Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery

Phone: (07) 4688 6652

Email: art@tr.qld.gov.au

Instagram: @trartgalleries

Post:

Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery
PO Box 3021
Toowoomba QLD 4350

Research enquiries via email art@tr.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 4688 6652

We welcome visits by groups wishing to enjoy our exhibitions.

Booked groups may self-guide or enquire about a free 30 to 40 minute guided group tour with one of our knowledgeable team members. Guided tours are subject to capacity and availability.

How to book

• Bookings are essential for all group visits.
• We encourage organisers to book at least two weeks ahead.

Bookings can be made by completing our online art gallery booking request.

Guided tours

Thinking of visiting? We offer free guided or self-guided general Gallery tours for school groups and educators Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5pm. Bookings are essential and educators are encouraged to book at least two weeks ahead.

We cater for students from pre-prep to tertiary level, home-schooled and school groups of any year level with a range of interests, providing opportunities to engage with our exhibitions and diverse collection holdings.

We encourage enquiries from educators who would like a tailored visit to suit their program. Delivery can be flexible, so if you have an idea or wish to book a tour, please let us know your excursion requirements.

Complete our online art gallery booking request and a Gallery team member will be in touch to discuss your visit.

Viewing artwork

The Gallery offers special access to artworks not currently on display for research and educational purposes. If you wish to view Collection items that are not on display as part of your visit should contact the Gallery at art@tr.qld.gov.au with at least 48 hours notice to make a request. Access to items is not guaranteed but will be provided if possible.

The Bolton Reading Room

In addition to the exhibitions on display, groups and researchers can explore The Bolton Reading Room.

The holdings include rare, unique and out-of-print materials relating to:

• Australia’s First Nations peoples
• manuscripts, printed maps and first-edition accounts of maritime and overland journeys of discovery dating from the early 1600s
• Australian literature and art books from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s.

Physical access to browse and read items is by appointment, Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday.

To make an appointment to see this unique collection, please complete our online art gallery booking request.

Virtual exhibition tours

Missed seeing some of our recent exhibitions? You can view the following exhibitions via an interactive virtual tour:

• Contemporary Wearables ’23 Biennial Jewellery Award and Exhibition and Skin Show: The Art and Rite of Tattoo via our virtual Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery tour.
• How Soon is Now? Bruce Reynolds via our virtual Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery tour.

Subscribe to receive updates on upcoming Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery events, exhibitions and opportunities. We have four different mailing lists you may like to subscribe to:

1. The TRAG mailing list updates subscribers about upcoming Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery events, exhibitions and opportunities. Emails are usually sent monthly along with occasional additional updates.
2. The Cam Robertson Gallery exhibitions mailing list updates subscribers about the exhibition application round/s.
3. The Contemporary Wearables Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition mailing list updates subscribers about the exhibition application round/s.
4. The Opportunities for artists mailing list updates subscribers about opportunities, awards and residencies that may be of interest to artists.

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Gallery spaces at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery are dedicated to the display of our permanent collections, touring exhibitions and gallery projects. At this stage, we are not seeking applications or proposals from artists for our other Gallery spaces. Please contact the gallery via email or phone if you have a project proposal you would like to discuss.

Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery is closed due to a weather event. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.  

Follow us on Instagram @trartgalleries

Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery is closed due to a weather event. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

 Follow us on Instagram @trartgalleries.

The Gallery is home to three permanent collections containing a unique mix of gallery and print materials, Our Collections offer diverse views, stories and ideas about the region and its connection to national and international contexts.

The Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery – Toowoomba City Collection

The Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery – Toowoomba City Collection focuses principally on 20th-century Australian art, Queensland artists and artists who have an important connection to the Toowoomba Region and its history.

The collection includes works by significant artists across painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, ceramics, small-scale sculpture and jewellery, including:

• The Dr Irene Amos OAM Collection - Amos Bequest is a major acquisition and forms an important part of the overall catalogue of works.
• Acquisitions from Contemporary Wearables Biennial Jewellery Award and Exhibition have made an important contribution to building one of Australia’s leading contemporary jewellery collections at the Gallery.

Image: Installation view Multiple Originals: Prints from the Collection, 2020.

Lionel Lindsay Gallery and Library

Named in honour of Sir Lionel Lindsay, this unique collection was opened by the then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, in 1959. It was originally assembled by Toowoomba couple, W.R.F (Bill) Bolton MBE and Marion Bolton, whose dedication has left the city with a remarkable legacy.

The art collection features over 400 artworks by members of the Lindsay family and many other significant Australian painters, including Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Rupert Bunny.

The collection of print materials is of national importance and comprises:

• rare, unique and out-of-print materials relating to Australia's First Nations peoples
• manuscripts, printed maps and first-edition accounts of maritime and overland journeys of discovery dating from the early 1600s
• Australian literature and art books from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s.

The manuscripts include important documents such as letters written by explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, navigator La Perouse and writer Henry Lawson, as well as Lionel Lindsay's own papers.

The Fred and Lucy Gould Art Collection

The Fred and Lucy Gould Art Collection is an eclectic collection of approximately 350 works. The collection was donated to the people of Toowoomba in 1950 by Mr Fred Gould, in memory of his wife Lucy. Lucy enjoyed drawing and painting, while Fred served for some years as a trustee of the Queensland Art Gallery.

The result of their interests can be seen in this collection which includes:

• antique furniture
• fine porcelain and glassware
• gold and silverware
• bronzes
• drawings and paintings
• and many other items.

Mostly from Europe, Asia and Australia, the pieces date from the early 1700s to the 1930s, and some of Lucy Gould's artworks are included. The importance of this community asset is well realised by Toowoomba City Council which, since the late 1980s, has carried out a program of conservation to ensure that The Fred and Lucy Gould Art Collection will be preserved for future generations, as an important element of the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery.

Contemporary Wearables '23

The 2023 Award exhibition was juried by:

• Cassandra Lehman, Co-Director: Creative at Artisan
• Christian Hall, Contemporary artist in object art and design, Non- Executive Director Guildhouse, South Australia and former Creative Director - Metal Design Studio Jam Factory Contemporary Craft & Design
• Emily McCulloch Childs, Gallerist, curator, writer, art historian, researcher, publisher and fundraiser, Co-director of McCulloch & McCulloch and Everywhen Artspace, Founder The Indigenous Jewellery Project.

The appointed judge for 2023 was Chloë Powell, Co-Founder and Director of Radiant Pavilion, Melbourne Contemporary Jewellery and Object Biennial.

Award winners:

• Award winner: Zoë Veness / Wreath 2023 (neckpiece) - Acquired
• Runner-up: Kirsten Haydon / Ice holds 2023 (9 neckpieces & 36 pendants) - Acquired
• Student award: Beth Sanderson / Grating 2022 (4 brooches)

Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection.

The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection:

• Sarah Elson / Fuck cluster brooch 2021
• Kath Inglis / Caulerpa with Epiphytes neckpiece 2023
• Katheryn Leopoldseder / Vic’s Rosary 2022
• Jason Moss / YES 2023
• Melinda Young / The Intruders (Brickface & Coalface) 2022

Image: 2023 Award Winner / Zoë VENESS / Wreath 2023 / Neckpiece: archival paper, stainless-steel cable, sterling-silver tubing / 42 x 42 x 4cm / © Zoe Veness

Contemporary Wearables '21

The 2021 Award exhibition was juried by:

• Dr Elizabeth Shaw, Contemporary Jeweller and Senior Lecturer, Head of Jewellery and Small Objects Department, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University
• Marian Hosking, Contemporary Jeweller and former Head of Gold and Silversmithing Departments at both RMIT and Monash University
• Dr Nicholas Bastin, Contemporary Jeweller and Lecturer Gold and Silversmithing, School of Art, RMIT University.

The appointed judge for 2021 was Barbara Heath, one of Australia’s leading contemporary jewellers.

Award winners:

• Award winner: Sarah Rayner & Sophie Carnell / Florilegium… traversing the poetry of plants 2020 (42 brooches - details shown above and right) - Acquired

• Runner-up: Kyoko Hashimoto / Coal necklace 2020 (neckpiece) - Acquired

• Student award: Kierra-Jay Power / Museum drawer series (Meloys rubicola) 2020

Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection.

The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection:

• Maddison Bygrave - Ngarra brooch 1 and Ngarra brooch 2
• Gretal Ferguson - Long Stitch (1 brooch)
• Mari Hirata - Tidal (series of 3 brooches)
• Anke Kindle - Order of the Kratzbürste (1 brooch)
• Elfrun Lach - Superspreaders series (6 brooches)

Images: 2021 Award Winner Sarah RAYNER and Sophie CARNELL / Florilegium… traversing the poetry of plants 2020 (detail) / 42 brooches: hand carved porcelain with terra sigillata, sterling and fine silver / 26 x 375 x 8cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2387 / Purchased from Contemporary Wearables ’21 with funds donated by Toowoomba Gallery Society 2018 / © Sarah Rayner and Sophie Carnell

Contemporary Wearables '19

The 2019 award exhibition was juried by:

• Simon Cottrell - Lecturer / Researcher, Gold and Silversmithing Workshop, ANU School of Art & Design
• Claire Sourgnes - CEO Artisan
• Chloë Powell - Curator and Exhibitions Manager, Craft Victoria, Co-founder and Director, Radiant Pavilion: Melbourne Contemporary Jewellery and Object Biennial

The appointed judge for 2019 was Marian Hosking, Silversmith.

Award winners:

• Award winner: Melissa Cameron Corporate entity / corporeal entity 2017 (neckpiece)
• Runner-up: Jennifer Fahey Uncanny encounters 2017 (26 pins)
• Student award: Kristina Neuman Sill in Cylinder 2019 (neckpiece)

Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection.

The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection:

• Sue Buchanan Urban Garland (neckpiece)
• Kayannie Denigan Ngathu Bubu (2 x brooch)
• Pennie Jagiello The crown-of-thorns has nothing over the Anthropocene (neckpiece)
• Cara Johnson Unearth (neckpiece)
• Sultana Shamshi The Phoenix Tree (brooch)
• Bic Tieu Kangaroo Paws (brooches)
• Nina van Duijnhoven A Collaboration (neckpieces)
• Leonie Westbrook Yellow Rectangle Pendant (neckpiece)
• Melinda Young Future Relic Neckpiece (neckpiece)

Image: 2019 Award Winner Melissa CAMERON / Corporate entity / corporeal entity 2017 / Neckpiece: stainless steel, vitreous enamel titanium / 10.5 x 10.5 x 1.0cm; 76.0cm chain / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - City Collection 2339 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2019 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / © Melissa Cameron

Contemporary Wearables '17

Contemporary Wearables '17 was juried by:

• Dr Sabine Pagan - contemporary jeweller and interdisciplinary practitioner
• Mr Kevin Murray - independent writer, curator and managing editor for Garland Magazine.

The appointed judge for 2017 was Mr Phill Mason, Gem-Cutter, Goldsmith and Studio-Jeweller.

Award winners:

• Award winner: Luke Abbot Mandible Setting 2017 (articulated ring)
• Runner-up: Anja Jagsch Symbiosis 2017 (four rings)
• Student award: Michaela Pegum Quale II 2016 (neckpiece)

The three awarded works were acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection.

The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection:

• Leonie Westbrook Yellow Rectangle (bangle)
• Inari Kiuru Night falls over Brunswick (two brooches)
• Sandie Lee For Love (two neckpieces)
• Sophie Carnell Papers for thoughtful girls (neckpiece)
• Bin Dixon-Ward Red Squares #1 (neckpiece)
• Katheryn Leopoldseder Household Idols (three rings)
• Tatjana Panyockzi In the picture (neckpiece)
• Bic Tieu Connected Landscapes (brooch)
• Blanche Tilden Flow 03 (neckpiece)
• Nina Van Duynhoven "What is to give light must endure burning." - Viktor Frankl (five brooches)

Image: 2017 Award Winner Luke ABBOT / Mandible setting 2017 / articulated ring: titanium, 925 silver, gem / 2.8 x 2.1 x 0.7cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2207 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2017 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / Reproduced by kind permission.

Contemporary Wearables '15

Contemporary Wearables '15 was juried by:

• Dr Dorothy Erickson - historian and artist-jeweller
• Melanie Pitkin - Assistant Curator, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences
• 48 jewellers were selected from Australia and New Zealand.

Sabine Pagan, contemporary jeweller and former Head of BA (Jewellery) at Charles Sturt University judged the award.

Award winners:

• Award winner: Christel Van Der Laan Eureka 2014 (brooch)
• Runner-up: Kate Wischusen Manhole #1 2014 (brooch)

The following works were acquired for the Gallery’s Collection:

• Catrine Berlatier Double Link (necklace)
• Susan Buchanan The new jewels – Safety Pin, I See You #1 & #2 (three brooches)
• Michelle Cangiano The Healer (neckpiece)
• Elfrun Lach Frangia (necklace)
• Carly Lay Oppression | Suppression (two neckpieces)
• Larah Nott Flight #10 (brooch)
• Christel Van Der Laan Eureka (brooch)
• Janice Vitkovsky Frequency & Transparent threads (two brooches)
• Kate Wischusen Manhole #1 (brooch)
• Alister Yiap Fault-Line (ring)

No student award was presented.

Image: 2015 Award Winner Christel VAN DER LAAN / Eureka 2014 / brooch – ceramic honeycomb, oxidised silver, gold, onyx, mirror, paint / 9.0 x 10.0 x 2.5cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2121 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2015 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / Reproduced by kind permission.