Art Events in Mornington

Meet Michal Vale & hear about all his painterly quirks in his fascinating show 'The Cuckoo, the Herring, and the Trembling Tambourines'. Join Curator Rebecca Owens & Michael Vale for a special floor talk where you'll explore Michael's practice of blending Romantic landscape traditions with absurdist theatre, dark fiction and a sly sense of humour. Over several decades, Vale has developed a distinctive visual language where spectral characters and theatrical costumes appear in grand, dramatic settings, creating scenes that are at once playful, unsettling and richly imaginative. A highlight of the exhibition is Picnic (2024), Vale’s tongue-in-cheek take on the traditional still life. Drawing on an eclectic mix of art-historical and photographic references, the painting brings together a band of curious travellers—from a blue umbrella-holding figure inspired by a photograph of Picasso, to a turkey borrowed from John Currin—set against a sweeping 16th-century mountain landscape. The result is a witty, layered composition that captures Vale’s love of storytelling, visual mischief and unexpected encounters. A winner of the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and long-time Monash University lecturer, Vale invites viewers into a world where theatre, literature and painting collide.

Chisel, carve, create! Join Jenny Whiteside for a fun limestone sculpture workshop. Tools and stone supplied! Join professional sculptor Jenny Whiteside for a one day workshop in Limestone Sculpture. With over 30 years of sculpting experience and more than 15 years of teaching, Jenny brings both expertise and infectious passion to her classes. Her work spans figurative and abstract forms in Italian marble, soapstone, limestone, and bronze. Jenny’s workshops are renowned for being creative, meditative and lots of fun. She will guide you through designing and shaping your own sculpture, whether abstract, organic, geometric, figurative, animal inspired or whatever resonates with your imagination. All hand tools and stone are provided and Jenny’s natural teaching style ensures you will feel supported every step of the way. Come along with a smile and a spark of inspiration and leave with a stunning limestone sculpture to display in your home or garden.