Forging Ahead with The Path 2024
On a balmy December evening, the UniSC Art Gallery pulsed with nervous energy as eight visual artists prepared to present their works-in-progress to a supportive audience of creative industry leaders and peers. The event was being held to culminate The Path 2024 - a program now delivered through The Refinery. This program is designed to help early-career artists journey through concept and production development of a body of new work. For many, this was the first time sharing their work with a live audience.
Over the course of the 12 week program, this diverse cohort of creative practitioners became a close-knit collective sharing ideas and supporting one another. Expertly guided by local artist, producer and educator, Dr Kellie O’Dempsey, the group explored the intersection of practice, concept, and project delivery through a series of intensive group workshops, individual consultations, critiques and talks from artists and industry professionals. Drawing on 16 years of teaching experience, Kellie has tailored the program specifically to artists in their early career stage to develop critical thinking, reflective practice and encourage exploration and understanding of contemporary art practice in Queensland.
Through individual consultations, each participant was provided with tailored feedback that balanced challenge with support.
The intensive group sessions exercises encouraged active listening, peer feedback, reflective practice, exemplar and knowledge sharing, strengthening the sense of community within the cohort.
The cohort welcomed guest speakers, including Sydney-based Todd Fuller, Curator and Visual Arts Coordinator at Waverley Council and winner of the Sunshine Coast National Art Prize; award-winning artist Renee Bridgman; Georgia Haywood, arts writer and director of Outer Space Brisbane; and Sharna Barker, who spoke to the impact of artist-run initiatives (ARIs) on regional artists.
A key highlight for the cohort was a session with Dr Louise Mayhew, art historian and critic and founding editor of Lemonade Letters to Art. Louise led the group through a reflective process designed to help them synthesise their practices with greater intentionality. In a hands-on exercise at Caloundra Regional Gallery, exploring The Sunshine Coast National Art Prize, the cohort applied critical frameworks to dissect and reimagine their approaches, deepening their understanding of their work in the context of a broader artistic conversation.
“Working collaboratively in a supportive and inclusive environment has enabled me to explore deep and profound ideas. Completion of The Path program with Kellie and the other incredible artists has given me the foundational skills to increase my networks and grow my professional arts practice.”
- Kylie Harries, 2024 participant
Completion of The Path provides participants with a clear and tested framework, new confidence and a set of skills that can be applied to future projects. This level of achievement and professional growth was fully demonstrated and duly celebrated in the final presentations. After initial introductions, each artist stepped forward with a slide deck showcasing their body of work-in-progress. Encouraged to dream big, without the usual constraints and concerns of budgets and logistics, the creative freedom to ideate works ranging across scale, content and medium was embraced; with large scale cardboard public art installation works, digital art immersive experiences, delicate ceramic pieces and multi channel video installations making up just some of the works on show.
The eight members of the 2024 cohort presented with a clarity and confidence deserving of the loud applause received by the 50 strong audience. With the formal presentations completed, gallery curators, industry professionals, Refinery alumni and fellow artists kept the connections, conversations and congratulations flowing with celebratory drinks as we toasted the conclusion of The Path 2024 and a full year of delivery of The Refinery programs and events.
The Path is presented by SCCA through The Refinery.
Supported by Major Partners: the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, Sunshine Coast Council through the Arts and Heritage Levy, and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
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