Congratulations to gallery Artist, Erika Cholich selected as Finalist in The 2022 Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize with her work, Broken 2022, oil on canvas.
The Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize is an annual acquisitive prize that was launched in 2017 to advance art and opportunity for emerging and established women artists in Australia. It is the highest value professional artist prize for women in Australia.
Artwork judging is overseen by Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize Patron and acclaimed artist, Jennifer Turpin.
“As Principal of Ravenswood I am delighted to present the Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize. Inspiring and connecting female visual artists, this significant Art Prize will strengthen the profile and legitimacy of careers in art for current and future generations of Australian women.” — Anne Johnstone, Principal, Ravenswood
“As Chairman of the Ravenswood Foundation, it is an honour to launch the 2022 Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize. The prize has been established to raise the profile of this country’s great women artists and to assist in helping the next generation of artists reach their fullest potential. I am confident the Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize has and will play a major role in championing women artists across Australia and provide the platform for future generations of artists to flourish.” — John McLean, Ravenswood Foundation Chairman
About this work:
I work from life in oils, primarily in the still-life genre. This painting depicts elements from nature that I found broken after heavy rainfall.
It is a pleasurable challenge to create an aesthetic whole from random parts. Outside of Covid, rain has been a memorable feature of this year’s Spring and Summer. It seemed to be lengthening the blooming period and enhancing the contrasts between the greens found here in my local environs.
Access to fresh blooms became problematic during the lockdown imposed on my area. This pushed me to find alternative components to add interest and variety to my work. I am now incorporating an assortment of pods collected while “exercising”. The attraction I have to these pods lies in their design and purpose, contrasting with the conventional beauty found in brighter native blooms. This contrast adds a new dimension to my work and a more thorough description of the cycle of life. Ultimately, this past year was about finding solutions to unprecedented limitations. ~ Erika Cholich 2022.
Image: Erika Cholich, Broken, 2022
Exhibition Dates: 14 – 29 May 2022
Opening Event: 13 May 2022
Ravenswood, 10 Henry St, Gordon NSW 2072.