Permanent collections
A brief history of the Shire Art Collection
The Shire Art Collection has been achieved as a direct result of ongoing acquisitive art competitions. The Collection began in 1958 with the staging of the inaugural Muswellbrook Open Art Prize. The winning work “Death of Voss” by Tom Gleghorn became the linchpin of what has grown to become an excellent collection of contemporary Australian Painting and Works on Paper from the second half of the 20th century. The construction of a purpose built Art Gallery above the Town Hall provided a permanent home for the growing Collection, in 1976.
The addition of regular acquisitive awards in 1987 for Ceramics, which was established to encourage local artists in a section of the arts that had always been popular in the area, and Photography, growing out of a desire for a National Award to be established at the Gallery, has added to the prestige of the Collection.
Initially held annually, the Open Art Prize continued in an unbroken line until 1977, and then again from 1979 until 1989. With increased sponsorship for prize money it was decided to hold the awards biennially starting in 1991. This continued until 1998, when the Gallery was closed to undertake the refurbishment which resulted in the muswellbrook regional arts centre as it is today. The Open Art Prize, which now incorporated the Ceramic Award into its time slot, began again in 2000. The Photographic Award, however still held its position in the annual program. At each hosting of the Open Art Prizes, entries have been received from artists all over Australia, highlighting the National flavour of the competition.
From its inception, the art awards have always had a strong community base in that they have been largely run by willing volunteers through various committees and clubs. Special mention must be made of the Pot House (ceramics) and the Muswellbrook and District Camera Club (photography). Many of the artists in the Collection are familiar names in the Australian Art world. Such key names as Fred Williams, Richard Larter, Eric Smith, Michael Kitching, Tom Gleghorn and the list goes on. The Hunter Region is also well represented with a number of local artists being successful in winning some of the awards.
Like the award winning artists, the list of invited adjudicators include some of the leading figures in the Australian art world. Drawn from a wide field of art directors, critics, curators, writers and established artists , the list includes:- Gil Docking, Hal Missingham, James Gleeson, Sali Herman, Lloyd Rees, Robert Hughes, Daniel Thomas, Desiderius Orban, David Thomas, Laurie Thomas, Brian Finemore, Guy Warren, Peter Laverty, John Olsen, William Bowmore, Barry Pearce, Bernice Murphy, Bill Wright, Joe Eisenburg, Tony Bond, Roger Butler, Bruce Adams, Deborah Edwards, Peter O’Neill, Edmund Capon, Euan MacDonald, Michael Hedger, Peter Timms, Helen Ennis, Gerritt Fokkema, David Moore, Robert McFarlane, Josef Lebovic and Greg Weight. Their expertise and reputation certainly adds credibility to the choice of the winning artworks.
The reputation of the Shire Art Collection is such that request for loans to other regional galleries for special theme or touring exhibitions is regularly being sought. One of the works in this exhibition is currently touring regional New South Wales in a major showcase exhibition.
Throughout its history there has been an ongoing commitment by local businesses and industry which has enabled the prizes to be held ensuring the development of the collection for the education and enjoyment of local residents and tourists.
Selected works from the Shire Collection are displayed periodically as part of the annual exhibition program.
Max Watters Collection
For over 40 years, Max Watters has been collecting other artist’s work. His taste is eclectic and embraces painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, glass through to fibre art...
The Reconciliation Mural
Located at Simpson Park, Muswellbrook
The Muswellbrook Shire Council Aboriginal Reconciliation Committee first proposed a mural depicting the concept of black and white reconciliation in 1999...
Bicentennial Tapestry
Located in the customer service area of the Muswellbrook Shire Council Administration Centre
The tapestry is based on an oil painting on cardboard by local artist Max Watters and it depicts his interpretation of the Muswellbrook townscape...
Works from these artists form part of our permanent collection and periodically feature in exhibitions:
- Peter Atkins
- Lisa Atkinson
- Sydney Ball
- Wally Barda
- George Barker
- Robert Barnes
- Jenny Barwell
- Kylie Bates
- Dean Beletich
- Elizabeth Bell
- John Bell
- Allan Bell
- Michael Bell
- Noel Benge
- Ann Berney
- Amanda Berry
- Vivienne Binns
- David Blackburn
- Charles Blackman
- Stephen Blanch
- Charles Blandford
- M E Blunden
- Marion Borgelt
- Dorothy Mary Braund
- Warren Breninger
- Viola Bromley
- Cathie Brooker
- Mike Brown
- Winsome Brown
- William Brownhill
- Darren Bryant
- Sue Buckley
- Dorothy Burns
- Jim Burns (Tane)
- Graham Burstow
- Luke Butterley
- Teresa Byrne
- Steve Calfas
- Heather Calnan
- David and Wendy Campbell
- Laurel Carter
- Julia Cawsey
- Francis Celtlan
- Allan Chawner
- Terri Cheatle
- Jacqui Clancy
- Anne Clay
- Shona Claydon
- James Clifford
- Elizabeth Coats (Liz Coats)
- Tony Coleing
- Garrie Collins
- Terry Collins
- Helen Collins
- Victoria Cooper
- Paul Councel
- Jenny Cousins
- Fred Cress
- Gavin Crichton
- Enid Cryer
- Liz Cuming
- Jacqueline Dabron
- Arthur Dallimore
- Greg Daly
- Aleksander Danko (Aleks Danko)
- Barbara Davidson
- Jean Davies
- John Davis
- Andrew Davis
- Sharon Davson
- Jean Dawkins
- Janet Dawson
- Phyllis Delves
- Robert Dickerson (Bob Dickerson)
- Brian Doar
- Peter Dobinson
- Karen Donnelly
- Charlotte Drake-Brockman
- Brian Dunlop
- Stephen Earle
- Margaret Early
- Lyn Eastaway
- Norma Edwards
- Roslyn Elkin
- Les Elvin
- Russell Esdaile
- Joanne Felk
- Fiona Fell
- Toni Fischer
- Anne Flanagan
- Craig Flemming
- Roy Fluke
- Garry Foye
- Dale Frank (Dale Franks)
- Peter Freeman
- Peter Gardiner
- Edna Garran- Brown
- Diana Giese
- Peter Gill
- Deena Gilroy
- Kath Giovanelli
- Anna Gipps
- Betty Gleeson
- Thomas Gleghorn (Tom Gleghorn)
- Charles Gould Strom Gould
- Danny Grabham
- Guy Grey-Smith
- Ronnie Gumbleton
- Carolin Gutt
- Rew Hanks
- Roger Hanley
- Birgitte Hansen (Birgitte Hansen-Chawner)
- Matthew Harding
- Royston Harpur
- David Harrex
- Angie Harris
- Kevin Hart (Pro Hart)
- Ronald Hawke
- Weaver Hawkins (Raokin)
- Denise Hedges
- Ian Henderson
- Gilbert Hermon
- Mary Heuston (Heuston Kennedy)
- Alison Hodges
- John Hodges
- Wally Hollzinger
- Irvine Homer
- Cherry Hood
- Ian Howard
- John E. Hughes
- Margot Hutcheson
- Noel Hutchison
- Margery Hystek
- Pearl Ingram
- Jean de Courtenay Isherwood
- Roy Jackson
- Mimi Jaksic-Berger
- Louis James
- Diana Jenkins (Di Jenkins)
- Robert Jenyns (Bob Jenyns)
- Lorraine Jenyns
- Melissa Jimmieson
- Jan Johnson
- Ian Johnstone
- Garry Jones
- Mark Jones
- Colleen Jones (Tia Gabriellah)
- Colin Jordan (Col Jordan)
- Heather Joynes
- Hannah Kay
- Sophie King
- Shirley Kinny
- Michael Kitching
- Ingo Dietmar Kleinert
- Gudrun Klix
- Margaret Koltai
- Ron Lambert
- Colin Lanceley
- Jane Lander
- Helge Larsen
- Richard Larter
- Janet Laurence
- Peter Laverty
- Ursula Laverty
- Alun Leach-Jones
- Margo Lewers
- Joanne Linsdell
- Frank Littler
- Julia Lock
- Muriel Luders
- William Lungas
- Elwyn Lynn
- Euan Macleod
- Beatrice Louise Maddock (Bea Maddock)
- Peter Maloney
- Suzie Marston
- John Martin
- Claire Martin
- Peter Masters
- Jean May
- Nita McAuley
- David McBride
- Fiona McBurney
- Stephanie McFarlane
- Ian McIntosh
- Noel McKenna
- Bridgid McLean
- Kathryn McMiles
- Frank McNamara
- Danie Mellor
- Robert Mercer
- Vladas Meskenas
- Dennis Miller
- Jean Mitchelhill
- Bunty Mitchell
- John Montefiore
- Suzanne Moore
- George Moore
- Karly Morgan
- Matt Morgan
- Murdo Morrison
- Patricia Moylan
- Anthony Mravicic
- Michael Muir
- Kelly Munce
- Anton Murre
- Lyn Nash
- Chester Nealie
- Angus Nivison
- David Noonan
- Tom O'Brien
- Chris O'Doherty (Reg Mombassa)
- John Ogburn
- Setsuko Ogishi
- Sheila Oliver
- Glen O'Malley
- Owen O'Meara
- Desiderius Orban
- Elizabeth Parkinson
- Mike Parr
- Robert Parr
- Peter Pawlak
- John Peart
- William Peascod (Bill Peascod)
- John Perceval
- Charles Firth Pettinger
- Noel Phillips
- Garry Philp
- John Plapp
- Madonna Polzin
- Peter Poulet
- Geoff Proud
- Bruce Pryor
- Melanie Purcell
- Nicola Purcell
- Josie Purcell
- David Rankin
- Ronald Revitt
- Oliffe Richmond
- Andrew Roberts
- Fay Roughan
- Manolo (Manuel) Ruiz-Pipo
- Henrikas Salkauskas (Henry Salkauskas)
- Michelle Sandell - Hay
- Aleta Scott
- Bryan Scott
- Ken Searle
- Ted Secombe
- Michael Shannon
- Denise Shaw
- Michael Allen Shaw
- Garry Shead
- Robert Shepherd
- Kerryl Shirley
- Arnold Shore
- Jim Simson
- Pam Sinnott
- Roger Skinner
- Grace Cossington Smith
- Eric Smith
- Lillian Smith
- Jean Smith
- Paul Smith
- Angela Smith
- Caroline Southcombe
- Mark Southcombe
- Cameron Sparks
- Ruby Spowart
- Doug Spowart
- Richard Stankiewicz
- Nina Stansbury
- Christine Stickley
- David Strachan
- Timothy Sumner
- Lillian Sutherland
- Dallas Sym-Choon
- Imre Szigeti
- Hosefa Tavolara
- Michael Taylor
- Peter Taylor
- Ray Taylor
- Charles Teer
- David Teer
- Joanne Thew
- Ruth Thompson
- Rhonda Thwaite
- Immants Tillers
- Peter Tilley
- Lezlie Tilley
- Sorin Timis
- Tony Tuckson
- Leonas Urbonas
- Rosemary Valadon
- David van Nunen
- Vicki Varvaressos
- Danila Vassilieff (Ivanovich Vassilieff)
- Krysten Walker
- Robin Wallace-Crabbe
- Ruth Waller
- Liz Wallis
- Rhondda Walters
- C Warner
- Max Watters
- Frank Watters
- Alison Webb
- Trevor Weekes
- Peter Wheeler
- Diane Wheeler
- Kenneth Whisson (Ken Whisson)
- Brett Whiteley
- Arthur Wicks
- Julie Wilkes
- Leanne Wilkes
- Fred Williams
- Ian Williams
- Margaret Wilson
- Roberta Wiseman
- Ross Woodrow
- Maeve Woods
- Cody Wright
- Stan Yates
- Jock Young
- Caroline Zilinsky
- Salvatore Zofrea
- Vera Zulumovski
