When Minister Hannah attended an exhibition of some of the finest portrait artists in the land, she found a familiar face among their subjects.
On of the portraits was of her Dad, the former federal Labor leader and WA Governor Kim Beazley. He’d been captured by artist Jane Pestell-Litten.
The exhibition is open weekdays until the 27th June at Council House, Perth. It is a rare chance to see 27 of the finest portrait artists in Australia showcasing the diversity of interpretation that make up the genre.
On Thursday 12th June four of the artists featured in the exhibition will be talking about their work and inspirations at a special talk at the City of Perth Library.
Jill Ansell, Sarah McBride, Jenny Davies and Suzanne Lawson will be speaking about their work and experiences. The talk will take place on Thursday 12th June, from 12pm – 1:30pm, it’s a free event but you need to book to secure your spot.
This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the artists about their evolving practice, and afterwards its just a short walk to Council House to see the paintings on display.
The exhibition has been created by WA Portrait Artists Association, a collective of local artists who specialise in portraiture. Since its formation in 2012 the WA portrait artists has been a supportive network for the sharing of ideas, a purposeful collective seeking out collaborative opportunities and ways in which our members can promote the genre of portraiture through exhibitions and community engagement.
Among the artists showing work in the exhibition is Desiree Crossing, whose previously appeared as a model on the cover of OUTinPerth! Also in the collective is Jana Vodesil-Baruffi, Lori Pensini, Kristina Lynch, Peter Kendall and many others.
At the opening night event Sarah McBride said the group was unique in Australia as a collective of portrait artists supporting each other.
“Portrait artists are storytellers.” McBride said. ” The portraits in the exhibition are testament to the skill, passion and hours of hard work that out recognised artists put in to their work.”
“Through many different styles and methods, they communicate the issues of our times and visually expand society’s multiplicities.”
The WA Portrait Artists exhibition runs from 26 May to 27 June 2025, at the Council House Foyer Gallery – 27 St Georges Terrace, Perth.
