Light changes everything
Light Changes Everything features bold, beautiful and ethereal work by Stewart Hambrett, Rachel Cross, Tony Williams, Jane Whitfield, Stu Doherty & Yvonne Kiely. At Luminance Gallery, 3 - 30 May 2025.
If I could get away with it, I’d call Luminance Gallery’s next exhibition The Bold and The Beautiful.
But not only would that sound soapy, it would tell only half the story.
Some of the paintings in our next exhibition are certainly bold and beautiful but there are also ethereal watercolours by Stu Doherty and quietly evocative abstracts by Tony Williams.
For that reason, I’ll stick with this show’s original title, which is Light Changes Everything: paintings by Rachel Cross, Stewart Hambrett, Jane Whitfield, Stu Doherty, Yvonne Kiely and Tony Williams.
All of these artists bring a lightness of touch and a depth of experience to their work.
Please join us on 10 May from 3pm to 5pm for the launch of Light Changes Everything. Enjoy the show, walk the red carpet, catch-up with friends.
As we approach the end of financial year, it’s worth knowing that art purchases are a tax-deductible expense for ABN-registered businesses. There’s no better time to put beautiful local art on your office wall.
Light Changes Everything
Paintings by Rachel Cross, Stewart Hambrett, Jane Whitfield, Stu Doherty, Yvonne Kiely and Tony Williams.
3 May - 30 May 2025
Luminance Gallery Port Macquarie.
Young Artist exhibition & prize
The Luminance Young Artist exhibition and prize is for 15-25 year olds who live or study on the Mid North Coast. Up to 16 finalists will have their work shown in a curated exhibition.
When we announced earlier this month the Luminance Young Artist Exhibition and Prize, local artist N.F. asked on Instagram: “when you say young, does 71 count? I feel young and am emerging!”
It was a good question because all of us are emerging in one way or another and to feel young at 71 is a gift definitely worth sharing.
However, the Luminance Young Artist exhibition and prize is specifically for people aged 15 to 25 because this cohort is often overshadowed.
The Luminance initiative sits alongside other local opportunities for all age groups, including those offered by the Hastings Valley Fine Arts Society, the Bonny Hills Art Prize and Yarilla Arts and Museum in Coffs Harbour.
At Luminance, we want to support young artists by providing a pathway for 15-25 year olds to share their work and connect with audiences through a curated exhibition.
The initiative provides creative space for emerging artists; it’s the art gallery equivalent of Virginia Woolf’s creative wish for a room of one’s own.
Entry is free. Young people working in all mediums are encouraged to apply: painting, sculpture, mixed media, digital and AI. The message embedded in the Luminance Young Artists exhibition and prize is: be creative, your ideas are sought after, your work is valued.
Artwork by up to 16 finalists will be shown in a curated exhibition at Luminance Gallery. Art prize winners receive mentorship and art supplies, thanks to the Seed Art School and Vivianne Hazenveld.
If you’d like to support the Luminance Young Artists exhibition and prize as a sponsor or donor, please contact Luminance Gallery director Dr Dominic O’Grady on 0491 764 745 or via email: art@luminancegallery.com.au
Key dates:
Entries open from 15 April to 15 June 2025
Exhibition runs from 22 July to 13 August 2025
Luminance Art Prize winners announced on 2 August 2025
Chris Proctor debut solo show
Chris Proctor’s first solo show opened on 5 April at Luminance Gallery in Port Macquarie. If you’ve not yet had a chance to see it, come soon.
If I Had Known Above The Mountains Lies Eternal Sunshine I Never Would Have Stopped Climbing is a zen-influenced and joy-filled exhibition, the first ever solo show by Chris Proctor.
Chris embraces an “ugly is beautiful” philosophy, creating art that finds beauty and meaning in imperfection. He works predominantly with found materials, including reclaimed wood, mis-tinted house paints, and old paintbrushes, giving discarded items a second life as part of his creative process.
Each piece in this exhibition reflects a journey - some personal, some universal. The mountains act as obstacles, challenges, and aspirations; they represent the highs and lows of life’s pursuits.
The "eternal sunshine" that lies beyond is not just a destination, but an awareness: the moment of clarity, peace, or understanding that comes when we are able to step back and see the bigger picture, or perhaps when we finally pause long enough to notice that we were already there.
These works challenge the viewer to question their own relationships with ambition and stillness - and reflect on the tension between the relentless pursuit of success and the quiet contentment of simply being.
At Luminance Gallery until 26 April 2025.
The photos that launched a gallery
Art enthusiasts, friends & neighbours gathered to launch Luminance Art Gallery, on Birpai Country, Mid North Coast.
Luminance Art Gallery was launched in Port Macquarie on 6 March with great support from local artists, business people, neighbours, friends. Your smiling faces, support and goodwill are deeply appeciated.
THANK YOU
Alana Cabrera. Andrew Duck. Angela Marr-Grogan. Angela Marr-Grogan. Anna Featherstone. Anne from Studio Frannie. Bandwagon Cafe. Bill. Brad Collins. Broken Hearts. Bron Lane. Bruce & Eric. Carly Marchment. Caroline & Peter. Dr Caroline Hong and the Hon. Andrew Stoner AM.
Dr Clare Allen, Port Macquarie Hastings Council. Cherie and Scott, Sunset Framing & Gallery. Christine Wright. Christine at Miss Lucy. Chris Proctor & Brodie. Chris & Debbie Waals. Claire and the BookFace team. Coral from Bill’s Fish House. Cristian Campano.
Dominique Winn & Chris Meehan. Falvey Kay Lawyers. Fam Bams. Fay and Chris Blight. Graham & Wendy, Japan. Guy Mansfield. Ian Mobbs, Bago Maze and Wines. Imelda Brewster & Tony Butler. Janan, Natalie, Dallas and Amber at Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance.
Jan & David, Galerie. Jane Whitfield. Janice and Graham McGilchrist. Janette Hyde and the Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association team. Joanna Flack. Jodie Kennedy. Julie & Dom La Rosa…
Kai and Michelle. Kiata. Lisa & Siri, San Francisco. Lucy Juhnke. Lynette & Ian. Malcolm Harding. Malcolm, Kylie and Business Port Macquarie team. Mardi Borg, Port News. Mani & Nick, Galerie. Mary Anne & Neil Kennan.
Matilda, Lauren, Jess, Sonia and all the team at Lord Street Podiatry. Mayor Adam Roberts, Port Macquarie Hastings Council. Meredith Heyward. Mina Shipillai. Never Late Electrical. O’Grady/Wheelahan/McClean/Riordan clan. Olivia Parker and Jasmine Avery, Arts Mid North Coast.
Penny & Rod Kraemer. Raine & Horne Commercial, Port Macquarie. Rachel Cross & Sue. Rosie B from fusedbyrosie. Sam Follows, ArtWalk. Silvia Kantor. Skye Petho, Art Mid North Coast. Stewart James. Stewart and Ada Hambrett. Stu Doherty. Sue Jogever from Belle Property.
Suzannah Jones. Suzanne & Bronwyn, Florence Jones. Todd and Katrina Bates from McGrath Real Estate. Tony Williams. Vivien Mitchell, Port Macquarie Hastings Council. Victoria Mascord. Vivianne Hazenveld. Wendy Stokes. Yvette Hugill. Yvonne Kiely.
Photos: Dominic O’Grady and Cherie Rayner from Reimagined Images.