Art Show Springs to Life

By Jesse Sherwood

St Paul’s Cathedral, Bendigo was recently transformed into an art gallery as it hosted the annual Spring Art Show. Nearly 200 original art works from more than 60 local and regional artists were showcased in the historic Cathedral. A wide range of mediums were featured including oil, water colour and acrylic painting, drawing, textile, photography and sculpture.

For more than two decades the Bendigo Spring Art Show at St Paul’s Cathedral has showcased the diversity and depth of creative visual talent in Greater Bendigo and raised funds for social welfare support services.

This year’s exhibition was held on the 24th to the 26th of October and was officially opened by the Very Reverend Elizabeth Dyke in one of her final roles as Cathedral Dean. The exhibition was curated by Rohan Phillips, and entries judged by Ms Lauren Ellis, curator of Bendigo Art Gallery.

Monetary prizes were offered for first and second prize winners, highly commended and a youth prize for artists 25 years and under.

Prize winners included:
First Prize – Dawn Duncan-Smith: ‘Maggie’, Textile.
Second Prize – Robyn Davis: ‘Sitting in the Garden’, Acrylic. Seen in image above.
Highly Commended – Paul Harrington: ‘Rejoice’, Pastel on paper
Highly Commended – Sarah Hemmings: ‘Bendigo Collage 2/20’, Linoprint and watercolour
Youth Prize – Dexter Kimberly and Kayden Callanan: ‘Bunjil (Wedge-tailed Eagle)- Totem for Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nation’, Acrylic. Image below.

The exhibition concluded with a specially themed Choral Evensong with readings and music celebrating creativity and artistic endeavour.

In the spirit of HOPE 2025 the event organisers aim to further expand the Art Show and connect Bendigo’s increasingly diverse communities to the Cathedral through their arts and culture.