‘Art’s not about imitation, it’s about representation - presenting something already known back in another form.’ Lloyd Rees (via his son Alan)

Artist Kerry Suttonberg with her 'Highway to Berry'

An eclectic, colourful and lively group of more than 100 attendees packed into GLaM’s exhibition space on Thursday night, for the Gerringong & District Historical Society’s “Lloyd Rees Revisited” A Night at the Museum event. Proceedings opened with a rousing Welcome to Country by Indigenous artist and Elder Auntie Jodie Stewart. 

There were messages of thanks to many: including Bobbie Miller, who in 2013 instigated the concept with a three-day festival celebrating Lloyd ‘s connection to the local area; the Society’s patron Sandra McCarthy OAM; Louise Croker of South Coast Arts (which provided a grant that helped fund the exhibition); and talented and hard-working curator Sue Blanchfield, who described the exhibition as ‘A contemporary study of the landscape that we love, in memory of Lloyd’.  

Artist Heather Philpott with her painting 'Omega Light'

The exhibition is an homage to Lloyd’s The Road to Berry (1947) - 63 paintings by 28 local artists who admire his work. An interesting mix of styles, media, various local settings and aspects - traditional, contemporary, realistic, abstract, dreamy, oil, watercolour, pencil, acrylic, lino block print, collage etc across combinations of hills, plants, trees, coastline, roads, dwellings and including two striking indigenous works by Gerringong-based Wiradjuri artist Kay Andonopoulos. 

Charming guest speaker and architect Richard Leplastrier AO, a great friend of Lloyd’s, and extremely fortunate to have been his student at the University of Sydney; every Wednesday for 5 years, delighted and amused the group with stories of Lloyd and their time together in the local area. Speaking of both the GLaM and the exhibition, Richard was ‘deeply inspired by what you’ve all done here.’

Alan Rees (Lloyd Rees' son) who opened the exhibition, with exhibition curator Sue Blanchfield

Lloyd Rees was teaching into his nineties. A very youthful 90 plus himself, Lloyd’s son Alan, came up from Tasmania (with his wife Jancis) to open the exhibition. The couple manage Lloyd’s estate and copyright, and have catalogued all his work. Of the word ‘Revisited’ in the exhibition’s title, Alan remarked ‘He’s never unvisited me, he’s been a constant.’

Also on exhibit in the foyer, Lloyd’s 3 wonderful colour palettes (courtesy Bill Barbour, Lloyd’s nephew) and newspaper clippings, letters and other memorabilia (courtesy of Astrid Quinn). In the library is a complementary and imaginative collection of The Road to Berry inspired works by Gerringong Primary students.

The exhibition confirms the existence of a strong and diverse contemporary arts community in the area with a large attendance and a proliferation of red stickers.

The Exhibition is open 8-21 March from 10am- 3pm every day except Mondays.

Guest speaker - architect and close friend of Lloyd Rees, Richard Leplastrier AO



Artist Leon Sadubin discusssing his 'Lloyd's Curve at Dusk'

Artist Marilyn Hawkes with her 'The View from Mt Pleasant'

Artist Penny Sadubin with her impressive collage of the Rees family cottages

Gerringong Public School Art Enrichment students' work