Gallery
for Tutors and Members
meet our amazing team
The Faces Behind our Success
We Couldn’t Do It Without Them
- Cnr Wellbank St and Clermont Ave Concord
- 0468 419 981
We Couldn’t Do It Without Them
Australian artist Jose Gutierrez received his fine arts training at a very young age in Chile. After 6 years of art studies he joined a local advertising agency in Santiago, as a graphic designer in his late teens.
At age 27, Jose and his family migrated to Australia in 1972. On arrival in Australia he continued working in graphic design and after 3 years’ employment he opened his own graphic design practice in Sydney. He has owned and managed this business for nearly 30 years.
As Jose’s original training was fine arts, parallel to his business activities he continued painting and drawing – attending art refreshers, workshops and art classes – Bathurst Summer & Winter workshops, Royal Art Society, etc. In the meantime, he became a member of the Drummoyne Art Society.
With DAS he has participated in many activities and exhibitions of the society. Jose is a passionate and motivated artist; enjoying teaching, painting and discussing art.
As an award winning artist Jose currently teaches classes using various mediums at gallery57, Concord.
Born in Southern Russia in 1969. At the age of 14, Violetta attended Krasnodar National Art School, where she learned the basics of drawing, painting and sculpture. Thanks to her training, she learned how to use different art mediums at a young age. Violetta’s masterpieces are a fusion of silk painting and watercolouring. As she further experimented with her techniques, she discovered the beauty of combining these two strategies for painting seascapes. Her unique take on these mediums enable her to portray images in a real, raw and authentic way.
She’s now a full-time, multi award winning artist and Violetta is already gaining recognition for her artworks. Aside from being featured in popular exhibits and art shows, her paintings are now sold in Australian, American, Canadian, Japanese, Italian and Russian art exhibits
Suzy Strout is a Sydney-based artist who worked for many years in performance and theatrical costume production. Initially trained at the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne, Suzy worked as a dancer in Australia and London before becoming Australian Design Associate and Supervisor for costumes, wigs, shoes and make-up for dozens of major musicals in Australia and overseas in a production career spanning 40 years.
She designed costumes for stage and dance productions in Adelaide and Sydney, including the 2017/2018 production of Mamma Mia! – Australian Tour and the 2023 Mamma Mia! – Return Tour.
2016 marked a new change in Suzy’s career direction with her first group exhibition, exploring and redeveloping her skills as an individual artist and putting into practice the colour knowledge honed during her theatre career.
As an active member of Drummoyne Art Society, and the current DAS President, Suzy regularly exhibits in the bi-annual DAS exhibitions and in her local Inner West area.
Moving between realism and a more impressionistic form, she began using predominantly acrylic paints, then oil paints, then inks and oil pastels and collage, as she emphasised the textures and shapes in the details of nature and explored our passing journey through the landscape.
More recently, Suzy has worked with cold wax medium and oil paint to be able to apply multiple layers and textures and then excavate to reveal hidden colours. This technique has been the most transformative in her work.
Suzy has been a finalist in the Waverley Art Prize and a two times finalist in the Greenway Art Prize, and in 2020 presented a successful solo exhibition of 32 works.
Born in London, England. Gavin is a self taught artist with a passion for exploring materials and techniques to achieve artistic outcomes and a sense of place.
As a landscape artist Gavin is inspired by the diversity Sydney scapes offer. From familiar landmarks to the vast and varied bush, up and down the coast and inland to the Blue Mountains. Gavin is a Studio Artist, but an outdoor person. He draws inspiration from the world around him, from striking form or contrast to tangled masses, capturing the awe and power of the natural world.
Beyond Australian landscapes, Gavin’s work extends to stone circles and ancient monuments in the UK. He enjoys exploring and photographing ancient sites when visiting family. His photographs of ancient sites inspire many months of landscape paintings following each trip.
Gavin primarily works in water colour, but also incorporates gouache, acrylics and oils.
Gavin is a Part-time artist and full time IT Systems Administrator in the Pharmaceutical Industry.
Currently, Gavin is the Drummoyne Art Society Vice President and Exhibition Manager
Lois started painting under tuition of John Perkins in 1987 after not having had the opportunity to paint since primary school. Lois paints in most medias: oils, acrylics, watercolours, collage, scratchboard, air brush, eco and gelli prints. Her subjects cover a wide range from animals, birds, still life and landscape or ‘’whatever takes her interest at the time’’, with the occasional abstract work thrown in. Lois also has other creative hobbies such as wood turning, pyrography and working with polymer clay. Her artistic vision is to paint for as long as she can.
Over the years Lois has won awards at DAS and CASS. Her works hangs in private collections in NZ, UK, Lithuania and Australia.
Lois joined committee in 1988 and was DAS first female President in 2003 , the following year she took over the role of Treasurer, a position she has held since (except for the 2023-24 year) Lois has also taken an active role in the administration and maintenance of gallery57.
John Perkins is a widely recognised traditional oil artist who has pursued various subjects, yet is most renowned for his marine, streetscapes & still life paintings.
Sought after as a demonstrator and art judge for exhibitions, he has been a tutor for over 35 years and is a regular at the Mitchell School of Arts Bathurst, Grafton ArtsFest & Combined Art Societies Art in Action. John conducted weekly classes for Drummoyne & Parramatta Art Societies over many years, now working on request.
John is a Fellow and President of the Royal Art Society of NSW, former President and Life Member of Drummoyne Art Society, Honorary Member of Lane Cove Art Society and Inaugural President of the Combined Art Societies of Sydney. He has been awarded over 70 first prizes and many highly commended awards throughout his career, continuing to exhibit and gain accolades such as the Lloyd Rees, Waterford and Joshua Smith Awards.
Judy began painting and drawing courses at Meadowbank TAFE, completing her studies in 1992 before joining DAS where she began exhibiting and winning awards, obtaining good sales and gaining recognition.
Judy was invited to join an art group in the Sydney suburb of Thornleigh, painting still life arrangements and enjoying numerous workshop trips to country regions of NSW. Judy continued exhibiting in Sydney venues, including regular Art Society exhibitions.
In 1999, Judy joined a team of 12 artists that set up and ran the artist’s co-op, Art at the Butcher Shop, in Great North Road, Five Dock before returning to Meadowbank TAFE to pursue skills in photography, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, painting and computer imaging.
In 2003 Judy flew to Alice Springs and, inspired by the stunning red earth, blue skies and beautiful aussie white gums, produced a series of outstanding paintings and in 2004 held her first solo exhibition Red Dust. It was after this success that Judy had the opportunity to travel to Italy with a group of artists, culminating in the two artists exhibition Venice Inspirations that included over 100 paintings.
Judy taught several student groups from 2004 to 2014, inspiring them to both enjoy their art and become creative along the way.
Many of Judy’s works are enjoyed in collections in Australia, with several sales proudly taken to collections in England, America and other overseas countries.
Ambra studied fine art at the National Art School (former East Sydney Technical College) from 1981-1983 gaining an Art Certificate and Post Certificate in Painting and Printmaking.
Inspired by her grandfather’s watercolour paintings, she sought out courses at the Australian Watercolour Institute and adult education colleges.
An opportunity to work as Visiting Artists Co-Ordinator at the Biennale of Sydney 1984 led to arts administration jobs at galleries, state/federal government cultural sectors as well as heritage and film festivals. However, these all-encompassing positions and freelance writing projects pushed her art practice to the back of the queue. For almost 20 years!
Now with a more flexible schedule, she has taken up the brushes again with gusto.
Ambra’s watercolours depict interiors and still lifes, which are inspired by images capturing brief moments in time through the eye of a camera. She plays with shapes, colour and composition and interprets the photographic image in unexpected ways … sometimes a small fragment of the captured image is interesting enough to become the finished work.
Her favourite artists include Wassily Kandinsky, Emile Nolde, Edward Hopper, Giorgia O’Keeffe, Joy Hester.
Participation 2024 exhibitions: Royal Art Society; Royal Easter Show; Sorrento (Vic) Art Prize; Clare Art Prize (SA); Tumut Art Prize; Drummoyne Art Society 2023-24. Ambra also participated in a successful two-person show at DAS Gallery57 in November 2023.
Awards: Highly Commended Watercolour – DAS Members’ Exhibition 2024.
Ambra has assisted with promotions and events.
Xavier Ghazi has been illustrating since 1995, having several group exhibitions and winning first prize in the portrait category in the 1993 International Art Show in Anglet, France. Following his move to Sydney, Xavier was part of several group exhibitions and has had two solo shows at the ArtHouse Hotel and been the winner of the Bald Archy prize five times.
As a child Dana showed great interest in drawing, so beautifully illustrating her books and school projects that teachers often kept them. With a passion for colour and interior decorating, Dana went on to study at the Julian Ashton School of Arts followed by sculpture and colour and design at East Sydney Technical College. Dana was later inspired by art tutor colleagues, whilst employed at Macquarie University.
Dana has taken classes and workshops with local art societies, conducted by high profile artists including Drummoyne Art Society’s John Perkins, whom she finds inspiring. She has attended ‘Art in Action’ for over 20 years and painted in Tuscany with artist Ron Muller of Melbourne. Her paintings can be found in England, Italy and Poland in high profile establishments.
Dana’s Australian landscape work captures a translucent quality with her use of colour, light and harmony, achieved by loading the brush with very thick paint and little medium. Composition is also very important. Dana draws and paints in oils, acrylics and watercolour, and her subject matter is diversified including both modern and traditional. Dana has won many art awards and first prizes including the Bankstown and Drummoyne Art Societies, the Combined Art Society and Rotary Exhibitions.
At Drummoyne’s Open Awards 2011, Dana won the Member’s Section with Country Magic. The Judge said of this work “This painting captures everything about the subject – taking the viewer on a relaxed journey. It has a pleasing simplicity and interesting surface texture. Dana’s winning painting has also appeared in the Australian Artist Magazine on two occasions”.
Xiu Luo Sun (Sylvia) is a Chinese Australian artist with over 30 years experience in teaching, painting and drawing. After graduating from Qingdao University, China in 1985 and majoring in textiles and fashion design, she became an art and design lecturer.
In China, Sylvia participated in numerous painting exhibitions and winning awards in multiple stage costume and fashion design competitions. In Australia she has been exploring still life paintings and experimenting with colour and pattern in oils, acrylic and pastels and turning everyday items such as flowers, vases, fruits and tea sets into extraordinary expressions of beauty and depth. She sees still life as an inanimate amalgamation of composition, decoration, rigour and flexibility.
Xiu Luo’s paintings and artworks have been exhibited and published on many occasions overseas and in Australia, with several pieces currently in the possession of private collectors.
Sylvia currently teaches term drawing classes at gallery57, Concord
Leeka graduated from the National Art School in 1966 before working in a commercial studio for several years. After marrying and raising a family, she returned to her fine art practice, influenced by prominent artists Ross Davies, Ina Hanson and Joshua Smith. Leeka has achieved great success and recognition for her work, accumulating over one hundred first art prizes and twice been an Archibald Prize finalist; first in 1986 with her portrait of Rita Hunter and again in 1988 with Don Burrows. She has held 16 solo exhibitions and participated in many group shows. In 2000 she was promoted to Fellow Member of the Royal Art Society of NSW.
Leeka has taught pastel, painting and watercolor classes at the Castle Hill Art Society and conducted workshops at Bathurst University, Art in Action 1994, Camp Creative in Bellingen, Port Maquarie and the Blue Mountains, as well as conducting private lessons in her Greenacre studio. Some of Leekas students are now prize winning artists or teachers.
Leeka’s next challenge is to teach creative watercolor classes suitable for beginners or experienced artists to help unlock their creativity.
Phil started his art journey over 50 years ago with a drawing class at The Royal Art Society with Australian artists Fred Bates. He then continued with painting classes both in the studio and plein air.
Phil was Drummoyne Art Society’s Vice President for a few years and is now a Fellow Member of the Royal Art Society of NSW.
Phil’s current focus is portraiture, collage and drawing. He coordinates our weekly portraiture classes at gallery57.
“What I like about art is that you can follow whichever path takes your interest.”
Christine is an artist through and through, she grew up in England where she always showed a passion for art by excelling in all her classes from an early age through to adulthood. After studying at Art College she went on to do a degree in Graphic Design.
Her art gained recognition by winning the National Sign Centre Award after which she was offered employment in London with a prestigious design agency which formed a basis for her creative career, later refining her skills to become a proficient art teacher with a gift for building an exceptional rapport with children.
Christine travelled extensively and taught art in schools for more than ten years in Germany and the UAE, before taking up residence and teaching in Queensland and is now enjoying living in Sydney.
The NSW Government now has Creative Kids Vouchers which can be used for these art classes. Please visit their website here to find out more and to apply for a voucher if you haven’t already www.service.nsw.gov.au/creative-kids-voucher
Single classes are also available. Contact Christine directly for availability.
Don’t you see a convenient time for your child? Get a group of 4 or more students together and start your own class with Christine. E-mail Christine Curtis directly or phone: 0424 286 747
I like to play with colour, shape, tone, texture and fine tune compositions in both abstract and representational work. I am stirred by nature, plants, landscape and also buildings, especially interiors. For some time I have been seduced by the light inside the large, empty spaces of woolsheds. The distinctive buildings, constructed of local timber, are unique and compelling. In 2013 at the Incinerator Art Space, Willoughby, I exhibited paintings of interiors of woolsheds called Cathedrals of Wood – Painting In Woolsheds.
More recently I have been capturing the spaces of the oneplus2 studios where I work. The space and light are appealing, but unlike woolsheds, artists have plenty of stuff – paintings, drawings, paint pots, brushes and all the paraphernalia that artists accumulate. It has led me to consider the abstract qualities of these things in space.
I have found that books, especially concertina books, lend themselves to recording precious memories that are held in the objects important in our lives. I found watercolour is a beautiful medium to bring out the delicacy and abstract qualities of objects.
Andrea is a full-time artist winning many awards in Australia and Britain. After leaving school she attended 5 years through College and University studying art and design, receiving honours and distinctions for her artworks.
Over the years Andrea has also painted many murals in restaurants, kids bedroom, curated and designed artworks to decorate office spaces in Sydney and Melbourne and has had 8 paintings published in International magazines.
Many of her artworks have been sold to private collectors throughout Australia, USA and Europe.
Most of Andrea’s inspiration derives from her love and appreciation for nature and animals. She enjoys creating them as she feels they should be portrayed; sometimes fine art, abstracts and surrealism.
Christine is an artist through and through, she grew up in England where she always showed a passion for art by excelling in all her classes from an early age through to adulthood. After studying at Art College she went on to do a degree in Graphic Design.
Her art gained recognition by winning the National Sign Centre Award after which she was offered employment in London with a prestigious design agency which formed a basis for her creative career, later refining her skills to become a proficient art teacher with a gift for building an exceptional rapport with children.
Christine travelled extensively and taught art in schools for more than ten years in Germany and the UAE, before taking up residence and teaching in Queensland and is now enjoying living in Sydney.
Draw like a professional and have fun to their hearts content!
Art is so much fun and we, at Gallery 57 have the best kids art classes!
We ensure that they go home smiling.
Wednesday 14 April
10am -1 pm
Bring light lunch and drinks.
$80 per child
All materials included… plenty of creations to take home!
Creative kids vouchers welcome.
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher
Limited numbers so register now to secure a spot by clicking on the button to Christine.
