TWO of the founding members of the Hawkesbury’s art movement have passed away, artists Kevin Oxley in September and Brian Jones in November.
Both were well-respected in the local art scene and in the community, and played important roles in bringing artists together in the region.
Mr Oxley established Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop at Hawkesbury Agricultural College (now Western Sydney University) in Richmond in 1978, and worked there until 1983.
He was a painter, printmaker and sculptor, and held over 30 one-man exhibitions during his career.
Executors of Mr Oxley’s estate, Sally and Carl Corte, recently donated one of Mr Oxley’s paintings to Piggery Lane Studios & Gallery, also at WSU.
Josephine Blue of the HCAW said the painting is a fitting tribute to Mr Oxley and his work in establishing HCAW all those years ago.
“He worked tirelessly for several years to establish a very strong foundation for the arts on campus and in the community,” said Ms Blue.
“We are delighted and proud to have a beautiful contemporary landscape painting as an example of Kevin's work on display at the Piggery Gallery. Sally also gave us a 2017 Calendar which features some of Kevin's paintings.”
Mr Oxley was awarded the OAM in 2014 for services to the visual arts. Works of his have been acquired by Sydney Opera House, Parliament House in Sydney, The Lodge in Canberra, Australian Wool Board, University of Western Sydney, Telstra in Brisbane, and numerous private collections in Australia and overseas.
He also did a number of line drawings of old buildings around Windsor, copies of which can be found at the Hawkesbury Library.
Brian Jones was a key figure in the development of the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery in the Deerubbin Centre in Windsor.
Prue Charlton, marketing and audience development coordinator at the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery Museum & Library, said Mr Jones remained a supporter of the gallery until he passed.
“Brian was a true friend of the gallery and a regular visitor until his last bout of illness. We will all miss him,” she said.
“A talented artist in his own right, Brian was in the floristry business at one time, and he used to do the most wonderful flower arrangements for us.
“He also had a great knowledge of the artistic heritage of the Hawkesbury, and, with fellow artist, Greg Hansell, had researched this history and laid down the bones of what became the Hawkesbury Artist’s Trail… In the Steps of the Masters.
“With a Centenary of Federation grant, Council was able to turn this great bit of research into a valuable cultural tourism product, while preserving a very important part of the nation’s cultural heritage.”
Mr Jones was also a founding member of the Friends of the Hawkesbury Art Community & Regional Gallery - a group which promotes appreciation of the arts, performs fundraising for conservation of works and acquires additional works for the Gallery.
- Friends of the Hawkesbury Art Community & Regional Gallery will be holding a gathering on Sunday, December 4, in honour of Brian Jones and his contribution to the Hawkesbury community, from noon until 2pm at Stan Stevens Studio at the Deerubbin Centre in Windsor.
