Danelle Bergstrom - Portia Geach Memorial Award finalist

Hill End artist Danelle Bergstrom's painting titled Centenary of Grace - Finalist for Portia Geach Memorial Prize.

It's a very exciting month in Hill End with the announcement of two Hill End artists as finalists for the Portia Geach Memorial Award. We have Rosemary Valadon www.rosemaryvaladon.com.au/with her portrait of Hill End artist Genevieve Carroll and Danelle Bergstrom with Centenary of Grace.


This is a little insight into Danelle's portrait of Eileen Kramer of how the meeting of two creative minds inspired this well portrayed painting.

For Eileen, born in 1914, every day is a day to create. Her 76 year career as writer, dancer, painter, costume designer and choreographer began in 1939 with the Bodenwieser Ballet, one of Australia's first modern dance companies.

Last year she was honoured with a Lifetime achievement Award from the Arts Health Institute for whom she is now an official Ambassador.

First introductions to Eileen and her stimulating body of work, extended through mutual friend Jack Thompson, at the opening night of her latest work, a performance of the "The Early Ones" that she both choreographed and performed.

While researching for the portrait, I attended a dance and movement class held by Eileen with the intention to observe and sketch. However it proved difficult to be merely a spectator, being drawn into her graceful hypnotic movements. Enticed to participate, not necessarily following the graceful actions of the class, but eager to experience the rhythms, fluidity and elegance of the movements that Eileen expresses so naturally.

You can see more of Danelle Bergstroms evocative landscape paintings at her coming exhibition at
A R T H O U S E  G A L L E R Y www.arthousegallery.com.au/artists/bergstrom_danelle/