I'm pleased to announce that I've been selected as a finalist in this year's Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2014 along with 39 artists from around the country. (View the finalists here) My selected artwork is Adaptation #1: Little Corella, digital photography on Aluminium. 

The prize will be judged by the Director of Queensland Art Gallery, Chris Saines, and the winner will be announced at the Opening Event.

The finalist exhibition will be held at the Caloundra Regional Gallery from 27 August to 26 October, 2014 and the opening event will be held on Wednesday, 27 August from 6pm.

I recently created a small series of photographic artworks for a group exhibition, A Book About Death, at the Tweed River Art Gallery at Murwillumbah. Opening night is this Friday 18 October from 6pm and the exhibition will continue until 24 November, 2013.

This show is the 27th version of A Book About Death since the original show in New York in the 70s, and the original postcard sized artworks will be displayed alongside the 300 artists in the current Australian version of the exhibition which is curated by Heather Matthew and Julie Barratt.

Artists were also asked to submit 50 postcard sized copies of their artworks so visitors to the gallery can collect the works they like and create their own book about death.

Check out the link for more details
http://abadaustralia.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/artist-234-leanne-vincent.html

I was recently awarded an Ipswich Regional Arts Development Fund grant to research and develop a photographic project investigating the Ipswich identity through architecture and design in public and private spaces.

I look forward to meeting many new people in the course of this project and will be conducting a survey with the general public, research on urban planning and fundamentals of architecture in Ipswich and Brisbane, as well as photographing public, private and domestic spaces in Ipswich. 

The Regional Arts Development Fund is a Queensland Government and Ipswich City Council partnership to support local arts and culture.

I received an exciting email today advising me that  I've been shortlisted as a finalist for the Bay of Fires Art Prize in Tasmania. This is a $20,000 acquisitive prize and my work will be exhibited alongside the other 29 finalists at  Gallery Parnella at St Helens, Tasmania, in June, 2013. I am one of six mainlanders selected and the only Queensland artist to be shortlisted for this prize!

Thank you Tassie

Some fantastic news this week. I've been offered an artist reisdency in the Gunyah artist-in-residence program at Port Stephens in May this year.

I'm excited to have been given this opportunity and will use the time to work on two new photographic series, one of which will be exhibited in a solo exhibition in Melbourne in July (more info coming soon), and to experiment with some new techniques. 

So this week I'll be packing up all my gear in preparation for my road trip down the the east coast,  all the way down to Port Stephens in NSW.  I can't wait to arrive at this beautiful location and immerse myself in the  region.

I'm excited to announce that the Launceston City Council have offered me a place in their Artist-in-Residence Program. I will be travelling to Tasmania in February for a month long stay in the 120 year old Kings Bridge Gatekeepers Cottage at Cataract Gorge. 

I will spend 4 weeks in this idyllic location creating photographic artworks for a project based on the Cataract Gorge region. I plan to stage an exhibition of the works in Tasmania during and after the residency.

I would like to thank Launceston City Council for allowing me this opportunity and for their on-going support and dedication to the arts in Tasmania.

I'm excited to announce that I've been accepted into the Creative Activists next group show in 2013 - Once Upon A Time. 

30 artists were invited to participate in the themed exhibition and asked to interpret the Fairy Tale. The exhibition will run from 9-19 May 2013 at the Circle Gallery, West End.

I'll be posting more information on this show in 2013.

I was employed by the Creative Recovery Pilot Project as the Project Manager for the Ipswich Arts Corps for a 12 week project.

I worked with members of various arts groups throughout the Ipswich region to devise strategies to develop, sustain and create a wider audience for the arts in Ipswich.

I organised Professional Development for the group as well as a printed arts guide, the Ipswich Arts Guide, the has been distributed throughout the region and Brisbane.

My project culminated in organising the Inaugural Ipswich Arts Dinner - professional networking for artists and art workers, that was staged at the newly renovated Old Baptist Church, now known as Studio 188. The Ipswich Arts Guide was launched on the evening as well as showcasing various talented artists from across the region including performances by - Shirley Ferrier, Slam Poet, Natasha Campbell and Ben Clark, Blues Fusion Guitar, Brett Dionysius, Contemporary Poet, film of live performance by Shoot! The Piano Player and the film premiere of Bronzed Blue, presented by filmmaker Gavin Lewis. Visual Artists were represented by Donna Davis, Gary Abkin, Lee Fullarton, Mieke Den Otter and Kate Roberts. Our Guest Speaker for the evening was Liz Burcham, CEO of Metro Arts Brisbane.

Last month I was asked to appear on the Good Business program to speak about the SWICH Contemporary Art Space - how we got started and how we sustain an arts business.

I'd like to thank the production crew at USQ Springfield for all their support during filming.

The episode appeared on Briz31 on 31 October, 2012.

Stimulate the Senses, now in it's second year, is a group exhibition organised by local Ipswich artist Glen Smith, to encourage emerging artists to show their work.

Last month I was asked to conduct a Curatorial & Installation Workshop for the group of artists to provide advice on how to present their work and to demonstrate various ways of installing the works.

The artists were enthusiastic to learn and  very keen to share stories about their own art practices. In all it was a successful afternoon and the opening night a couple of days later drew a large crowd and was officially opened by Cr N 

A couple of months ago I was invited to be the guest speaker at a West Moreton Zonta Club Dinner. Tonight I had the pleasure of attending the dinner and talking about my arts practice and my role in the arts community in Ipswich.
  
I met a fantastic group of women doing wonderful work for women and the community. I appreciate the opportunity to present my work and learn more about the Zonta organisation.

Thank you for a wonderful evening of discussion and making new connections.