Month: November 2012

Eureka!!!…

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Omigod – you’re not going to believe this – but we finally have a real gallery southside of the shire. And it’s FABULOUS.

Santa’s come early this year and we’re almost delirious with the wonder and joy of it.

We were fanging home from Merimbula yesterday, along the Pambula/Wyndham Rd…and there it was. Just next to the old butter>mushroom>plaster factory, in what used to be Tony’s Cellars (remember Tony?) Anyhoo, we immediately chucked a U-ey and fanged straight back.

 

 

Dirk Rampling and partner Sonia are responsible for this transformative space. Just check it out…

 

 

Megsie nearly wet herself, we kid you not. It’s the real deal (sigh of contentment) – as opposed to the usual craft shoppe model that still abounds (shudder.)

 

 

The opening exhibition features Dirk Rampling, Lorna Crane and Sam Kobasa.

 

 

Just a taster, darlings.

Congrats to Dirk and Sonia. Sterling jobbie.

It’s given us great heart. At last, eh? Softly softly catchee monkey.

Watch this space.

Annie Franklin at Narek…

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The Gang booted over Doctor George on Saturday for the highly anticipated opening of Annie Franklin’s new exhibition at Narek Galleries. And what a treat it was – we’re talking serious gorgeousness.

 

 

It’s been a year in the making and Annie has branched into wood – what a harmonic progression – bringing a holistic sensibility/folksie charm that’s utterly seductive.

 

 

It’s a peculiar thing, really. The woodwork is so right (as in such the perfect fit) that it’s hard to imagine her work without it now. The leitmotif has come full circle; this is an exhibition that pulls together the golden threads of all her interests. As Helen Maxwell mused in her opening speech, the body of work as a whole reflects the life and philosophic times of the artist; wholesome, rich…genuinely organic. It’s like a survey show of all that Annie holds dear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And how extraordinarily well suited it was for its surrounds. We need to go back and properly experience the contemplative nature of the exhibition, in communion with the church itself. We didn’t linger on Saturday; the crowd was building and we had a driver waiting (ever so slightly im)patiently in the car. This is a show that deserves a long, slow viewing in splendid quietude. We’ll definitely be back.

On at Narek Galleries in Tanja until December 31st. Hits all the right buttons – don’t miss it.

 

 

From Jas

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We’re a wee bit tardy in posting this, but better late than never, no…

Byrd

now showing

jas hugonnet gallery www.hugonnet.com.au

To arrange an appointment to view or for media images, please call 0417 235 916

or contact the gallery via the website.

Image: byrd , some form of meaningful engagement

Enamel and acrylic paint on a red gum shingle, titles gleaned from David Broker’s ‘FESTIVAL OF AVERAGE IDEAS ALL OUR RELATIONS:18th BIENNALE OF SYDNEY’  Broadsheet Vol. 41.3 Sept 2012., 310 x 415 x 12mm

The Grad season: opening salvo….

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Well, it’s now officially on; Grad Season 2012. And first cab off the rank (in our orbit, anyways) was the Bega Valley Regional Gallery with the HSC  Visual Arts Students from Eden Marine High, Bega High and Lumen Christi, augmented by the graduating class (ceramics) from the Illawarra TAFE.

Great turnout for the opening – and the big excitement of the evening was Dr David Sequeira, who kindly did the honours of launching this latest wave of regeneration across our artistically fecund(!) corner of NSW…

 

 

He held the crowd in utter thrall – which was, of course, precisely why Megsie asked him to open the show…

 

 

Everybody loved him.

Meanwhile there’s some seriously classy work in this exhibition, from Shannon Reynold’s Ideal Reality (Lumen Christi)…

 

 

(which picked up the Bega Valley Art and Craft Society’s Linda Deighton Youth Encouragement Award) to Harrison Balodis’s astonishing Ring-a ring a Rosie, We all fall down (Eden Marine High)…

 

 

And how fabulous to see the craft scene thriving – just get a load of this sweet occasional table (North Queensland Red Carabeen) from Eden Marine High student Grover Gillespie…

 

 

…and this amazing slide guitar…

 

 

…which maker Kane Gardayer (also from Eden Marine High) will be taking to his audition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in a couple of weeks.

And then there’s Argentinian Ernesto San Juan’s gorgeous stoneware…

 

 

Too cute for words.

The future of the local arts community clearly augurs well. More highlights here.

Get in quick though, folks – it’s only up until the 8th December.

And then hold on to your hats – next week is the EASS Patrons Day/Grad Show at the ANU School of Art…whacko the diddlee…oh oh.