NORTHERN NSW + GOLD COAST ARTIST – LORRAINE ABERNETHY
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Lorraine Abernethy’s life could be described as a life long passion for art. She has always had a commitment to art from an early age, whilst growing up in the Tweed. In her early years she resided in Sydney and North Queensland. Lorraine currently lives in Bilambil Heights Northern NSW, where her studio is located.
Her artwork has been described.. “she maintains a sense of adventure and experimentation in keeping with younger artists”.
More recently her work has evolved to include different mediums for a more fluid expression of imagery and that of her studies in art therapy. The art of inward looking, outward reaching, a new attention to energy and stillness Abernethy explores the surface of life through her work, scratching away at the layers, reaching beneath to reveal that which is glimpsed. As the artist Louise Bourgeois says “I’ve been to hell and back. And let me tell you it was wonderful.”
At art college Lorraine studied under artist/teachers: Elizabeth Cummings, Margaret Woodward, Clem Millward, Bela Evanyi, Madelaine Halliday, Ron McBurnie and Judy Watson to name a few.
Her influences in her early years were: Bonnard, Monet and Munch.
In more recent times women artists such as Kahlo, O’Keefe, Bourgeois, Julie Rapp and Judy Watson.
Also the writings of: Joseph Campbell, mythologist.
Teaching has become a large part of her life. Teaching art in its many forms, assisting people on their explorative, creative journey. Lorraine has found educating a very satisfying and life enriching experience. She has been an educator/teacher at TAFE and privately for over 25 years. . Art has been Lorraine’s companion as far back as she can remember. In life’s often unpredictable journey, she has become aware of how art can be a way for personal healing and insight.
Together with this understanding and through Lorraine’s studies in Transpersonal Art Therapy, she has developed workshops called “ Art as Healing.” Here, in a safe and supportive environment Lorraine accompanies the participant, assisting them to gain awareness and insight revealing their true authentic self. Letting go of the thinking mind and connecting to intuition, wisdom and creating a new paradigm, a new myth to live by.
These workshops, although they are using art as the tool to assist in awareness, the emphasis is always the creative journey. Therefore it is not a necessity for the participant to have any previous art experience.
Lorraine Abernethy
Born 1952 Armidale
Academic Background
2009 Mental Health First Aid Certificate
2004 Commenced Diploma in Transpersonal Art Therapy IKON – College of Complementary Medicine – Sydney
2005 Art Therapy – eight Weeks – University of Queensland
2005 Phone Counselling ARAFMI Queensland
2004 Palliative Care Conscious Dying Workshop – Gold Coast
2001 – 05 Certificate IV Assessment & Workplace Training
1985 – 86 Participant in six workshops including the University of New England and Toowoomba Macgregor Summer School
1985 – 86 Townsville College of TAFE – Lithography and Intaglio Printmaking
1982 – 84 Hornsby College of TAFE – Certificate Diploma of Fine Arts (Hons)
Professional Teaching Position
2018 Art Classes and Workshops Abernethy Studio Bilambil Heights
2016 Art Workshop St Hildas Southport
2016 Artist in Residence @ Atmosphere Kanifushi, Maldives
2016 Artist in Residence @ The One and Only, Maldives
2015 Art Workshops Hui No eau Maui, Hawaii
2015 Art Workshop Mount St Patricks Murwillumbah
2010 Artist in Residence Lindisfarne Crammar School Tweed Heads
2009-10 Artist in Residence, Couran Cove Island Resort
2000 – 18 Facilitator – Therapeutic Art, On Track, Connections. Tweed Heads South.
2008 Curator – Consumer Art Exhibition, Mental Health Week, Tweed City.
2008 Facilitator – Art as Healing Workshop, On Track, Connections. Tweed Heads South.
2008 – 09 Facilitator – Art as Healing, Abernethy Studio, Kingscliff.
2006 Judge for Ocean Shores Art Exhibition, Ocean Shores.
2006 Curator Art Exhibition and Guest Speaker Mental Health Week, Art Concepts Kingscliff
2006 Curator – Consumer Art Exhibition, Mental Health Week, Tweed Heads.
2006 Stress Relief Workshop for Staff at On Track, Tweed Heads South.
2006 Judge for The Border Art Prize, Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah.
2006 TAFE part time teacher – Art as Medicine, Murwillumbah
2006 Facilitator – Art Therapy Workshops for Wommin Bay Hostel Aged Residents
2005 Guest Speaker on Panel – Disability and the Arts, Tweed River Art Gallery
2005 Co – Facilitator – Art as Healing, Abernethy Art Studio, Kingscliff
2005 Co – Facilitator – Art as Healing, City of the Arts Space
2005 TAFE Part time teacher – Art as Medicine, Murwillumbah
2005 Facilitating City of the Arts disability Project and Exhibition
2003 – 04 Tutor – 2 day workshop for years 5/6 Talented in Visual Arts, Kingscliff TAFE
1997 – 2006 TAFE part time painting, drawing, printmaking Tutor
1998 – 2002 Art Food and Jazz Festival, Children’s Art
2001 Curious Art Minus Zero No Limits Co operative Ltd Chinderah, Director
1994 – 2018 Private Tutor Abernethy Art Studio, Bilambil Heights
1993 – 94 Drawing Tutor – Murwillumbah TAFE
1985 – 2018 Private Tutor – painting, drawing and printmaking
1985 – TAFE Adult Education – Part time
1985 – Member of the Flying Art School, Ingham, QLD
Commissioned Work
2010 – Public Art Mural @ Cabarita Youth Centre, Commissioned by Tweed Shire Council and the Cabarita Business Association
2007 Artist in Residence, Fingal Public School – Mural Project, 3 large panels.
2006 Artist in Residence, Wommin Bay Hostel, Kingscliff. –Mural Project in the dementia courtyard.
2005 Artist in Residence, Kingscliff public School – Mural Project, 4 murals through out school.
2002 – 03 Tweed Valley Clinic, Tweed Heads Hospital – Mural Project all throughout the clinic, funded by Rotary
Voluntary Positions
2004 – 05 Voluntary facilitating – Art Therapy Workshop, Tweeds Heads Mental Health Carers Network
2004 – 06 Voluntary teacher – art workshops for Connections, On Track
2000 – 02 Voluntary teacher– art workshops for The Tweed Valley Fellowship
1994 – 2001 Curator Art Exhibition – Professional Artists & Students – Abernethy Studio, Kingscliff
1991 – 93 National Print Prize Co- coordinator
Solo Exhibitions
2016 Framed – The Darwin Gallery, NT
2008 Framed – The Darwin Gallery, NT
2005 Community Printmakers Murwillumbah, NSW
1998 Liberator Gallery, Adelaide, SA
1998 Abernethy Studio, Kingscliff, NSW
1996 Tweed River Regional Art Gallery, Murwillumbah, NSW
1994 Framed – The Darwin Gallery, NT
1993 AAA Frames Chippendale, Sydney, NSW
1992 Gold Coast Fine Arts Gallery, Southport
1991 Australian Artisan Gallery, Cairns, QLD
1988 Whole Works Gallery, Palm Cove
1987 Martin Gallery, Townsville
1987 Capricorn Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
1987 Art 19 Gallery, Mackay
1986 Alfred Street Community Art Centre, Cairns, QLD
Prizes and Awards
2001 Tweed River Regional Art Gallery – Acquisition
2000 Kurume City, Japan – Acquisition
1995 St. Alberts School, Southport – Acquisitive Award
1995 Tweed Valley Art Prize – Acquisitive Award
1994 Tweed Valley Art Prize – Major Award
1993 Tweed Valley Art PrizevMajor Award
1992 Tweed Valley Art Prize – Popular Vote
1992 Community Printmakers, Murwillumbah – Highly Commended Inc. Print Prize
(Tweed River Regional Gallery Art Purchase)
1991 Murwillumbah Art Prize – Major Award
1990 Murwillumbah Art Prize – Acquisitive Award
1988 Hinchinbrook Shire Council & Rotary Art – Open Award
1987 Hinchinbrook Shire Council & Rotary Art – Print Award
1987 Hinchinbrook Shire Council & Rotary Art – Print Award
1986 Townsville Art Society – Print Award
1986 Tweed Banana Festival – Traditional Award
1986 Mackay Artist and Art (Australian Airlines) – Major Award
1986 Hornsby College of TAFE – Painting Award
1984 Hornsby College of TAFE – Printmakers Award
1982 Mackay Art Society – Contemporary Award
1982 Mackay Art SocietyvTraditional Award.
Group Exhibitions
2017 Reves D’Automne, Baie St Paul, Quebec, Canada.
2017 Village Galleries, Maui, Hawaii.
2016 Village Galleries, Maui, Hawaii.
2015 Abernethy,Baxter, Tremewen, Robina, Queensland.
2015 Village Galleries, Maui, Hawaii.
1014 Village Galleries, Maui, Hawaii.
2014 Artspace, Kingscliff.
2013 Kartspace Gallery, Peregian, Queensland.
2013 Village Galleries, Maui, Hawaii.
2012 Village Galleries, Maui, Hawaii.
2009 Sofitel Hotel, Broadbeach, Gold Coast.
2009 The Stations of the Cross – Framed The Darwin Gallery, NT.
2007 Finalist – Olive Cotton Award – Tweed River Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2006 XO Gallery, Tweed Heads South
2004 Erotica By The Sea – Casuarina Convention Centre, NSW
2003 Oz Exchange Exhibition Bond University, Gold Coast
2002 Curious Art, Chinderah, NSW
2001 Culture Plus, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Broadbeach
On Site Exhibition, Tweed River Art Gallery
2000 – Gallery O, Kurume, Japan
2000 –1986 Numerous group exhibitions within Australia
1998 A Brush with Music, Abernethy Studio, Kingscliff
1996 Community Printmakers, Murwillumbah Inc
Michael Burke Gallery Brisbane
Coastline Artist, Metro Arts, Brisbane
1995 Studio Nudes, Watling Galleries, Southport
1993 Prints from the Deep North, Lismore Regional Gallery
Open Bite Printmakers Exhibition, Rowntree Gallery, Balmain
1992 Fourteen Northern River Artists, Red Hill Gallery, Brisbane
Making a Living – The Working Artists of the Tweed, Tweed River Regional Art Gallery
On The Wall, Artists Al Fresco, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
1990 Invitation to The Print, Tweed River Regional Gallery
Three Woman Exhibition, Capricorn Gallery, Melbourne
Three Woman Exhibition, Griffith Park Gallery, Murwillumbah
1989 Christmas Exhibition, Griffith Park Gallery, Murwillumbah
1988 One Million Miles, Capricorn Gallery, Design Warehouse, Melbourne
Paint to Music, Tyalgum Music Festival, Tyalgum
1987 Seven on the Wall, Chocolate Factory, Lismore
Printers Exhibition, Chocolate Factory, Lismore
Tropical North, Whole Works Gallery, Palm Cove
Bougainvillea Festival Art Exhibition, Framed – The Darwin Gallery
Community Printmakers, Murwillumbah Inc, Gold Coast Fine Arts Gallery
Wednesday Painters Exhibition
Indy Images, Marriott Hotel, Surfers Paradise
Two Women Plus Bob, Abernethy Studio, Kingscliff
1986 Palms Gallery, Townsville
Three Contemporary Women, Palms Gallery, Townsville
Bougainvillea Festival, Framed – The Darwin Gallery
Patron of the arts
The Abernethy Family, in recognition of the importance of Art in managing Mental Illness in all its forms awards The Tony Abernethy Memorial Award, “The Human Condition” at the CPM Print Prize Tweed River Art Gallery.
Judging
2013 – Boonah Arts Festival, Art Exhibition – Boonah Cultural Centre
2006 – Border Art Prize – Tweed Regional Art Gallery
2006 – Ocean Shores Art Expo, Ocean Shores
1999 – Judging Panel, Byron Easter Classic – Byron Bay Community Centre
Northern NSW + Gold Coast Artist – Lorraine Abernethy