Busy weekend for Mary Valley Art Festival in Imbil

Art lovers will be spoiled for choice when they head out to the Mary Valley on July 6-8 for the annual Mary Valley Art Festival.

The best way to capitalise on the three-day affair at the Imbil Public Hall is with the $12 weekend pass. This gives you entry to the gala award presentations on Friday July 6, the curator’s talk and short film on July 7, and the Sunday celebrations with the Twin Bunya Youth and Thunderbird Demolition People’s Choice awards on July 8, as well as viewing the exhibition as many times as you like during the weekend.

More than 250 entries have been received from some 80 artists in the south-east, and the judges will have a hard time choosing their favourites.

The festival coincides with the popular Gympie Region Studio Trails where you are invited into artists’ workspaces, displays and demonstrations. Download the trail guide at www.gympie.qld.gov.au/gympie-studio-trails Artists attending the opening night on July 6 have the opportunity to win the $200 Ron Jeffery Realty Artist Door Prize. Major sponsor Ron Jeffery has donated the special prize as well as giving $600 for the Landscape category first prize.

The evening is all about the artists, with the presentation of the winners and judges’ comments on each piece. You can enjoy classical guitar, a licensed bar and finger food as you settle in for the presentations.

The festival is open from 10am-3pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with entry $3/day if you don’t take up the weekend pass option.

Saturday will be capped off with the curator’s talk from John Waldron on the “curative power of art” and the screening of the Pat Cale art film “Clearing”, from 6pm at the Imbil Public Hall, with supper provided.

Sunday’s celebrations get under way with the lively Dennis Sisters and Ethan Roberts providing a musical backdrop to an “eat street” style market and bar with demonstrations from local artists Keith Gall and Sally Luchich, market stalls and children’s fun from 11am.

Visit www.maryvalleyartfestival.com.au, find it on Facebook or phone 0407 375267 for more