Feature artist - julie kent
Julie Kent is a multi-award winning artist who has been painting for over 40 years. She is self taught, with her own recognisable style. She has had many solo and joint exhibitions. Her paintings sell in Australia and overseas to buyers who enjoy her unique, impressionistic style.
Feature artist - Meagan Lonsdale
Painting from a small farm near Edenhope for the past ten years, I am inspired by flora, fauna and rural landscapes. In 2015 my lifelong passion for visual art won the battle against my environmental science degree and I combined a love of painting, photography and nature to transform a mostly self-taught hobby into a career as a fine artist. I enjoy taking my own reference photos in the field, observing animals, plants and their place in the landscape or farming environments and using the knowledge gained to accurately represent the subjects I paint. A partiality to details sees me wear through more than my fair share of fine-tipped paintbrushes and pencils working in a variety of 2D media on paper, canvas and silkworm-spun raw silk (the latter produced by my own silkworms). Recently I have favoured gouache (opaque watercolour) because of its flexibility of technique and capacity for fine detail and depth. My work is exhibited regularly in and around western Victoria.
Feature artist - Ricky Schembri
Born in Sydney in 1972, I am predominantly a pastel artist. For the last 10 years I have been painting local scenes in South West country Victoria, mainly Koroit and Killarney where I have lived since 1996. Lately I have drawn city scenes which is a good challenge. I have won many awards and prizes in Australia and America. I had my first solo exhibition at the F Project in Warrnambool in 2017. A group exhibition in New York in 2019. Also representation in Arizona. I have been published in "Inspiration International Art Book - Contemporary Masters Collection Vol.4." in 2016. I have been inspired by artistis such as Maxwell Wilks, Ross Paterson, and recently Alvaro Castagnet. I love putting colour to a blank surface and letting the magic happen.
Feature artist - Elise Coughlin
Elise Coughlin is a Melbourne-based artist who regularly exhibits in her local community at Art4All in Fairfield and the Alphington Winter Salon. Her work has been awarded prizes at the Anglesea Art Show and Cavendish Redgum Festival. Grounded in nature, her work captures the soft light, gentle colour palette and quiet beauty of the Australian landscape, and her practise creates space to slow down, observe, and connect with the natural world. Working primarily with acrylic, watercolour, and ink, Elise draws inspiration from morning walks along the Yarra River, summer holidays on the Great Ocean Road and visits with family near the Grampians.
Feature artist - Ros McArthur
The Grampians or Gariwerd region has become my creative muse. As an oil painter, living on a sheep farm in the middle of the National park I am constantly delighted and surrounded by inspiration. With changes in seasons and weather patterns, the need to capture the beauty of this magnificent place is always there whether it’s an impressionistic or abstract work. The texture of the bark, the grace of the red gums, animal tracks, a rose from my garden, the movement of water, colours and tones of rock escarpments, huge happy clouds, firestorms and vistas of mountains and valleys all contain their own beauty. I need to share these moments through my work.
Feature artist - Britt Gow
Britt lives on a farm in SW Victoria and works in her home studio, hosting workshops in Port Fairy, Dunkeld and beyond. She studied Botany and Zoology at LaTrobe University and then completed a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education at Monash University by distance learning. This knowledge is integral to her artwork, as it often demonstrates scientifically accurate details, depicts threatened species of the Victorian Volcanic Plains and celebrates the ecological relationships between species. One of the themes that she often returns to is the importance of tree hollows to native wildlife, including birds, bats and marsupials. Britt completed a Diploma of Visual Arts at South West TAFE, Warrnambool, and continues to extend her knowledge, skills and arts practice.
art exhibition & sales
Celebrating Red Gums through the Arts.
All artworks will be for sale and exhibited in our Cavendish Red Gum Festival Art Gallery.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY / ARTWORK SPECIFICATIONS
- All artworks must celebrate or represent the Red Gum or the Red Gum environment in some way.
- The Cavendish Red Gum Festival will retain a commission of 20% of the sale price of all works/goods sold during, or as a result of, The Cavendish Red Gum Festival
- Artists can submit up to 2 x hung works: painting/drawing/canvas, 2D work (no larger than 1.2mx1.2m)
- Artists are required to submit their entry form by Friday, March 20th 2026
- All artworks must be received at the Cavendish Soldiers Memorial Hall on Thursday, 16th April 9am- 12pm. Alternative arrangements can be made by contacting us.
- Entries must be the original work of the artist.
- Late applications may not be accepted. Alterations to applications cannot be made after the closing date.
- Artwork must be collected on Sunday April 19th, 11am-3pm 2026 unless alternative arrangements have been made.
- Artists must ensure that all packaging, wrapping or carry bags used for paintings is clearly labelled with the artist’s name and contact details.
Entries can be made by either:
1. Completing and submitting THIS online entry form via our website OR
2. By downloading (from our website) and completing a printable application form and returning it to “Tops & Tails” Brown Street Hamilton or the Cavendish Primary School Office OR by
3. Collecting a hard copy form from the MUD Gallery, Tops n Tails or the Cavendish Primary School Office and returning it once completed to Tops n Tails or the Cavendish PS Office.
Any questions please contact Susan Bell on 0438 229 444 or email Susan at crowlands3314@gmail.com
