BREAKING GROUND

At the first month of 2026 draws to a close, an exciting new exhibition is set to open. BREAKING GROUND: Women Artists in the Whitehorse Art Collection, focuses on women artists whose works are represented in the Whitehorse Art Collection. 

“This exhibition celebrates the work of innovative women artists, past and present, who have made significant, yet often under-recognised contributions to Australia’s cultural life.”

Forming part of the exhibition is my painting Masked Australian Painted Lady II, 2024 (pictured top). Scroll down for further information. 

I do hope you can join us next Saturday at the exhibition launch.

BREAKING GROUND: Women Artists in the Whitehorse Art Collection

Exhibition Opening: Saturday 31 January, 1.00pm – 3.00pm

Whitehorse Artspace

Box Hill Town Hall

1022 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill VIC

artspace@whitehorse.vic.gov.au

9262 6250

The exhibition runs from 31 January – 14 March, 2026

Artist Talk at Duldig Studio

Above and below are selected highlights from yesterday’s artist talk at Duldig Studio museum and sculpture garden, beginning with a snapshot of myself with two of its former Directors. On my left is Jenny Port and to my right is Eva de Jong-Duldig, daughter of Karl and Slawa Duldig and Founder and Patron of the museum.

After her mother died in 1975, Eva assisted her father in his studio. In the years following his own death in 1986, she took the first steps towards establishing Duldig Studio as a not-for-profit public museum and art gallery, keeping its contacts intact and undertaking the restoration of the house. She was the museum’s Founding Director when it opened to the public in 2002 until her retirement from the position in 2014. To learn more about Eva, click HERE and scroll down.

To say it was a delight and an honour to meet her doesn’t begin to cover it. 

In 2017, Eva completed her family memoir, Driftwood. I’ll treasure the signed copy she presented me with after my talk, and can’t wait to start reading it.

My talk was introduced by Melinda Mockridge, Education and Public Programs and Co-Curator of the museum's current exhibition, SLAWA: Modernist Art and Design.

Directly after my presentation Shane and I were invited to the farewell event of another Director of the museum. After an extremely productive year at the helm, Jenny Port is retiring - at least from that position - although her association with Duldig Studio will continue. 

Jenny was given a wonderful sendoff by Antony de Jong and Ewa de Jong-Duldig.

Warmest thanks to the Duldig Museum for inviting me to be the first speaker in their second series of Creative Women in Focus talks and to everyone who came along. You were a fantastic audience, who made this usually nervous public speaker feel completely at her ease.