Jeffmcneill_art

08/10/2026

Had a wonderful Birthday present arrive

It has just been announced that my Painting "Changing of the Colours" has been shortlisted as a finalist for the LEN FOX PAINTING AWARD. Castlemaine Victoria.

It is one of 40 Finalists and can be seen at the Castlemaine Art Museum from the 11th of December to the 14th of March.

What makes this particularly special for me is that the award recognises artists whose work explores, among other things, colour and light.

As a totally blind artist, I can no longer see either, but they remain an important part of my paintings.

Changing Colours is my minds eye view of a landscape of silver birches, with Kaye assisting me with paint mixing.

It's wonderful to have my work recognised alongside other Australian artists, particularly in an award that celebrates painting and the interpretation of colour and light.

18/09/2026

The Edge of Knowing
50 x 40
Acrylic & Oil Paint with Modeling Paste
Sep 2026

22/06/2026

Changing of the Colours
60 x 75
Oil on Canvis
June 2026

20/06/2026

Scribbly Gum
40 x 50
Oil and Mixed Medium on Board.

Continuing my experimentation with textured media to enhance the tactile experience.

19/06/2026

Hide and Seek
90 x 90
Oil on Canvis
June 2026

Continuing my Study into Silver Birches

29/04/2026

For those who were unable to attend my opening on the 4th of April 2026. Here is a recording of the opening speech.

"Minds Eye View" Opening Speech at Q & A First Solo Exhibition Briagolong Art Galley

28/04/2026

My First Solo Gallery Exhibition at Briagolong Art Gallery has two weekends left to run. The Gallery is open to the public on each of the two weekends Saturday and Sunday 10am to 3pm.

The Gallery is needing the public's support please see below.

CAN YOU HELP SAVE THE BRIAGOLONG ART GALLERY?

For 24 years, The Briagolong Art Gallery has provided an accessible and affordable grass roots local venue for emerging and established Gippsland artists to exhibit contemporary art work.

Drawing weekend tourist traffic, the volunteer run, multi-purpose building has hosted events, workshops, served as a studio space and shopfront for locally made artworks and artisan gifts.

The modest venue, owned by the late Bill and Rose Annears, was originally set up as an exhibition space for artists that were part of a local art workshop group facilitated by the late Pate Waters.

'Bill and Ros Annears were exceptional in allowing us to stay here for many years, they let us to what we wanted to do, they were very supportive of our art practice and our gallery', say Treasurer Fiona Reynolds.

But with the death of surviving property owner Ros Annears in September last year and the family's decision to sell the building, an ongoing tenancy has been in doubt.

In an effort to preserve the community asset, a fundraising campaign has since been set up by managing committee The
Big Gallery Inc, to purchase the building.

The committee have since been sourcing gallery member donations, applying for grants, staging raffles, artwork sales and orchestrating other community fundraising activities to reach the purchase price.

As a not-for-profit organisation, the gallery recently received status as a recognised charity, setting up a GoFundMe page https://gofund.me/79daca145 to help achieve their goals.

As one of the last main street buildings still open to the public in Briagolong, with most of the town's shops having closed down, Fiona says that community support for preserving the gallery has been encouraging.

'It's one of the few things apart from the pub on the corner that has sustained itself in the town' said Fiona.

'We operate on very little, but we put in a lot of volunteer time into keeping it going.'

16/04/2026

I appreciate the ABC for recognizing my exhibition at the Briagolong Art Gallery. I’d also like to acknowledge the Gallery for hosting my first solo exhibition. The Gallery is currently raising funds to purchase its building, helping ensure that future exhibitions can continue to be held in Briagolong.

16/04/2026