Art Almanac: Veronica Cay conversations with my aunt

Art Almanac: Veronica Cay conversations with my aunt

2021-10-13

Buderim-based artist Veronica Cay presents an exhibition of mixed media drawings, works on canvas and ceramic figures in ‘conversations with my aunt’. This series of new works are embodied with imaginary conversations the artist wishes she could have had with an audacious aunt who, in 1936, left her conservative family home in Toowoomba, Queensland, bound for Sydney’s National Art School, never to return. Cay reminisces on her aunt’s life with a pictorial storyboard rendered in dazzling colour and luminous light.

Image: Veronica Cay, Uccello’s hat, 2021, oil, charcoal on polycotton canvas, 120 × 102 cm. Courtesy the artist and Anthea Polson Gallery, Queensland

When the 25th Dobell Drawing Prize winner Rosemary Lee (@cooldog94) visited the Prize exhibition in 2021, she made a personal commitment to enter every year. Watch our interview with Rosemary to find out more about the inspiration behind her artwork.

The Dobell Prize exhibition is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025. Free admission, all welcome.

View

May 4

Open

When the 25th Dobell Drawing Prize winner Rosemary Lee (@cooldog94) visited the Prize exhibition in 2021, she made a personal commitment to enter every year. Watch our interview with Rosemary to find out more about the inspiration behind her artwork.

The Dobell Prize exhibition is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025. Free admission, all welcome.

Looking for exhibitions to view this weekend? Here are some current exhibitions with National Art School staff and alumni:

1) NAS Alum Mitch Cairns has a solo exhibition ‘Restless Legs` at @artgalleryofnsw until 9 June 2025. Books, chimneys and a lyre are among the motifs featured in this electric show.

2) Former NAS Head of Postgraduate Studies Ian Greig opens his solo exhibition ‘Within the Light of Thing’ at @arthousegallery this Saturday 3 May. Join Ian for his Artist Talk at 2pm to learn more about his new stylistic development.

3) NAS Head of Painting Stephen Little has a solo exhibition ‘The Harbinger Suite: Reliquaries‘ at @maiswright.gallery. The exhibition continues until 3 May 2025.

4) NAS Painting Lecturer Gemma Smith is displaying ‘Compression dissolve’ in The Intelligence of Painting exhibition at @mca_australia until 20 July 2025. ‘The Intelligence of Painting’ presents paintings from 14 Australian women artists of multiple generations.

Image credit 1: Mitch Cairns ‘9–5’ 2024, oil on linen, 124.5 x 104.5 cm, collection of the artist © Mitch Cairns, courtesy The Commercial, Sydney, photo: The Commercial

Image credit 2: Ian Greig ‘Bundjalung Country’ 2025, oil on linen, 168 x 168 cm. Courtesy the artist and the Arthouse Gallery © the artist

Image credit 3: Stephen Little, installation view of ‘The Harbinger Suite: Reliquaries’, 2025. Courtesy the artist and MAIS WRIGHT © the artist, photograph: Robin Hearfield

Image credit 4: Gemma Smith, Compression dissolve, 2024, installation view The Intelligence of Painting, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2025, acrylic on canvas, courtesy the artist and Sullivan + Strumpf © the artist, photograph: Hamish McIntosh

View

May 1

Open

We are pleased to announce two international residency opportunities for our alumni and staff community for 2026: The Onslow Storrier NAS Residency La Cité Internationale Des Arts, Paris and The British School at Rome.

These residencies offer a unique chance to immerse yourself in the vibrant art scenes of two iconic European cities, Paris and Rome, and further develop your artistic practice in an enriching cultural environment.

Application Deadline: Sunday 29 June 2025

Learn more and apply at the link in bio.
—
Sophia Lee Georgas BSR Open Studio, 2023, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome; Harry de Vries BSR Open Studio, 2024, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome

View

Apr 28

Open

We are pleased to announce two international residency opportunities for our alumni and staff community for 2026: The Onslow Storrier NAS Residency La Cité Internationale Des Arts, Paris and The British School at Rome.

These residencies offer a unique chance to immerse yourself in the vibrant art scenes of two iconic European cities, Paris and Rome, and further develop your artistic practice in an enriching cultural environment.

Application Deadline: Sunday 29 June 2025

Learn more and apply at the link in bio.
—
Sophia Lee Georgas BSR Open Studio, 2023, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome; Harry de Vries BSR Open Studio, 2024, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome

Thank you to everyone who has come through to see the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize for its first week. The exhibition is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025. Please note we are open this Saturday and closed for the observed Easter holidays.
—
Good Friday CLOSED 18 April 2025
Easter Saturday OPEN Sat 19 April 2025, 11am – 5pm
Easter Sunday CLOSED Sun 20 April 2025
Easter Monday CLOSED Mon 21 April 2025
Anzac Day CLOSED Fri 25 April 2025
—
Installation view, 24th Dobell Drawing Prize, National Art School Gallery, Sydney, 2025, image courtesy the artists and National Art School © the artists, photograph: Peter Morgan

View

Apr 17

Open

Art Club is our high school student program for 15-17 year olds, designed to enhance and extend students’ technical, conceptual, and intellectual skills, through intensive practical study in the disciplines offered at NAS as well as engaging in an experience of our studios and campus, under the expert direction of experienced artists.

Set your child on a creative path with Art Club.

Learn more at the link in bio.

View

Apr 15

Open

Art Club is our high school student program for 15-17 year olds, designed to enhance and extend students’ technical, conceptual, and intellectual skills, through intensive practical study in the disciplines offered at NAS as well as engaging in an experience of our studios and campus, under the expert direction of experienced artists.

Set your child on a creative path with Art Club.

Learn more at the link in bio.

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening night of the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize and congratulations again to the prize winner NAS alumna Rosemary Lee.

The 24th Dobell Drawing Prize is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday
NAS Gallery
Free admission, all welcome

Learn more about the exhibition at the link in bio.

View

Apr 11

Open

Art Almanac: Veronica Cay conversations with my aunt