The New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) is set to come alive this Friday, 15 August, with the launch of four vibrant new exhibitions showcasing a wide spectrum of artistic talent and vision.
Visitors are invited to explore Stages by Michael Simms, a powerful series of contemporary portraits; A Way with Words by Lee Bethel, where text and texture collide in thought-provoking installations; Personal Cinema by Cosima Scales, capturing moments of everyday drama and memory; and ARTEXPRESS, celebrating the creativity of emerging young artists through standout HSC Visual Arts works.
Brisbane-based artist Cosima Scales is excited about her first solo exhibition at NERAM. Scales’ paintings capture fleeting moments of domestic life – sunlight on floorboards, fruit on a table – transforming everyday scenes into quiet dramas.
Balancing realism and painterliness, her works explore the rhythms of natural light and the subtle narratives of home.
“I am super excited to be in Armidale for the opening of my exhibition,” said Scales.
“I have been working on these pieces for the last 12 months and have drawn inspiration from everyday moments around my home and trying to make them feel special, highlighting that in the paintings.”
“This exhibition flows on from one I did last year in Redcliffe, looking at still life but taking a broader view. I am really looking forward to sharing my thoughts on the exhibition with my artist talk on Saturday, too.”
Other exhibitions opening include:
– Stages: Michael Simms – an ongoing series of portraits honouring performers whose work spans music, theatre, dance, and performance art. The series explores how presence is expressed – both onstage and off.
– ARTEXPRESS 2025 – celebrates students’ artistic excellence and provides insight into the issues that are important to them. This dynamic and popular exhibition features a selection of exceptional student artworks created for the art-making component of the HSC examination in Visual Arts in 2024.
– A Way with Words: Lee Bethel – explores the material and symbolic potential of paper, cutting and shaping it into intricate forms that cast shadows of memory, history, and meaning.
“The works in this new series of exhibitions span a rich array of themes, subjects, mediums, and techniques,” said NERAM Director Rachael Parsons.
“They are all outstanding and truly exciting to experience. ARTEXPRESS is always a favourite with visitors – the talent and creativity of these young artists is simply extraordinary. Simms, Scales, and Bethel each bring a distinctive visual language to their work – all very different, yet equally clear, resonant, and compelling. There really is something for everyone to discover in these exhibitions.”
Don’t forget to book your free tickets to the opening night and join NERAM for an evening of art, inspiration, and community to celebrate the opening of these exceptional exhibitions. There will be an artist talk with Lee Bethel and Michael Simms from 5:30pm, with the official opening starting at 6pm. Scales’ artist talk will be held on Saturday, 16 August, from 10:30am to 11:30am.
Visit www.neram.com.au for bookings or more information.
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