Jenny Durack North From Archie's Hill

About the collection

The Southern Downs Regional Council Collection includes artworks that have been donated and acquired from the 1970’s to the present day.  There are approximately 900 pieces in the collection including historical photographs made up of works from the former Stanthorpe and Warwick Shire Councils.  Recently the collection was valued at just under $3,000 000.

Historical Context

 The Stanthorpe Collection

 Established in 1972 with the first acquisitions from the biennial Art Festival, the collection has grown to almost 800 pieces, representing the diversity of Australian Art Practice through the wide ranging mediums of fibre/textile, painting, ceramics, works on paper and sculpture.

A number of internationally recognised Australian artists are represented in the collection with selected works having great significance including William Robinson, Jon Molvig, Margaret Olley and Charles Blackman.  Generous donations from Pamela Bell O.A.M., and William Bowmore A.M. have added considerable depth to the collection with a number of European artists including Pablo Picasso being represented.

The Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery continues to acquire works by Australian artists, with recent additions to the collection by Ken Done, Jorg Schmeisser and Dr Ian Henderson.

The Warwick Collection

Half of the Warwick collection is made up of Australian landscapes that were acquired by the previous Rosenthal, Glengallan, Allora and Warwick Shire Councils. Records as to the history of the purchase/bequest of many of the early acquisitions are limited however several of the works are quite significant including paintings by Kenneth McQueen and Ray Crooke.

Between the years of 1995 and 2009 works were acquired through the Warwick Art Gallery’s annual art competition, the Warwick Art Prize. Works acquired during this period include paintings by James Guppy, Ian Smith and Mostyn Bramley Moore.    

 As caretakers of the Warwick collection, Warwick Art Gallery Incorporated resolved to cease acquiring paintings in 2009 in order to develop a new strategic collection plan with the potential to include textile art from Jumpers and Jazz in July.