News & Events
What's happening at The Gallery
Wednesdays 10am to 1pm
CREATE. CONNECT. SHARE. INSPIRE!
Wednesdays are all about ArtSpeak, and the Galleries in the Gardens art group is excited to welcome you for a vibrant morning filled with creativity, connection, and inspiration! Join some of our friendly members as we dive into art, share tips and techniques, and enjoy great company.
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just curious to explore your creative side, this event for adults is the perfect place to spark your imagination and meet like-minded art lovers. Feel free to come along, even for a cup of tea—we can’t wait to see you there and share the joy of art together!
Wednesdays 10am to 1pm. BYO art materials.Free event for adults, held in the garage at the rear of The Gallery 81 Marine Drive Tea Gardens.
THE 6th HUNT WILL BE ON...Coming soon during Easter School Holidays
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A fun event for families during the Easter Holidays....
- Two treasure cards will be hidden each day along the Tea Gardens foreshore path....
- On the waterfront from opposite the Police Station to the Fish Co-Op... look for the hidden card....
- And if you are the lucky one... take your card to The Gallery to claim your treasure of an original Art Work by one of our talented local artists.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
[DISCLAIMER]: Winners will only be eligible to claim a prize once during the promotion and must claim their prize on the day they find the hidden card.
Get ready for a summer exhibition with a twist!
SUMMER AT THE GALLERY - 6 December to 31 January
WINNERS ANNOUNCED 2D - 1st, Big Dog Goes to the Beach” by Peter Morrissey, 2D - 2nd, Udderly Ridiculous” by Cathriona Kelly, 3D- 1st Mambo Italiano” by Jacqui Bright, 3D - 2nd “Udder Mudder” by Cathriona Kelly.😎⛱️🏖️🏝️🏜️
Reg Mombassa inflatable Fish courtesy of Allison Reynolds
This quirky themed Galleries in the Gardens exhibition was sparked by a recent story on ABC’s online news. Allison Reynolds, Director of Space Gallery in Coonabarabran, snagged an inflatable Reg Mombassa sculpture—yes, the very same one that wowed crowds at the 2000 Sydney Olympics closing ceremony—at an online auction. With her Space exhibition wrapping up, Allison thought, “Why not let another gallery have some fun with this iconic piece?” So, Galleries in the Gardens jumped at the chance and borrowed the sculpture for a couple of months. Talk about giving art a second life!
- This arrangement lead to further ideas for our exhibition:
- Reg Mombassa (real name Chris O’Doherty) created many of the Mambo Surf ware designs.
- There is to be a monster raffle of autographed Reg Mombassa merchandise.
- We decided to have a Mambo music theme for our event. The Mambo dance craze originated in Cuba.
- Other music themes will include Mental as Anything and Dog Trumpet (Reg and his brother Peter have been members of both bands).
- Cuba, and south America in general, have many interesting artistic influences, to say nothing of Reg Mombassa’s unusual creative artworks.
- Cuba has some iconic foods and drinks for opening night catering inspiration
- Many Cuban-themed posters have been obtained to adorn the Gallery.
So, we threw down the creative gauntlet to our artist members, asking them to dive into a vibrant mix of Mambo beats, Reg Mombassa’s quirky art style, a colorful journey from Mombassa to Cuba, sizzling Latin American cars, the beautiful Myall Coast, and all things summer! Their challenge? To bring these themes to life in their 2D and 3D works for the upcoming judged exhibition.
Let the artistic fiesta begin!
We will have a monster raffle which includes some signed Reg Mombassa merchandise, tickets on sale from Wednesday 3rd December and will be drawn on 31st January 2026.
Reg Mombassa giant inflatable fish on display at The Gallery
Sponsored by Tom Woods, River Realty
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Special Exhibition
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On now... 1st t0 30th November
Galleries in the Garden presents “A Whimsy of Critters” — a delightful exhibition featuring four local artists inspired by the natural world. Explore an inviting collection of mixed-media paintings, 3D sculptures, wheel-thrown ceramics and playful paper sculptures, all available for purchase.
Jade Phoenix Isaac — a mixed-media painter captivated by wildlife, especially birds and Australian native fauna and flora. Jade’s pieces balance colour, movement and intricate detail.
Margaret Churton — trained in ceramics at the National Art School, Margaret creates functional wheel-thrown pieces with marine themes in warm earthenware tones.
Chez Rands —a lifelong maker who enjoys the challenges of working in 3D investigating the quirky characteristics of birds and animals. Chez’s elegant works reflect decades of practice and have displayed in Sydney galleries and hotels.
Katie Anderson — a talented ten-year-old whose striking drawings and origami characters have supported the Starlight Foundation. Katie will also be introduced to clay and ceramic painting as part of her artistic development.
Chez Rands —a lifelong maker who enjoys the challenges of working in 3D investigating the quirky characteristics of birds and animals. Chez’s elegant works reflect decades of practice and have displayed in Sydney galleries and hotels.
Katie Anderson — a talented ten-year-old whose striking drawings and origami characters have supported the Starlight Foundation. Katie will also be introduced to clay and ceramic painting as part of her artistic development.
When: 1st to 30 November.Where: Galleries in the Garden, 81 Marine Dr, Tea Gardens
FREE ENTRY. Closed Tuesdays
MEET THE ARTIST - Emilie Tseronis
1 - 27 October 2025. A special exhibition showcasing works by one of our artist members. Come and see a selection of paintings by Emilie Tseronis...
Leafy Tales
In my art practice, I constantly return to painting and drawing banksias. 172 species are found in Australia, predominately in the south west of Western Australia and the Eastern coastal fringe from The Illawarra to Gladstone in Queensland. The banksia symbolises strength, resilience and courage and holds profound cultural and symbolic significance to many Australians. It belongs to the protea family that evolved 100 million years ago on Gondwana. When Gondwana fragmented 80 million years ago, proteas remained on the African plate while the banksia developed in Australia.
I am drawn to the variety of colour form and texture of the various species found locally. I admire the boldness and defiance of Australian Native plants as they continue to survive in spite of human incursion of their habitat. And I revel in the diverse profound colours revealed only on close inspection.
Emilie Tseronis 2025
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Sat 19 April 2024 10am-3pm
artMart at the Gallery
Visit The Gallery gardens for our annual ArtMart with works created by members of Galleries in The Gardens.
Artworks at special discounted prices!!
Also join in a FREE kids and adults painting activity.
Easter weekend 19, 20 + 21 April 2025
A fun event for families during the Easter Holidays....
- Two treasure cards will be hidden each day along the Tea Gardens foreshore path....
- On the waterfront from opposite the Police Station to the Fish Co-Op... look for the hidden card....
- And if you are the lucky one... take your card to The Gallery to claim your treasure of an original Art Work by one of our talented local artists.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
[DISCLAIMER]: Winners will only be eligible to claim a prize once during the promotion and must claim their prize on the day they find the hidden card.
MEET THE ARTIST - Bridget Taylor
From 15 February 2025. Opening 3pm A special exhibition showcasing works by one of our artist members. Come and see a selection of paintings by Bridget Taylor...
Just beneath the surface
Bridget Taylor lives and paints between Hawks Nest and the Hunter Valley drawing inspiration from coast to country.
“The colours and patterns in the ocean have always been a fascination to me, I enjoy working on large scale canvas as this enables me to engage with the work. I strive to get the most out of a colour - building, layering, leaving glimpses of the previous colour, luring the eye into the work having a conversation with colour.
When asked what do I paint? I would have to say COLOUR.”
Bridget’s work is fresh and energetic making for a great statement piece.
OCEANOGRAPHYThe ocean is the largest living space on earth man began diving as early as 1000 BC and yet mankind has only explored 5%. The other 95% is unknown due to high pressure and total darkness.The ocean covers 70% of the earth’s surface and holds 94% of earths wild life, the biggest mountain range in the world is in the ocean.Only three people have travelled to the bottom of the ocean in submersibles 10,935 meters down. The coastal blue carbon ecosystem can remove 130 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of removing 28 million cars each year.Mangroves, seagrass, Melaleuca/tea tree and salt marshes buffer shore lines against 97% of energy from the ocean preventing erosion and livelihood for coastal communities.
2024 GIG Student Art Award
Wed 20 Nov to Mon 2 Dec 2024
10am to 4pm - FREE ENTRY (closed Tuesdays)
Winners announced
MEET THE ARTIST - Diana Dean
From 5 October 2024. A special exhibition showcasing works by one of our artist members. Come and see a selection of paintings by Diana Dean....
I seek to tell a story through my art, to connect with viewers, evoke emotions and offer a glimpse into the beauty of the world we live in. I believe that when a viewer lingers and engages the painting is a success.
I am a representational painter employing both acrylic and oils to capture the essence of a wide variety of subjects, from serene landscapes and powerful seascapes to the intricate details in expressive portraits. I strive for colour harmony. To achieve this, I use a limited primary palette, preferring to mix secondary and tertiary colours, this approach allows me to create a cohesive and balanced visual experience that enhances the storytelling aspect of my work.
I am a representational painter employing both acrylic and oils to capture the essence of a wide variety of subjects, from serene landscapes and powerful seascapes to the intricate details in expressive portraits. I strive for colour harmony. To achieve this, I use a limited primary palette, preferring to mix secondary and tertiary colours, this approach allows me to create a cohesive and balanced visual experience that enhances the storytelling aspect of my work.
Being a member of the talented and inspiring collective of Galleries in the Gardens artists is wonderful and having an opportunity to exhibit at The Gallery in Tea Gardens has been an incredible experience.
Galleries in the Gardens presents it's annual WInter in the Gallery exhibition by our members. This year's theme is WINTER PALETTE. Come and see the latest winter themed works. Opening July 5th - all welcome. Free entry.
Exhibition Dates
28 June - 28 July 2023
Winter at The Gallery 2024 Art Exhibition
Galleries in the Gardens presents it's annual Winter Art Exhibition with works by our artist members.
This year's theme is 'A TOUCH OF RED'.
Sunday 7 July will be a ‘Red’ themed fun day including:‘A Touch of Red’ – winners announced.Music, Raffle, Art quiz – with prizes and Rock painting
10 Jan - 3 Feb 2025
Galleries in the Gardens presents it's annual Summer Art Exhibition with works by our local artist members.
This year's theme summer is 'TRUE BLUE'.
The winners, selected by our judge Therese Gabriel Wilkins were Bev Struik for her “Ozzie Outback” acrylic painting and Hannah Matilda for her “Up Mungo Way” mixed media sculpture.
Summer at the Gallery ART Exhibition
12 Jan - 5 Feb 2024
Galleries in the Gardens presents it's annual Summer Art Exhibition with works by our local artist members.
This year's theme summer is 'HAPPY DAYS'.Do drop in to see an eclectic collection of artworks including: paintings, ceramics, jewellery, photography and more.
Free entry. Disabled access.
Open 10am - 4 pm (closed tuesdays).
Anderson Art Award 2023 winners
2D Winner – Julia Ross for her watercolour “Stuck! The Myall River” with additional description “I saw this scene in progress on the Myall River”.
2D Highly Commended – Emilie Tseronis for her acrylic and charcoal painting “The Ages” with additional description “Representations of female form from two different eras”.
3D Winner – Janette Bickley for her Ceramic, decorative stoneware vase “The Wedding” with additional description “Carved and sgraffito decorative technique with underglaze and gold lustre”.
3D Highly Commended - Helen Jackson for her Ceramic piece “Earthflow” with additional description “Stoneware, slab constructed, hand formed, glazed”.
AAA 3D winner Janette Bickley with her entry "The Wedding".