Silver anniversary celebrations for McGregor
The University of Southern Queensland’s McGregor Winter School celebrated its 25th anniversary in July 2012.
“Our Silver Jubilee was a time for us to reflect and celebrate the history of the School while looking forward to the continuity and success of future years,” said McGregor Schools’ Liz Newbury.
The Winter School grew out of the enormous success of the McGregor Summer School beginning as the McGregor Chamber Music School in 1987.
Painting classes were added in 1991 and, by 2002, the School was fine-tuned to focus solely on visual and creative arts.
“In 2012, we offered fifteen classes including painting, drawing and printmaking, jewellery making, upholstery, silver smithing and photography with an exceptional line-up of tutors.
“We were especially pleased to be welcoming several new tutors to this year’s mix.”
Contemporary Sydney artist, Mo Gobeer (encaustic painting); Pottsville figurative artist Pete Pinza (painting and drawing the nude) and relative newcomer, Melbourne water-colourist, Amanda Hyatt traveled to Toowoomba for the five-day retreat.
“Each brought with them with an impressive set of credentials; they are highly regarded artists within their own right, with works on-show in gallery and private collections throughout the world.
“Being our silver anniversary year, we also included several tutors who have featured significantly in the Winter School’s 25-year history.”
Acclaimed Australian jeweller, Rex Steele Merten first tutored at a Winter School in 2003 and returned in 2012 with a new class in multi-functional jewellery making for intermediate to advanced students.
“Michael Winters (printmaking) and Laurens Otto (upholstery) have also tutored for the McGregor Schools for more years than we can remember.”
Popular local artisans Maryika Welter (Goombungee), Deb Gilmartin (Highfields) and Ken Ball (Murphys’ Creek) presented workshops in painting, drawing and digital photography respectively.
Other classes on offer included Modern Impressionism in Oils with Colley Whisson; Acrylics with Don Milner; Watercolours with Maria Field; Watercolour with Mixed Media with Lyn Butchart; Jewellery Making with Maurice Maunsell and Hand Forging for the Silversmith with David Clayton.
“At the McGregor Schools, we provide a platform for participants of all levels to discover their inner artists and to try a range of different mediums and approaches to express themselves through art.
“It really is wonderful to see what can be learned and created in just five days!”
The 2012 USQ McGregor Winter School ran from 2-6 July at the University’s Toowoomba campus.