Congratulations to Dagmar Cyrulla – her portrait of Kym Ellery is a finalist in the 2019 Portia Geach Memorial Award. The award is recognised as one of the most important celebrations of the talents and creativity of Australian female portrait painters; it is on view at the S.H. Ervin Gallery 2 August -15 September, 2019.Dagmar Cyrulla on her portrait of Kym Ellery:
The first time we met Kym was jet-lagged but still showed enthusiasm for the sitting. She wore no makeup and looked magnificent. We spent two hours together – it was like speed dating as I got to know her. What most attracted me to Kym was her ability to show strength and courage in the male dominated and ultra-competitive world of fashion design, whilst still retaining her femininity and grace. Her strength and courage come from her grounded upbringing in remote WA, so I placed the figure against an ochre backdrop. Kym chose her oversized and comfortable men’s style shirt and shoes which did little to hide her confidence, strength and femininity. Kym is an inspiration for all women. As she says, “Woman today have so many expectations placed on them, I want to empower woman”.
To view more works by Dagmar Cyrulla, visit her stockroom page on our website.
