Curated Exhibitions
The ARY Collective meets to agree on exhibition themes, with curatorial teams collaborating throughout the year to exchange ideas and develop concepts for upcoming shows. These meetings also determine the curatorial teams for the Autumn and Spring exhibitions.
Nebulae (The space between the stars)
April - May, 2026
Each artist brought a particular interpretation of the Nebulae theme, providing a rich and surprising look at the spaces that lie within comic swirls. The works included figurative and landscape painting, prints, drawings, ceramics, sculpture, and mixed media artworks.
Participating artists: Brock Sykes; Gillian Baldock; Justin Pearson; Leanne Booth; Slavica Zivkovic; Toni Warburton; Tracy Hopkirk; Wendi Toohey.
Understory
October - December, 2025
“A layer, the seen and unseen… what lies beneath."
Guest speaker: Kylie Needham -Author, Screenwriter
Participating artists: Brock Sykes; Gillian Baldock; Justin Pearson; Helen Oprey; Leanne Booth; Marlene Murray; Robyn Rumpf; Slavica Zivkovic; Sue Wallace; Toni Warburton; Tracy Hopkirk; Wendi Toohey
34 Degrees South
March - May, 2025
Using the mediums of paint, clay, stone and fibre, the ARY artists told their stories from the perspective of their sense of place. Being artists based in the Southern Highlands, ’34 Degrees South’ spoke to the latitudinal placement on the Earth’s hemisphere and bandwidth south of the equator. It also told of their continued quests for freedom of movement and experimentation within their chosen artistic practices.
Participating artists: Brock Sykes; Helen Oprey; Leanne Booth; Marlene Murray; Susan Heslin; Tracy Hopkirk; Toni Warburton; Robyn Rumpf; Slavica Zivkovic
Voyager
October - November, 2024
“A person who makes a long journey to a distant or unknown place”
The ARY artists presented “Voyager”, an insight into the creative journey from a collective group of artists. The exhibition showcased mediums of painting and sculpture.
Participating artists: Brock Sykes; Helen Oprey; Julie Reilly; Leanne Booth; Marlene Murray; Monica Trapaga; Robyn Rumpf; Slavica Zivkovic; Sonja Mills; Toni Warburton; Tracy Hopkirk
Waterworks
April - May, 2024
The ARY artists celebrated Life’s Essence with a drop, a vessel, and a Sea. The artists showcased responses to this essential element using various mediums of expression: painting, ceramics, jewellery, puppetry and sculpture.
Water in the environment inspires, creating models of ponds, creeks and seaside cliffs.
Robyn Rumpf, sculptor.
Ponds and dams are eyes to the skies, reflecting clouds, wind and rain patterns. A harmonious ecosystem of plants, frogs, insects, migratory birds, fish and the microorganisms within keep the water fresh
and alive.
Toni Warburton ceramist and painter
Inspired by its life force, I see clouds and raindrops, fish, and I see boats lost on a wild sea.
Tracy Hopkirk, sculptor and jeweller
Water, life on the edge of hope and horror. Watching rivers rise and fall, will the water be kind or cruel?
Sue Wallace, puppeteer and sculptor
Water moving over rock is fundamental in the creation of all landscapes. It is a force that can be infinitesimal, ponderous, or explosive.
Brock Sykes, painter
Flow like water, and you’ll find your way through any rock (quote from unknown)
Helen Oprey, painter
Artful Disposition
November - December, 2023
In tribute to the legacy of the late James Fairfax, the White Cottage Gallery was restyled with exhibiting artworks displayed within a setting of delightful furnishings reminiscent of the recent past.
The Round Yard, with walls that still bear the patina and echo of the horses once trained there, were transformed into a grand room filled with items to delight the senses.
Adjoining outside garden spaces featured outdoor art pieces made by our talented sculptors, presented under the green canopy of stunning trees at the entrance to the fabulous Retford Park gardens.
Participating artists: Brock Sykes; Helen Oprey; Jules van de Sande; Leanne Booth; Mark Kelly; Robyn Rumpf; Slavica Zivkovic; Sonja Millis; Sue Wallace; Toni Warburton; Tracy Hopkirk
Autumn Resonance
April - May, 2023
Autumn themes inspired this exhibition with a repertoire imbued with colourful warmth, texture, nature in flux and a touch of nostalgia. Colour, tone, texture and form were explored in paintings, sculpture, jewellery, fabric, photography, ceramics and print.
Participating artists: Leanne Booth; Tracy Hopkirk; Mark Kelly; Helen Oprey; Marlene Murray; Sonja Millis; Jules Van de Sande; Sue Wallace; Toni Warburton; Slavica Zivkovic
Inspiration to Creation
October - December, 2022
‘Inspiration to Creation’ was a unique insight into the creative process, formation and development of the exhibited artworks. The exhibition displayed photographs and video presentations of the artists at work in their private studio spaces, as well as drawings, sketches, and diagrams.
Participating artists: Clayton John; Helen Oprey; Jules van de Sande; Leanne Booth; Mark Kelly; Marlene Murray; Slavica Zivkovic; Sonja Millis; Sue Wallace; Toni Warburton; Tracy Hopkirk
EVOLVE
February - May, 2022
To arise or transform through evolutionary processes.
To develop gradually by a process of growth and change.
To develop over time into forms that are better adapted to survive changes in their environment.
Participating artists: Leanne Booth; Susan Heslin; Tracy Hopkirk; Clayton John; Mark Kelly; Sonja Millis; Marlene Murray; Helen Oprey; Jules Van de Sande; Toni Warburton; Slavica Zivkovic
X-pollination
October, 2021 - January, 2022
This exhibition was about exploring the creative possibilities of x-pollination. At the heart of the theme lied the concept, or the act, of joining two different things: the merging of materials, of groups of people, or for many of us, the cross-fertilisation of ideas.
Participating artists: Clayton John; Helen Oprey; Jessica Raschke; Leanne Booth; Mark Kelly; Marlene Murray; Slavica Zivkovic; Sonja Mills; Susan Heslin; Toni Warburton; Tracey Miller; Tracy Ponich
Emergence at Sturt Gallery
August - September, 2020
15 ARY artists re-emerged in a time of uncertainty with thanks to the Sturt Gallery for hosting this exhibition in their beautiful space.
Participating artists: Clayton John; Helen Oprey; Jessica Raschke; Leanne Booth; Mark Kelly; Marlene Murray; Slavica Zivkovic; Sonja Mills; Susan Heslin; Toni Warburton; Tracey Miller; Tracy Ponich
The Art of Collecting
November, 2019
The ARY artists joined the main house event with their own version of this theme, so fitting at the home of the late James Fairfax AC, a great philanthropist and collector of art. In this exhibition, each of the ARY artists shared which artists they found the most influential and inspirational.
Participating artists: Peter Baron; Leanne Booth; Mark Callaghan; Clayton Hairs; Tracy Hopkirk; Mark Kelly; Penelope McManus; Tracey Miller; Sonja Millis; Marlene Murray; Scott Pollock; Tracy Ponich; Britta Stenmanns; Penny Simons; Anthony Springford; Philip Walker; Slavica Zivkovic
The Art of Giving
November, 2018
In honour of James Fairfax, a great philanthropist and art collector, the Artists of the Round Yard bring their own
interpretations of The Art of Giving.
Participating artists: Yolande Clarkson; Sam Larwill; Philip Walker; Britta Stenmanns; Leanne Booth; Slavica Zivkovic; Adriana Mendiv; Tracy Ponich; Heidi McGeoch; Yolande Clarkson; Sue Wallace; Steve Coupe; Tracey Miller; Scott Pollock; Rick Shepherd; Peter Baron; Penelope McManus; Mark Callaghan; Clayton Hairs; Sonja Millis