Artists to profile Hedland residents

Hedland personalities are set to become immortalised in paint and sculpture this Friday as art lovers gather to admire portrait entries into the local HARTZibald competition.

The HARTZibalds are community group, the Hedland Arts Council’s take on the famous Archibald Prize, except each portrait must be created by a Hedland artist with a living Hedland resident as its subject.

Competition entries will be exhibited along with wine and nibbles at the Matt Dann Theatre from 6pm with winners to be announced at 6.30pm.

Following the HARTZibald exhibition, locals can also attend a 7.30pm screening of 2015 British comedy-drama Lady in the Van.

It tells the true story of Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who lived in a dilapidated van on Alan Bennett’s driveway in London for 15 years.

In a busy weekend for art lovers, HARTZ members will also man a stall at April 30’s West End Markets, running from 4.30pm to 8.30pm.

Local artists, such as Michelle Siciliano and Ian Gear, are expected to paint live in front of market audiences, while some HARTZibald entries will also be on display.

HARTZ member Sangita Daniel said the HARTZ stall should not only be fun for market goers but also give new artists the chance to experiment with selling their pieces.

“This is a perfect opportunity for creators to put their toe into art markets or for those who have not created enough stuff to have their own stall,” she said.