The Cheshire Cat Motel is turning its Palm Beach rooms into an artist’s studio
The Cheshire Cat Motel has quietly become one of the Gold Coast’s most distinctive boutique stays. With its retro revival, thoughtfully restored rooms and unmistakable Palm Beach personality, the former seventies motel has carved out a niche for its creative spirit. Now, it’s adding another string to its bow, launching an inaugural artist residency that will see contemporary artist Amber Kingi transform the motel into a working creative studio for five days.
Running from Tuesday July 21 to Saturday July 25, the Artist Residency at The Cat has been curated by Monique Di Russo in association with Mermaid Beach’s 19Karen Gallery. The initiative marks the beginning of a new partnership designed to create meaningful opportunities for artists to develop new work, connect directly with audiences and explore place-responsive creative practice within boutique accommodation spaces.
Throughout the residency, Amber will create a new body of work inspired by The Cheshire Cat Motel, the much-loved revived seventies landmark in Palm Beach. Known for her richly textured figurative paintings and sculptural clay vessels, Amber’s intuitive, experimental practice has seen her named a finalist in the Fenton & Fenton Gallery Rising Talent Award and the Morris Art Prize Exhibition, with her work Fern Street acquired for HOTA Gallery’s permanent collection.
A highlight of the residency will be an In Conversation With artist talk on Thursday July 23 from 6:00–7:30 pm, hosted by curator Monique Di Russo with welcome drinks by Beudi Australian Agave. The intimate event will offer guests the chance to hear directly from Amber about the works developed during her stay, as well as the role artist residencies can play in fostering contemporary art on the Gold Coast.
“We’ve always seen The Cat as more than just a place to sleep – it’s a small but really distinctive spot in Palm Beach, and this residency feels like a really natural extension of that,” says Cheshire Cat Motel co-owner Matty Roberts. “Giving Amber time to create here, while inviting the community into the process, is exactly the kind of energy we want our Motel to carry.”
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The residency will culminate in a public exhibition on Thursday August 27, with works created during the residency displayed throughout the motel’s rooms, allowing visitors to experience both the finished pieces and the creative journey behind them.
Terri Lew, director of 19Karen Gallery, says the partnership reflects the gallery’s ongoing commitment to supporting artists throughout their careers.
“One of our priorities at 19Karen is creating opportunities that genuinely support our artists throughout their careers. This residency gives Amber the time and space to develop new work while inviting audiences into the creative process,” she says. “Partnerships like this enable artists to connect with audiences in ways that extend beyond the gallery walls.”
Book your free ticket to the Artist Talk here.
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