Illawarra Association for the Visual Arts (IAVA) presents Artists in Conversation:

Guy James Whitworth and Melissa Ritchie - Saturday 6 February at 2.00pm

Guy James Whitworth is a Sydney based artist, author and activist. He has had eight solo exhibitions and won several awards. Portraiture is his preferred genre, yet he is also known for his ‘bikescapes’ and the underlying political content within his work. With a large following in the LGBTQI communities, documentaries about his work have played in various film festivals around the world. 2021 sees the publication of his second book “Enough of your nonsense” based on the exhibition of the same name.

Left Image: Respect Your Queer Elders © Guy James Whitworth

Melissa Ritchie was born in Georgia, USA, but grew up in Australia and paints from her home studio in the Shellharbour region. Melissa is well known for her unique portraits, most recently establishing herself as a painter of comedians, having painted Rhys Nicholson, Nazeem Hussain, Urzila Carlson, Fiona O'Loughlin, Arj Barker plus a number of other stand up comics. Predominantly an oil painter, Melissa Ritchie has been a finalist in many of Australia's portrait prizes including the Archibald Prize, Portia Geach Memorial Award, Shirley Hannan Portrait Prize and Kilgour Prize.

Right Image: Game Face - Portrait of Nazeem Hussain © Melissa Ritchie

BOOKING ESSENTIAL. FREE, but only 40 seats available so get in quick. Masks are mandatory inside Wollongong Art Gallery, and must be worn during the artist talks.