Entertainment
4 July, 2025
Art takes flight for annual show
FLIGHTS of fancy, winging it, taking flight, going down in flames - the possibilities are endless when it comes to interpreting this year’s theme for the Mareeba Art Society’s 62nd annual exhibition.
“The Flight theme was well received,” Art Society president Faythe Keogh said. “We’ve been talking about the theme for about eight months, giving artists time to build their ideas.
“We wanted works that are outside the box, not just planes or balloons, that’s why we used the flying fish on the invitation.
“It could be the flight of a leaf falling from a tree, the flight of a herd of galloping brumbies - it has many meanings.”
Artists from across the region are preparing for the must-see event, which begins next Monday night, 7 July and finishes on Saturday at noon, coinciding with the Mareeba Rodeo.
“We get works right up to the Sunday, where the artist comes in saying ‘oh it’s a bit wet, don’t touch it,” Mrs Keogh said with a chuckle.
“We normally attract about 200 to 300, but it might be a little down this year.
“The cost of framing has skyrocketed, it’s tripled, which can affect people. But we’re still expecting a good run.”
The Society had also opened up new categories this year of fibre (fabrics, needlework) and sculpture for Junior artists between 10 and 17 years in a reflection of their growing interest in the exhibition.
“Every three years we review and mix it up a bit, we like to reflect what’s popular in the community, and what is being entered.
“We also found that many homeschooled children are interested, and they have needlework on their curriculum.”
The Society was also excited to have a Brisbane judge at this year’s showing. As well as judging the awards - announced on Opening Night - she will be offering critiques on every entry for artists to attend at 9am on Tuesday morning.
The guest judge will also hold a pastel workshop at the society’s premises at Centenary Park on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday.
Mrs Keogh said the annual event continued to “astound visitors to the region” who couldn’t believe the exhibition was from such a small country town.
“We have a great cross-section of art, and they say what an amazing show we have for a small country town.
“We have everything from Old English style to right-out-there abstract, and we have a great many artists in the community – doctors, lawyers, nomads, farmers, street sweepers.”
The exhibition is also a generational drawcard, with families who were taken as children now taking their children, she said.
“They all enter an artwork, they say it’s a family tradition,” Mrs Keogh said.
After 62 years, the show continued to be a drawcard.
“It’s fantastic for Mareeba,” Mrs Keogh said. “We need to keep it going.”
The Mareeba Art Society’s 62nd Annual Art Exhibition will be held from Monday 7 July from 7-9pm, through to Saturday 9am-12noon, at the Sports Hall, 183 Walsh Street. Entry is $2.
