Art Auction

My memoir, Breastless, was launched on Valentine's day, 14 February, 2021, at the home of Liz Wagner. It was a beautiful morning at which we raised over $15,000 to support Blush Cancer Care. Our inspiration for the event was based on this quote by Terri Windling -

Community, Friendship, Art: stirred together, they make a powerful magic.

Used wisely, it can save your life. I know it saved mine.

We were humbled and very grateful for the overwhelming support we received from our community and friends.

As part of our theme, we asked some local artists and family members to donate artworks for a silent auction. The only brief given to the artists was “something to do with self-love”. I'm pleased to say that all of the beautiful artworks have now been sold and have gone to good homes. Thanks to all the artists for your generous donations and to everyone who place a bid.

1 | Ros Billingsley |

Inspirations

Acrylic | 104cm x 74cm

Rosalind Billingsley graduated from Cambridge College of Art in England, specialising in graphic design. She also has a talent for painting portraits, receiving many commissions from dignitaries. One of her portraits was accepted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and her paintings can be found in many countries around the world. Ros came to Toowoomba in 1992, bringing with her ‘AdArt’, a graphic design and print business which she ran for about ten years. She continued painting portraits, including one of Fred Hollows which was auctioned for Refugee Week. She enjoys capturing the essence and mood of a scene. This painting, ‘Inspirations’, for the ‘Blush’ auction was inspired by Irene Amos’s class at the McGregor Summer School.

2 | Fay Cooney | You Go Girl. You’ve got this! Acrylic, 30cm x 20cm

3 | Lynette Cooney| Scarab Beetle

Silicon bronze, cast at Chalkos Fine Arts Foundary | 105mm L, 62mm W, 50mm H, 1.5kg

Lynette is a Brisbane based artist—sculpture exhibitions with Qld Sculpture Society at North Shore Brisbane(2020), yearly Botanical Gardens Brisbane, private collections.

Inspiration : Ancient Egyptian mythology - the scarab beetle was a popular symbol and amulet, said to bring good luck.

4 |Leanne Penberthy | The Dancer Acrylic | 60cm x 74cm

“Hidden by her delicacy lies her strength, power and beauty. It shines from within.

Love her, cherish her and nurture her, she is amazing.” Lally P 2020

5 |Allan Cooney | Giti

Oil | 61cm x 76cm

"Giti worked for my parents, she was mid-60s when I met her, a quiet reserved Iranian woman with patchy English and a burqa. Five years previously she lived in Iran when her son fell afoul of the regime. He was incarcerated and to all intents and purposes disappeared. His wife and children and another son decided to leave Iran. The only way to do this was to walk over the mountains into Turkey. Giti was 60 then and she went along because the youngest of the children was a toddler and someone had to carry her.

Whilst there are many elements to this story that leave me in awe of Giti—including the endless depth and power of a grandmother’s love—there is one element that stands out. She developed a flu with a hacking cough while crossing the mountains which were patrolled both sides of the border and they needed to pass silently. Giti did two things, she tore off a piece of her skirt and stuffed it into her mouth to muffle the cough whilst unable to breathe because of a stuffed nose—and she kept her calm because everyone’s life required her to keep that child quiet in a very threatening situation. They would walk, wait, walk, wait. They would wait with power and the power of a wait is vastly underestimated in our world. “Allan

6 |Fay Cooney | Freedom

Oil | 45cm x 56 cm

The following quote by Mandy Hale inspired this painting -

”Just be yourself. Let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, beautiful, magical person that you are.”

7 |Terese Eglington | Compassion Acrylic and mixed media on canvas | 61cm x 51cm

Completed 7 January 2021

“Compassion’ is a piece with many layers, not just physically. Drawing in spiritual energy, the focus is giving and receiving love by way of caring for and nurturing one another. Compassion is a two-way gift with both the giver and the recipient benefitting. It is important to show oneself compassion and find ways to nurture your mind, your body, your soul.

The artwork was created through many layers of colour and texture. The use of skeleton leaves links with the earth and the addition of feathers is synonymous with angelic beings and spirit. Brush techniques emulate energy flowing and radiating around both the young lady and the healer. A sense of calm and peace has been developed through the use of subtle blue, pink and yellow hues and the expressions and positions of the two figures.

In creating this artwork I used myself and my daughter as models. Although I pictured myself as a spiritual being, I have no intention of leaving this earth anytime soon. This was to show the love and compassion that binds mother and child and transcends our physical presence. When I cannot be near my daughter, I am there in spirit, supporting her in her quest just as I feel my mother is with me when the need arises.” Terese

8 |Maree Cameron | Pink Poppies

Acrylic | 71cm x 60.5cm

“From my inner self, these poppies express themselves as a symbol of love.” Maree

9 | Coralee McCarthy | New York... Here I Come

Mixed media | 61cm x 61cm

“This is connecting two of my favourite destinations. I collected French newspapers of the New York Times over a series of trips to France . These make the backdrop of my art piece.

Who knows when I get back.” Coralee

10 | Karen Canning | Green Living Art Studio fifty three

Living Sculpture | 90cm x 90cm

“The living heart makes a big statement! They are green and lush all year round and have a show of delicate pink flowers a couple of times a year. The foliage is hardy and enjoys shade to partial shade. You don't need to have a green thumb to have a green heart.” Karen

11 | Tony Lawton Raw Images Photography raw-images@outlook.com 0422532784

Steel Sculpture made from nuts and steel blanks | life size, approx. 20kg (Stand not included) Tony is a photographer from Withcott who began making his gorgeous tactile sculptures after he learned how to use a stick welder and because he wanted blind people to be able to enjoy his art. His art is his legacy to the world and he has chosen to donate the female form to Blush Cancer Care so he can make a difference.

12 | Beth Hunter | Shedding the Shroud

2020 | Medium: Graphatint & Sharpie Marker on canvas | 60 x 60 cm

“I did this piece for an Exhibition at the Wilsonton Community Gallery - "Petals Praise & Prose" - our annual Spring display. My original thought process was of an image of a woman with flowers fountaining her flowing locks, effected in a 'Renaissance' essence, with sepia tones. As the image came to life I found my graphite impressions were fleeing and floating but not florally - instead the angles and curves of a freed head scarf or binding wrap emerged and instead of a female, a somewhat androgynous human figure developed features and exposed both a fragility and nobility, revealing a determined, inner strength and beauty, boldly devoid of adornment. Free...The finished foundation lines remind me of seams or scars or stitches like a sewing pattern pieced together - reflecting a patched and mended soul and physicality, - not 'Frankensteinish' but altered, amended and prepared to flourish and find peace and purpose in new form.

I am an Artist and Teacher with a Psychology background and believe eternally and emphatically in the therapeutic benefits of creativity and expression. I am the Co-ordinator of the Wilsonton Community Gallery, where we encourage and welcome everyone from novice to experienced to make their mark with pride.” Beth Hunter, 0439 246 401

13 | Kelly Charles | Louisa’s Time Acrylic | 45cm x 45cm

“Louisa is a fictitious character but I just felt it was her time and time for her.” Kelly

14 | Yvonne Guyatt | I Am What I Am

Pencil | 44.7cm x 32.5cm

A quizzical giraffe. Did you know giraffe rhymes with laugh?—Donna O’Connell

15 | Maryika Welter | Fusing-Point

Acrylic | 45cm X 90cm

“There is a point of agreement between the body and mind that allows a new experience to be congealed and a cellular change has occurred. We take on aspects of an experience through a perception of love or fear. We endure the full gamut of emotions from joy, shock, sadness etc.

The face is the image that shows the most expression and we identify with that. We can literally see joy or pain on a person’s face in the instance of their response. As an observer, my intention was to capture an image of an emotional response and suspend the face in distortion as it changes. It is at a very precise moment where change is inevitable. It is the silence of the mind and the stillness in the breath where the body responds and ‘fuses’ the moment internally. It becomes part of our identity and personality. We are in constant flux of our environment, almost a fluidity that is impermanent. We are forever changing and making adaptations to our beliefs as we grow.” Maryika 0407 664 761 maryika@bigpond.com

16 | Jill Holloway

Mixed Medium | 25cm x 30cm

Behind every strong woman is a story that gave her no other choice—Nakeia Homer

17 | Lucille Cooney | Handmade heart-shaped birdbath Lucillesbirdbaths@gmail.com Insta: lucilles_birdbaths

“Self-love from my viewpoint is trusting myself to create something beautiful. This heart-shaped birdbath is a representation of that self-love. Being handmade it isn’t a perfect thing but that imperfection for me is the source of its beauty. I hope the birds enjoy bathing in it and those whose garden it sits in will feel its beauty and derive a sense of calm from that sensation.” Lucille

18 | A W Morton | Still Life of Roses and Fruit Abstract, Oil under Glass | 62cm x 87cm

Bill Morton is an Artist Teacher and Commission Artist.

Web: www.awmorton.com.au Mob: 0437 326 554 (evenings) Email: echopechey@gmail.com

19 | Jack Nottle| Cat Oil on hardboard | 56.5cm x 45.5cm

“What animal totemizes self love more than a cat? So I painted a cat enjoying its own company.” Jack

20 | Narjia Brownlie |

‘was it me, was it learned’

Open-edition Giclee Print on Smooth Cotton Rag - the original painting was done with acrylic | 435 x 560 x 20mm

“I am inspired by the feminine condition and the intricacies of the female experience, particularly the complex ways women connect, associate and dissociate with one another. The painting ‘was it me, was it learned’ draws on and analyses the perception and celebration of self in the modern day.” Narjia

21. Anna Battle | Wisdom in Flight Acrylic | 51cm x41cm

After painting and teaching art for so many years I still feel like I'm finding my 'style'. SO MANY THINGS interest me, and while I used to paint exclusively from my imagination, I now prefer a reference image to guide me.

I think this painting, 'Wisdom in Flight', marries 'representative art' with my illustrative-painting abilities and it is the first of a series I will be sharing at this year's Grammar Art Show. With pinks for Blush, and an owl denoting wisdom (I called my daughter 'Sophia' which means wisdom, so owls are always special) I painted this piece especially for Stacy's launch event. She's a wise woman and a friend to so many. Long may she fly.