Maestri completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Hons) in painting at the National Art School in 2003. He has had solo exhibitions at the Tim Olsen Gallery and was a finalist in the 2007 and 2008 Dobell Drawing Prize.

Peter Hanley, currently a second year student here at the School, is also a finalist in this year's Archibald.

Congratulations to both!

Recent NAS graduates exhibit at Australian Galleries

Recent graduates Lauren Murphy and Yori Price, (who both studied printmaking), received the 2007 Australian Galleries Exhibition Award. The fruits of their labour will be on exhibition from Thursday, 19 February to 8 March 2009. Still Lives - Australian Galleries National Art School Award Exhibition will be opened at 6pm on 19 February by the National Art School's Acting Director, Simon Cooper. All are welcome.

Australian Galleries Glenmore Road, 24 Glenmore Road, Paddington NSW 2021. 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 12pm-5pm Sunday.

Future of National Art School secured

The NSW Minister for Education and Training, the Hon Verity Firth MP, has announced that the School is now an independent institution, and will remain at the historic Darlinghurst Gaol site.

The School will be registered as a public company, with a board of directors and the Ministers for Arts and Education as shareholders.

Ms Firth said “This unique institution deserves the opportunity to stand on its own feet and to plan confidently for its future, and this does just that.”

The Minister also announced the appointment of a new Director for the School, Professor Anita Taylor. Professor Taylor is currently Director of the Centre for Drawing at the University of Arts, London. She will take up her appointment shortly.


Link to Minister’s Media Statement: (pdf) http://www.nas.edu.au//pdfs/2009/NAS_Future.pdf

Link to SMH article: http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/art-institution-welcomes-hardwon-ndependence/2009/01/27/1232818435582.html

Link to ABC News: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/28/2475834.htm

National Art School Thanks Sydney Harbour Foreshore Trust

Bernard Ollis, Director, and Lynne Eastaway, Head of Drawing, present a drawing to thank the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Trust for their support of the National Art School's Drawing Week, held at the start of the academic year on Cockatoo Island.

Free Drawing Sessions

Once again this year, the National Art School is holding free drawing sessions for anyone interested in trying their hand at life drawing, as part of the City of Sydney’s Art & About Festival.

Dates:
Wednesday, 15 October, Taylor Square North - 12noon-2.30pm
Friday, 17 October, Circular Quay, AMP Forecourt - 11am-2.00pm.

No bookings required, just turn up and join in!
Materials supplied.

National Art School Open Day Saturday

As part of the City of Sydney’s Art & About Festival, the National Art School will be open to the public on Saturday 25th October, 10am-4pm.
Come in and see the works of our Honours students at the NAS Gallery, hear them talk about their work and experience at the School (1pm), visit open studios, or take a History Tour of the campus that was once Darlinghurst Gaol.
Tours run at 11am and 2pm.

Job Opportunity

The National Art School Drawing Department is seeking to appoint an outstanding and innovative lecturer with an extensive knowledge of the Drawing discipline, both contemporary and historical, and a distinguished exhibitions record. Experience in art education and relevant tertiary qualifications are also essential.


Applications will be accepted up to 24 October 2008

For further information and to apply click on link below

https://jobs.nsw.gov.au/JobDetails.asp?JobAdvertId=76281

Rodney Pople wins The King's School Art Prize

Rodney Pople, Lecturer with the NAS Painting Department, has won The King’s School 2008 Art Prize, valued at $15,000.

This acquisitive prize was established in 1994 and is held annually with The King’s School Art Show. Past winners include Aida Tomescu, Lyndal Brown and Charles Green, John Olsen, Peter Churcher, Ben Quilty and Geoffrey De Groen.

In presenting the award, guest judge Anthony Bond, Director of Curatorial Services at The Art Gallery of New South Wales, likened Rodney’s work Crystal Clear II to that of Yves Klein, one of his most revered artists, who “spent his life trying to picture the void”. “…Rodney is capturing something like what I imagine this immaterial sensibility could feel like” said Bond. “In this exhibition Rodney in particular stands apart from the fast food aesthetic of fashion and there is every chance that his unusual, sometimes incomprehensible, illuminations will survive the vagaries of history”.

Rodney Pople has an exhibition coming up at Australian Galleries, Glenmore Road, Paddington from 4 September 2008. Opening night is 5 September.

New NAS Drawing blog

Lynne Eastaway, Head of Drawing, has been busily developing a new Drawing blog for NAS students - but the links and news would be useful to anyone with an interest in the subject. Soon to be accessible via a link from the National Art School's website, you can go there right now: http://nasdrawing.blogspot.com Contributions welcome!

Middle Head Landscape Project

On campus exhibition of 2nd Year student works, opened by Bernard Ollis, Director at 5.30pm Wednesday 28 May 2008, in Building 25, National Art School.

The exhibition is based upon the 2nd Year Landscape Project at Middle Head and displays the process involved in making a painting, from the original study on site to the finished studio painting. The project is made possible with the cooperation and support of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Exhibition dates: 27-29 May 2008 Opening Hours: 10am-4.30pm