SHIRLEY CAMERON ROBERTS

Artist Statement:
Trees have always meant a lot to me. I grew up in the Mallee in Victoria and my earliest memories are of hours spent along the banks of the Murray River under the shade of massive river red gums. I loved those stately gums. Their trunks streaked with straggly bark, long limbs reaching out across the water.
Until recently I had not included trees in my painting. That all changed in 1998 when a storm blew down a magnificent gum just near our studio. A neighbour used his chain saw to cut it into small sections for our fire. Those random cuts, through wooden trunk and limbs, produced sculptural pieces that made me look at trees in a new light, inspiring a number of drawings. For the first time I saw strong parallels between the human form and the trunks and limbs of trees. Paintings followed.
My earlier work evolved mainly from the human form with all its imperfections. The truly beautiful body was not for me. Skinny, angular shapes or plump, slightly overweight forms appealed. Interesting that now I have turned to trees, it is not the regular forms of many exotic species that attracts me, but rather the untidy, ragged beauty of Australian eucalypts. Tough trees, great survivors that fight back against amazing odds and are only really seriously threatened by the relentless activities of the human race.

I live in the Allyn River valley surrounded by rolling hills and the sparse groups of eucalypts allowed by traditional farming methods. I wake in the mornings to a view through the window of tree trunks and a network of limbs silhouetted against winter mists or the golds of sunny mornings. Nearby is the Barrington Tops State Forest and National Park. This has been my working environment for the past ten years.
As I paint I am influenced by all these things as well as a grave concern for the environment that enables trees and other plants and creatures to thrive. This is the subject of my paintings.

Resume:
Education & Professional Experience
1967 - Bachelor of Commerce, University of Melbourne
1967-77 - Painting and drawing classes at the Victorian Council for adult Education, the Victorian Artists society and Prahran technical College.
1972 - Travelled overseas viewing art works in galleries and museums in the UK and Europe.
1988 - Abstract painting and collage at the Workshop Arts Centre, Willoughby, NSW.
1967-82 - Employed as Auditor, an Economic Research Officer then as an Accountant/Office Manager for law firms in Melbourne.
1982-86 - Moved to Sydney. Accountant Office Manager for solicitors Parish Patience then Ferrier and Associates
1991- Coordinator, Third International Master Print Fair, Sydney
1995-97 - Editor/co-designer Workshop Arts Centre News and Views for the Workshop Arts Centre, Willoughby. Periodic writing for commercial tourism brochures.
1997 - Artist in Residence Programme Tutor, Maitland City Arts Gallery; Demonstrator, Visual Arts, Avondale College, Cooranbong.

Solo Exhibitions

1992 - Manning Regional Gallery, Taree
1994 - Kenthurst Gallery, Sydney
1995 - Kenthurst Gallery, Sydney
1995 - von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1997 - Players on the Board, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1999 - Forest Fragments, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle

Group Exhibitions

1970 - Victorian Artists society, members exhibitions
1979 - Joint exhibition with Bloo Souter, Toorak, Melbourne
1987 - Exhibition Victoria and Albert, Mount Victoria – 3 Painters
1989 - Regular mixed exhibitions, Mosman Gallery, Sydney
1990 - Regular mixed exhibitions, Mosman Gallery, Sydney
1990 - Jazz, Eaglehawke Galleries, Sydney
1991/92 - Mixed Exhibitions, Nudes and other Animals and Journey in Colour, Duke of Wellington Gallery, Sydney
1992 - Festival of Sydney Exhibition, Westpac, 39 Martin Place, Sydney
1993 - Selections, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1993 - Aspects of Love, Kenthurst Gallery, Kenthurst
1993 - Survey of women Artists of the Hunter region, Maitland Regional Gallery
1993 - Collectors Choice, von Bertouch Galleries and continuing annually
1994 - Sydney Harbour Exhibition, Kenthurst Gallery, Kenthurst
1994 - Newcastle Bight Environmental Art Award, von Bertouch Galleries
1994 - Mosman Art Prize, Adjudicator’s Selection, also 1992
1994 - Two Artists of the Hunter, Butterflies Gallery, Pokolbin
1995 - Portia Geach Memorial Portrait Award, also 1994 and 1992
1996 - Tomago House, a Celebration Through art, Tomago House then von Bertouch Galleries
1996 - Artistic Relationships Number 2, Maitland City Art Gallery
1997 - Things with Cats, Kenthurst Gallery, Kenthurst
1997 - Tyrrell’s Triumph – Another Dimension, Maitland City Art Gallery
1998 - Selections, von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle
1998 - Eleventh Maitland City Art Gallery Festival of Visual Arts also 1993/94/96/97
1998 - The Elements, inaugural exhibition, Akky van Ogtrop Fine Art Gallery
1998 - Sydney Group Exhibitions Kenshurst Gallery
1998 - Rites of the River, Festival and Art Trail, Maitland Central Business District; 1998 - Combined Exhibition with Brian Roberts, The Private Gallery, Sydney
1999 - “The Embrace”, Work of The Month – Selected Work From The Permanent Collection Maitland City Art Gallery, January 1999, Foyer Gallery, Maitland Council Administration Centre
1999 - Women Who Mean Business, Morpeth Art Studio, Morpeth
1999 - Twelfth Maitland City Art Gallery Festival of the Visual Arts – Thoughts on the End of the Second Millenium
1999 - The Redlands Westpac Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2000 - Fragments From the Forest to the Sea, North Sydney Fine Art Gallery, North Sydney
2000 - Thirteenth Maitland City Art Gallery Festival of Visual Arts, “Brave New World? A Statement”

Collections

ABN Amro Merchant Bank
Maitland City Art Gallery
Private Collections in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA

Prizes And Awards

1993 - Drawing and Mixed Media, Northholme
1994 - Open Section, Scone
1994 - Best Painting, Walkom Manning
1994 - Biennial Art Prize, Taree
1994 - Open Contemporary Section, Singleton
1994 - Maitland Open Drawing, Watercolour or Print Prize, Acquisitive
1996 - Newcastle Drawing Prize
1996 - Open Contemporary Section, Singleton
1997 - Maitland Open Drawing, Watercolour or Print Prize, Acquisitive

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