Farmers join the arts community
PROPERTIES are not just places of agriculture, as the local farming fraternity has demonstrated in recent years, with a number of farmers emerging in the Wellington art scene.
One of the places where farmbased artists can display their talents is at the annual Wellington Arts and Sculpture Festival Farmers’ Challenge.
Wellington Arts president Lisa Thomas said farmers were often reluctant to showcase their skills but the competition was gradually shifting those perceptions.
“We introduced the Farmers’ Challenge in 2017 when the drought was really having a strong grip on the district,” she explained.
“We asked if anybody from a farm could come up with something and have continued that in the past two years. We are really encouraging farmers to bring their creativity to the fore.”
Mrs Thomas said there were many benefits to the competition including prize money and bragging rights, along with a fun festival weekend.
“It’s an incentive for them to think about something other than farming and come up with something creative,” she said.
With the past two years won by local grazier Tony Inder, the bar has been set for others to come up with the winning idea.
“I think the bar has been set fairly high with Tony’s talents,” Mrs Thomas said.
Given the success of his two previous sculptures – a set of ram’s horns in 2018 and a standing ram in 2019 – it’s a safe bet that Mr Inder will once again be a contender for the title where the entries are voted by people’s choice.
Mrs Thomas added that sculptures do not need to be welded or made from steel, that they can be constructed from any material and any subject matter.
The only criteria is that entrants have farming as an occupation. Mrs Thomas said the event is locally sponsored by Fiona Adams Water Carting, who is a very active supporter of the local community. Entries in the Farmers’ Challenge will be displayed at the Arts and Sculpture Festival on September
5 and 6, a family friendly weekend for everyone.
“The challenge is on for 2020 to find who has been tinkering in the shed and is ready to wow us with some exciting sculptures.”
To enter the Farmers’ Challenge, visit: wellingtonarts.org.au