Invitation to Spring Select Exhibition at VAS

 Join me this Saturday, 6th September at 7pm for the opening of the Victorian Artists Society Spring Select Exhibition - 'Muster' will be on show.

Location: Frater, McCubbin & Hammond Galleries
 430 Albert Street, East Melbourne

The VAS Spring Select Exhibition marks the third and final qualifying round for artists competing for the prestigious Hylton Mackley Artist of the Year Award.

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The highly anticipated Select exhibitions showcase VAS member artists working across all mediums, with the strongest works selected to be exhibited throughout the upper galleries and eligible for peer votes toward December’s $17,000 major prize. Each of the three Select Exhibitions across the year also offers a $1,500 first prize.

There is no overarching theme for the Spring Select—rather, the focus is on presenting the very best of what VAS artists have to offer. As the selection process becomes increasingly competitive, the Spring Select promises to be a celebration of the diverse and dynamic talent within the VAS community.

VAS

 

Edward Heffernan Drawing Award: UPDATE 25/8/25

I won Second Prize!

 

 Join me this Sunday, 24 August at 3.30pm at the Edward Heffernan Drawing Exhibition 2025 Award ceremony at the Victorian Artists Society, where my work 'Cane Train' will be on display. Held in the Cato Gallery and Mackley Member's Room this exhibition is one of the highlights in the Drawing calender at VAS.

 'Cane Train': Graphite and colour pencil on tea stained 300gsm paper. 2024 Linda Weil©

The 'Edward Heffernan Memorial Drawing Prizes' are awarded in honour of Edward Heffernan, past president of VAS from 1977 to 1980. He served on the VAS Council for 12 years and was also awarded the Distinguished VAS Service Award, Honorary life Membership, VAS Fellowship and the Order of Australia Medal for his services to Arts. 

VAS 

New from Old

Very excited to have picked up my custom order of Dodgy Paper this week! A few weeks back I cleaned the studio out, culling old unfinished or unwanted drawings. Rather than tossing it into the yellow bin, I gave it all to Roger at Dodgy to make me new sheets!

 

My big stack of new A4 paper! Nearly 100 sheets! Created primarily from Fabriano Artistico, St. Cuthberds and various 300gsm art paper. Look at how much paper!!!

 Roger gave me some lovely extra coloured sheets to play with. Plus I purchased some Lousy Ink pens. These are pens made from recycled plastic and inks from photocopiers.

 

Paper making in process at Dodgy from my paper.

 

All the old paper, sorted into cruddy, good, better, best (in the box)

Can't wait to have a little play with my new paper and new pens.
Oh, and Roger has little kits for sale so you can make your own A5 sheets at home! Check out his link and the link for Louse ink below.
@dodgy.paper
@lousy.ink

Term 3 - Mentone Mordialloc Art Group

 It was the start of Term 3 at Mentone Mordialloc Art Group yesterday, and although the afternoon class has good numbers there are still 2 places available. The evening class numbers are way down, and there are 5 places available. Why not contact MMAG and join us? MMAG

I guess it is just cold and too miserable to make the trek into art class? But this term is all about fun and being creative with your drawings! Each week you will be given three mystery prompts to draw - draw one, draw them all - be realistic, be imaginative, just have fun. References will be your imagination (or if you wish you can google on your phone).

If you'd like to have a go the prompts yesterday were:
1. Draw three things that are always found in your handbag or backpack
2. Draw the favourite seasonal item of clothing that you wore this week (hat, gloves, shoes, etc)
3. Draw 3 things that made you smile today! 

What made me smile? The kids on the playground through the windows... and my new fingerless gloves.

Mentone Mordialloc Art Group 'Drawing for fun' classes are each Thursday. Afternoon sessions 1.30pm to 3.30pm, Evening sessions 7.30pm to 9.30 pm. Held at the gallery/Mentone Hub, Venice Street, Mentone. Best time to contact the office is Friday mornings 10am to 12.30pm, or phone and leave a message on 0404033109. Include your phone number in your message and the co-ordinator will get back to you.

MMAG 

Camberwell art show

 It's that time of year again, and the extravaganza of the Camberwell Art Show opens to the public from Saturday June 28th to Sunday 6th July 2025.

This is the shows' 60th year! The 60th Anniversary Gala Opening is at 6pm, Friday June 27 and will feature 10 demonstrating artists. Tickets online here → 

Do try to make this show if you can, it promises to be a huge event in the Melbourne art scene. I will have 6 works on show, one of which is a favourite of mine, Equis Maris from the Bestiary series. Enjoy!

 

 

End of an Era

After 25 years, sadly, Tacit Art will be closing. This wonderfull gallery has supported my art for the past 10 years and I will miss them so much.

Tonight (Wednesday May 28) is the final Opening Event - if you can get along to farewell the lads please do so. Better yet, come during the final run of this Group Exhibition featuring some amazing artists, especially TJ Bateson (Tim). Come, see, buy if you can.

Snip from Tacit Art instagram page 27/5/25; View page HERE
 

Pole and Line

 It's been a few weeks - I have been busy! Doing lots of small format sculptures, playing around with oils, teaching, getting prepared for new term, gym, life, etc... But here is something hot of the desk!

I recently created a small format sculpture based around a Sirena tuna tin, and while it is 'okay', I knew I could do something better! So I recreated the concept in graphite on paper. And I am far more pleased with the result.
I only every buy Sirena tuna now - it is sustainably fished in Australian waters with pole and line. An all Australian company - not to mention being delicious.

'Pole and Line' Drawing: Staedtler graphite pencils on Fabriano Artistico Hot press 300gsm.
©Linda Weil 2025

 

 
Miniature: Polymere clay, acrylic paint, clear resin, glitter, copper wire, coathanger wire, Sirena Tuna tin.

Mech'shrooms

 I asked my classes to create a drawing of fungi in an imaginative or fantastical way - to go past reality into another world. Here is my demonstration piece:

 

Exhibiting in London!

 I was thrilled to have a work accepted in The Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition 2025 at the Mall Galleries in London!

'Lepus' is hung and now on display! This is the second showing of 'Lepus', first seen here in Melbourne at Tacit Art in 2024.

 'Lepus' ©Linda Weil 2024. Graphite and colour pencil on tea-stained 300gsm paper

#RBA2025: OPEN NOW!

The Royal Society of British Artists is hosting an exciting programme of events throughout the exhibition, with exciting lectures, workshops and talks.
The exhibition will be open until 8 March 2025, from 10am to 5pm.

You can see the full exhibition online at the Mall Galleries website HERE 

or follow these instagram links:
@royalsocbritishartists
@tacitart_314
#MallGalleries #RBA25 #RoyalSocietyofBritishArtists #Artist #ArtLondon #Exhibition #Contemporaryexhibition #LondonGallery

Fabulous Fungi Demos

 We've been working in graphite and inks 'from life' - common supermarket button and cap mushrooms. Just experimenting with using pencils and various types of inks. Here are few of the deomonstration works I completed in class.

 Class 1. Mushroom 'notes' from JM Laws video 'Drawing Mushrooms'. LINK

Class 2: Graphite studies 'from life

 Class 3: Ink studies 'from life' and previous notes
 

Ink study 'from life' - thank you James for the oyster 'shroom!

 Ink study from personal photo. Lamy pen, Tombo markers

Term 1, 2025 begins soon!

 Hope you have all had a great summer and are looking forward to the start of the new year of classes! I have been away for a week in January running a colour pencil workshop in Bellingen, NSW, Camp Creative. If you zip over to my instagram page you can see some of the fabulous work the students did. Just click the icon on the right and ask to follow.

But now it is time to look forward to the new term... Fabulous Fungi (and florals)! All classes are currently full and wait list applies, contact VAS or MMAG. You will be able to follow along with some of the projects here or on my instagram page. As a taster and practice, here are a few little observational drawings I have done in preparation for the classes:

 

Button mushroom, ink. 15 minutes

Common gill type mushroom found in my cane mulch. Actual size is 3cm high. Graphite and colour pencil, about 1.5 hours

Button/cooking mushrooms, graphite pencil. 1.5 hours

From Laneways to Landscapes

Upcoming exhibition at The Victorian Artists Society
15 Jan 2025 – 2 Feb 2025
Location: Cato Gallery, 430 Albert Street
East Melbourne.
I am showing my two 'Dodgy Paper' ink works - 'Dodgy Fitzroy Alley' and 'Dodgy Abbotsford Shop'. A4 sized works, framed.

Dodgy paper is a unique handmade paper crated from recycled paper here in Melbourne. Fun to play and draw on! 

'Dodgy Abbotsford shop' ©Linda Weil 2025

'Dodgy Fitzroy Alley' ©Linda Weil 2025

On instagram:
@victorianartistssociety
@dodgy.paper
@tacitart_314
@lindaweilfineart