Title

Garry Andrews Biography

Author

Andrews, Garry.

Source

[Not applicable]

Publication date

24 April 2010

Type

Biography

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Abstract

“Garry Andrews' paintings draw from a particularly Queensland tradition of figurative expressionism that has enjoyed a long and popular heritage. Artists who are a part of this heritage include Jon Molvig, Ian Smith and Ann Thomson. Andrews drafting skills are made evident in his painterly gestures, and his references are both literary and poetic.”
Pat Hoffie-from the catalogue for the exhibition “No Emergency” Fine Art Honours and MAVA students Queensland College of Arts, Griffith University, 2004

Garry Andrews is a multi-award winning Australian artist who has achieved an extensive track record of more than 60 Solo and group exhibitions, including drawing survey exhibitions at Queensland Art Gallery.

His works have been purchased by Faber Castell (International Collection), Jacaranda Aquistive Drawing Award for emerging artists and other prestigious art collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Griffith University, James Cook University, Caltex, Optus Vision and Suncorp.

Since graduating from Diploma of Arts program at Townsville Tafe in 1981 he has undertaken numerous major commissions for Government and corporate clients incl. Dept of Environment-Reef and Rainforest Interpretive Centre, Cardwell, A.B.C.Television., Optus, Cairns Port Authority, Brisbane City Council and Cairns Regional Gallery.

Founder and first chairman of KICKARTS. (A progressive artists collective in Cairns-now KICKARTS Contemporary Arts). Instrumental in development of ATSI Dept. Art Course Cairns Tafe (TNQIT).

Andrews worked as a muralist and community artist based in Sydney mid -eighties, when working with Public Art Squad on Harbourside, Darling Harbour redevelopment.Described by Brisbane's Courier Mail as one of Australia's leading mural designers, he achieved a high profile as muralist for the historical ABC Greentrain and was the subject of an ABC short documentary "Greentrain Art" produced by Henry Prokopf.

The mural Andrews produced for the Cairns Regional Gallery was centre of a controversy and generated huge media interest nationally and internationally.

Recipient of R.A.D.F. Grant 1992 to research artist- run- initiatives and concurrently work at Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne.This research was undertaken in conjunction with establishing Kick Arts. Around this time Garry Andrews launched and operated his own commercial Art Gallery in Cairns.

Recipient of Arts Qld professional development grant (to train in web development with Qantm media) 1999. Other successful grants whilst Chairman of Kick Arts inc. e.g. for curatorship and facilitation of the groundbreaking exhibition "The Fish John West Regrets" 1993.

Andrews completed his Master of Arts Visual Arts at Q.C.A. Griffith University.

He is recognised for his draftsmanship and colourist abilities and has been awarded over 36 Art prizes for Painting, Drawing, Sculpture and Printmaking.

[courtesy of Garry Andrews, 24 April 2010]