Northern Beaches Council Mayor Michael Regan has accepted on behalf of the Manly Art Gallery & Museum (MAG&M) a significant painting of Sydney Harbour by Archibald Prize winning artist, Wendy Sharpe, to mark MAGAM’s 90th anniversary.

The Manly Art Gallery & Museum Society donated the generous gift to MAG&M’s collection last Sunday at a special online event to honour MAG&M’s 90th anniversary.

Wendy is one of Australia’s most celebrated contemporary artists. She has won the Archibald Portrait Prize, and has been a finalist six times as well as winning other major art prizes.

“We feel very honoured to receive this magnificent painting of Sydney Harbour and I know it will have pride of place in MAG&M’s collection of paintings of the Harbour,” Mayor Regan said.

“We are proud to consider Wendy a Northern Beaches local, having lived in the Avalon area for her first twenty years. Over the years, she has had a close association with MAG&M which aims to represent the work of established artists on the Northern Beaches.”

The artwork, Blue Harbour, will be included in MAG&M’s display of all its Sydney Harbour collection works planned for December 2021, the first time its full Harbour collection has been on display.

In 2020, MAG&M is a cultural hub of art, live music and creative learning. There’s always something to see, hear or do so check out Manly Art Gallery & Museum’s webpage to see what’s on.

Don’t forget to book your timed ticket to keep in line with current social distancing rules.

About Blue Harbour

Blue Harbour was painted in 2018 while Wendy Sharpe was an artist in residence at a law firm in Bligh Street with its vast view north across the Harbour, incorporating some of Sydney’s key landmarks; the Harbour Bridge, Customs House and Circular Quay.

This painting is a night scene which Wendy is very drawn to; she once said that “at night everything looks more magical and mysterious”, as evidenced by the lights on the Harbour and the illumination of the city buildings.

She created this work by making small sketches in pencil and gouache on site, then working these up into a painting back in her studio. As with many of Wendy’s paintings, it is also a self-portrait of the artist at work which adds to the interest of the work.