Creating a work of art is a personal and meaningful act. Inspiration must flow from thoughts to outcomes. The work of art may be three-dimensional or two-dimensional, tiny or enormous, colourful or monochromatic, meaningful or frivolous, but always from the heart!

Many people say they are not artistic, but I don’t believe them! What they mean is that they have not taken the time to learn a craft or pursue a hidden idea, or try something artistic “one day”. However, everyone creates in some way. People decorate their homes, plan a garden and plant it out, and cook and present tasty meals to their family. These are all creations. 

Making time in a busy life to create something considered artistic is the trick! Maybe it’s time now to think about your creative side. Have you considered taking a workshop for an artistic pursuit you would enjoy? It may be the start of a wonderful hobby and something you can pursue and improve on, as practising your craft is a necessary part of the creation process.

The original foundation of the Moore Park Beach Arts Festival was to encourage the community, including children, to engage in the creation of art, thus forming an opportunity to exhibit their art and be part of a community competition. 

Displaying one’s art for all to see is a very daunting process, and many artists are unsure if they are brave enough to do so. The Arts Festival is for artists to showcase their work, having it displayed alongside fellow artists of all levels of experience and to be judged by both professional judges and the public.

Our 2022 Festival of Arts included an in-school arts competition with Moore Park Beach and Gooburrum State Schools being involved. The students who created their pieces were judged, and the winners had their work displayed at the Festival. Teachers and the public all agreed that the competition had been a great success, both for the students, families and for the committee, being able to honour the original creed of the organisation, to encourage art at a young age.

You can view a video interview with one of the students here.

While accepting art entries for the 2021 Festival, a few artists were surprised when I commented that their pieces were lovely. Artists are often critical of their own work, as they know how they want their piece of art to look, and sometimes this ideal is not met. The old adage “art is in the eye of the beholder” can certainly ring true, and work is sold for precisely this reason, the purchaser loves the piece of art.

After judging, many winners commented that they were surprised and happy that their work was considered “the best” in the category they had entered. Many of our winners are first-time exhibitors at the Moore Park Beach Arts Festival, and many had not exhibited before our competition. Artists who then went on to sell their work are so thrilled that someone is taking their piece home to display for all to see. It is quite an honour for them, apart from the rewards of the sale. 

The overall winner of our 2021 Festival, who had never exhibited before, has gone on to exhibit in many other shows, including the Bundaberg Art Prize. Later they were also invited to enter a piece at BRAG. 

At the 2022 Festival, the same artist took out a first and second prizes again. Another first-time exhibitor in 2021 sold all three of her works, and another first-time exhibitor took out first and second prizes in a section. Another of our first-time exhibitors took out three prizes and sold a piece of art. Our overall winner, again, had not exhibited before. One of our high school student entries sold both of her works and had two more commissions offered to her. A junior 7-year-old entrant has held a private exhibition at Gin Gin since the Festival. While two other artists have had commissions offered to them since they exhibited at the 2022 Festival. 

The opportunities are here for artists of any level to showcase their work and join in the wonderful world of art!

As such, Moore Park Beach Arts Inc. are proud of the Arts Festivals they have convened in 2021 and 2022. The success of the exhibition and competition was proven when in August 2022, total art entries increased by 40% compared to 2021 entries. The 2022 Competition had 117 entrants presenting 264 amazing creations to display. We hope we have encouraged a little thought of artistic pursuits to surface and grow. 

And if you “Become a Friend” of Moore Park Beach Arts, this may be the catalyst for your art ideas. Members are emailed updates about the organisation’s activities, news of workshops and upcoming events, where offers of volunteering and helping with activities the committee are involved in are welcomed. You can find more details here. 

Let’s get creating and put those concepts down – out of the mind and onto paper, clay, fabric, or anything else you envisage. Go on – have a go!