Louise Faulkner

I think the 'Clouds' group exhibitions are an important part of NAS's more recent history.

In November 2020, my brother and I hired the NAS gallery space for our first combined exhibition 'Natural Elements (things of stone & wood)'. I was speaking with Leah Fawthrop, the-then Creative Director who was admiring some of my exhibited works - photographs of clouds. We pondered how beautiful it would be to have a gallery full of clouds...and the concept of the 'Clouds' group show was born.

NAS did a call-out and in 2021 the inaugural 'Clouds' group show was held, featuring 68 artworks by local artists including Graham WIlson, John Morris, Annemarie Murland, James Rhodes, my brother Adam Faulkner and me, amongst others.

The following year, NAS decided to run another 'Clouds' group show on the strength of 2021's success combined with the ensuing contact I had from numerous artists who were sorry they hadn't submitred in 2021. I was approached to help curate this show, which I immediately agreed to. The resulting 'Clouds 2022' group show featured 105 artworks all based on the theme of clouds. Exhibting artists included Braddon Snape, Bridie Watt, Peter Tilley, Aidan Gageler, James Rhodes, Edward Milan, Marlene Houston, Tracie Bertram, Natalie Sherring and Paul Maher, to name a few.

The 'Clouds' group show went on hiatus in 2023, coming back with gusto in 2024 with 'Clouds 3', and the intention of 'rounding out' 3 years of 'Clouds'. I was again asked to curate this show and happily agreed. The callout resulted in approx. 200 applications, with 149 featured in the final exhibition (a record for the highest number artworks displayed at NAS in any one exhibtion that still stands). Besides fantastic local artists, 'Clouds 3' enjoyed the addition of 2 works by internationally reknown artist Euan Macleod - an overwhleming show of support by a gracious artists and a huge drawcard for this exhibtion.

I"m not sure there'll ever be another Clouds group exhibition. It ended on a high, much like literal clouds themselves. :)