Kaye Shumack: Drawing Sydney

6–27 November 2021

Kaye Shumack, 'Morning Rush Central Station' (detail), 2018, pastel, 46 x 69 cm

Kaye Shumack: Drawing Sydney presents a selection of drawings created over the past five years that explore motifs and traces from the urban landscapes of Sydney’s public spaces and streetscapes, revealing the beauty of the city’s lesser known, ordinary locales as well as key landmarks.

These observations, combined with memory of place, elicit the sense of the artist creating a dialogue between time and place, melding the present and the past. As Sydney continues to be re-shaped by large building and infrastructure projects, urban spaces are increasingly contested.

Shumack’s works are inhabited by the energy or spirit of each location, providing clues to the city’s layered history and the ways in which it has been shaped and loved by its inhabitants. Together, this impressive body of work reminds us not to take our city, or its history, for granted. Kaye Shumack is a much-admired member of the NAS community who very sadly passed away recently.

Melinda Hunt, one of Kaye’s fellow Drawing students in the NAS Master of Fine Art program, paid tribute to her:

“We all admired not just Kaye’s remarkable drawings but also her considered, insightful and affirming contributions to conversations about our work and theoretical concerns. Kaye loved being at NAS, her relationships with fellow students and supervisors and her light-filled studio where she could focus on making work. We’re thankful for the opportunity to know Kaye and pleased that thanks to her generosity, she will be remembered through the Kaye Shumack Sunflower Drawing Prize, an annual award of $3000 for an MFA Drawing graduate whose work contributes to broadening awareness of social issues.”

EXHIBITION DATES: Saturday 6 – Saturday 27 November 2021
EXHIBITION LOCATION: The Drawing Gallery
OPENING HOURS: Monday–Saturday, 11am–5pm
CURATORS: Katrina Cashman and Joe Frost

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Due to the overwhelming interest in The Neighbour at the Gate, we are excited to announce that the NAS Gallery is now open on Sunday, for the duration of the exhibition. 

Head to the link in bio to plan your visit.
Ever wondered what it’s like studying at the National Art School?

Find out at our Open Day on Saturday 6 September, 10am to 4pm.

Considering art as a career or simply curious about what happens behind the school’s historic sandstone walls? Save the date on Eventbrite (link in bio) to see what life is like for students at NAS by participating in studio demonstrations, chatting to our academic staff and visiting the NAS Gallery and student exhibition spaces across our campus.
The National Art School was saddened to hear of the recent death of artist and NAS alumnus Bruce Goold (1948-2025).

Born in Newcastle in 1948, from 1961- 65 Bruce attended Sydney Grammar School, where he studied art with ceramicist and potter Gordon McCausland. This was followed by a year at the National Art School, Newcastle. Here he experimented with various mediums and made his first linocut. He then studied at the National Art School, c. 1967-68. 

Bruce was a member of the artist collective Yellow House between 1970-72. The former Clune Gallery in Kings Cross was transformed by Martin Sharp and a group of fellow artists, who painted the exterior bright yellow and covered its internal walls with murals, portraits and decoration. Artists such as Brett Whiteley, Peter Wright, Bruce Goold, Greg Weight and Peter Kingston turned the building into an artwork, while visiting bands and celebrities made it a regular fixture of the Sydney scene.

Known principally as a printmaker, Goold created coloured linocuts and woodblocks including many images of Australian flora and fauna, as well as South Pacific inspired esoteric and symbolic subjects. He held solo exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne and internationally in London and Ireland. He received major commissions for poster, logo and interior design and worked as a designer for Mambo from 1992. 

A retrospective exhibition, Bruce Goold, Artist, Designer, Printmaker, curated by Therese Kenyon, was held at Manly Art Gallery & Museum in 2008.
The National Art School extends its sympathies to Bruce’s family and many friends.
—
Greg Weight, 'Bruce Goold', 1998, NAS Collection
Got a young artist at home?

Art Club Term 3 is now open for enrolment — and we’ve got an exciting painting program lined up. This term, kids will explore styles like Expressive Acrylics and Contemporary Watercolour, all while building their confidence and creativity.

Monday afternoons, led by artist and educator Grant Bellamy. 

Visit the link in bio to learn more and enrol.
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