20 September to 8 November, 2025 28 artists each contributed two pieces of artwork to help celebrate WAS Gallery’s 5th Anniversary. All the artists had exhibited at WAS previously and most are from Gippsland but also from Melbourne, Ballarat, Adelaide and Port Douglas. The collection excitingly combines a wide range of media, including painting, ceramics, photography, print making, woodwork, mosaic, sculpture, drawing and assemblages. Quite a feat to curate but it was successfully brought together by Anne Lorraine and Gary McPhedran who have overseen the installation of all WAS Gallery’s exhibitions.
The artists include in this exhibition were – Irene Probating, Miriam Potts, Mitch Vane, Teresa Kuczynska, Laura Lavender, Helen Timbury, Julie Rosewarne Foster, Janet Wyllie, Jeannie Heynatz, Jennifer Ure, Linda Shaw, Julie Puchalski, Helen Anderson, Greg Follett, Julie Follett, Helen Reeves, Geoff Harrison, Tim Craker, Janice Hunter, Amanda Thompson, Sally D’Orsogna, Jessie McLennan and WAS Gallery artists, Sue Lorraine, Catherine Truman, Gary McPhedran, Anne Lorraine and the late Judy Lorraine and Hans Lorraine.
For five years WAS has showcased the work of local artists and brought artists from around Victoria and interstate to Warragul. The character filled building at 37 Latrobe Street provides an excellent venue to show wide ranging artworks with artists and visitors expressing how much they enjoy the building’s ambience and style. To help celebrate this milestone in 2025, WAS held a special event on Saturday, 11 October. ‘What Art and Why Art’ an afternoon of artists’ talks and an opportunity to see the exhibition with some of the artists. This was supported by the Baw Baw Shire with an Arts and Culture Fund grant and the two artist speaking were Joyce Agee, photographer, photojournalist, curator and writer, and Mitch Vane, graphic designer, painter, illustrator and clay figurine maker.
