2023 Show


​Gwen Arthur of Illowa is a regular and popular exhibitor at the Mortlake Art Show. She has supported this show across four years by exhibiting her work.
This year she took home the "Best in Show" Award for the first time with "Banksia Behest", based on a bushland setting with banksia cones as the focus.
Known for her seascapes and landscapes, Gwen is inspired by depicting form and colour.
"My style is abstract realism, and inspiration comes from nature and places I have an emotional connection to" - Gwen Arthur.
JUDGE'S NOTE: "The depth and colour is what attracted me" - Michael Gilmour
Congratulations Gwen! The judge's job was not an easy one!
Huge congratulations to Mortlake's Megan Wendt, aged 13 years, as the recipient of the "Emerging Artist Award (Under 16 Years)" in 2023!
She won for her wonderful piece "Ellerslie River" (acrylic)
Megan “would especially like to acknowledge her teacher and mentor, Armour Beardsley, for all she has done to help her succeed with her painting endeavours."

2022 Show

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​The "People's Choice" Award 
went to Lisa Clarke of Little River for "My Mortlake Journal" (mixed media collage).
Lisa is a first time entrant with close ties to Mortlake.
In her words, "Mortlake is a classical beauty through my eyes captured forever in my journal".
We loved her creativity and hope to see Lisa's work again in 2024. Congratulations and well done, Lisa!


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Mortlake's Letitia Howat, age 16, was the deserving recipient of the inaugural public "People's Choice Award" in the Youth Category at the 2022 Mortlake Art Show with her eye-catching piece "Willaura Fields" (acrylic).
Letitia was highly commended for her piece "Home Gum Trees" at show in 2018 in the closely contested 'Young Emerging Artist' category. This is her fourth time exhibiting in Mortlake.

Big congratulations to Caitlin Martin for winning the inaugural public “People’s Choice Award” in the Open Category at the 2022 Mortlake Art Show with “Murray River” (acrylic).
Her talent and style consistently resonate with locals and visitors alike as demonstrated by her track record of well-deserved success over her years exhibiting at the Mortlake Art Show:
2019 – “Marie & Jim McAloon Award for Young Emerging Artist” for “Majestic” (acrylic) – age 16
2018 – “Marie & Jim McAloon Award for Young Emerging Artist” for “Grampian View” (acrylic) – age 15

2021 Show

No awards presented due to Covid-19 restrictions.

2020 Show - Cancelled due to COVID-19
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Carmel O'Connor 2017 Judge
Ms O'Connor founded the Darlington Art and Craft Group and rose to fame in the early 2000s for her controversial nude paintings of art critic Bernard Smith and Labor politician John Button, both of which featured in the Archibald Prize. She also won the 2016 Mortlake Art Show 'Best in Show' award for her piece 'War Memorial, Darlington'.

In 2017 she also exhibited her piece titled 'Nugget's Flat' (pictured right).
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'Nugget's Flat'

2017 Mortlake Art Show Winners

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2017 Event Coordinator, Virginia Branton-Hunt with the Best in Show Award, 'Brolga' by Bob McKinnon.
Bob McKinnon from Clunes won the Best in Show Award for his steel sculpture titled 'Brolga'.
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Winner of the People's Choice Award was James Cody-Davis with his acrylic painting titled 'Roy, Salt of the Earth'.
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Karen McKenzie won the Packer's Choice Award with her acrylic painting titled 'Eleanor Owl'.
The William Aris Alen Award was won by Terang artist John Whitlock for his work titled 'Regeneration 7' (pictured right).

​This Award was donated by descendants of Mortlake artist, Alen, and organisers wish to thank them for their very generous contribution to the Show.
The winner of the 2017 Junior Award was Mortlake student Lucy Finnerty for her watercolour titled ' Mortlake's ANZACs' (picture to follow).

2017 Lucky Door Prize Winners

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Lorna Cameron
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Grace Mountford
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Jacinta Wareham

2016 Show

  • The Show attracted close to 500 people across the Queen's Birthday Long Weekend from overseas, intra and interstate.
  • ​Around 40 living artists showed around 90 works of art.
  • The event was officially opened by local artist Michelle Shearer.
  • A small profit was used to kick-start activities for the 2017 Show.
  • Sponsorship (totalling around $4000) was given from several regional organisations.

2016 Mortlake Art Show Winners

Winner of the Best in Show Award, Carmel O'Connor of Darlington presented 'War Memorial, Darlington'.
Winner of the People's Choice Award, Bob McKinnon of Clunes presented 'Returned Soldier'. (photography by Peter Rooke).
Ruby Canning (left), from Mortlake, winner of the under 18s award with her entry, 'The Lonley One';
and William Kealley (right), from Cobden, winner of the under 12s award with his water colour entry .

2016 Lucky Door Prize Winners

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Megan, pictured alongside 'Peacock Parade' by Lisa White.
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Annie Murphy pictured alongside 'Beneath Dreams' by James Cody-Davis.
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Maureen Bond pictured alongside 'Returned Solider' by Bob McKinnon.

2015  Show

  • The Mortlake Art Show attracted over 300 people across the Queen's Birthday Long Weekend from intra and inter state.
  • ​Over 100 artists showed their works with around 50% being sold at, or shortly after, the Show.
  • The event was officially opened by local artist and environmentalist, Richard Weatherly.
  • The opening evening on the Friday night attracted over 80 paying guests, who enjoyed mixing with artists collectively.
  • A small profit from the event was used to kick-start activities for the 2016 Show.