Women celebrated for community art
The Station Gallery in Yarragon is now open to visitors after undergoing an isolation facelift.
The Baw Baw Arts Alliance gallery is refreshed with a new internal coat of paint that it is a far cry from the original cream on its walls. It is sporting a vibrant blue/green that makes artworks “pop”.
The gallery is now open for visitors, albeit in limited numbers in order to observe physical distancing requirements.
Local photographers Pam and Peter Boyes have just hung an exciting exhibition in the revamped Station Gallery.
Pam draws inspiration from the wide-open spaces, unique landscapes and community spirit of Australia. Rather like Pam, Peter’s favourite “studio” is the outdoors, whether it’s the Gippsland countryside or away from civilisation in the Victorian high country or Tasmanian wilderness.
Both Pam and Peter are recipients of photographic awards at Victorian art shows. A selection of their works can also be viewed at their studio in Moe or on their website.
This exhibition will run until the end of July. Donna Mitchell has her eclectic range of paintings hanging in the section of the gallery affectionately known as “The Wall” throughout this month. Donna has painting talents ranging from meticulous, realistic renditions of animals to quite loose and spontaneous abstracts.
Gallery visitors can also browse through new items for sale. Each artist has been working towards a completely new range of smaller artworks to offer wonderful choices.
Further items are available in the Trafalgar Railway Station Artspaces which is now also open to the public.
Women behind community art projects such as the mosaic compass rose and trail bollards in Warragul have been celebrated in new book “Art Beat of the Country”.
The book features stories of how Gippsland communities responded to difficult times through art.
Local artist Ingrid Thomas told of the formation of Women Who Mean Business which morphed into the Women’s Compass Network.
This West Gippsland group oversaw installation of the mosaic compass rose in Burke St park and bollards along the Linear Trail.
She said, in many ways, these groups set the base for what is now the Baw Baw Arts Alliance.
When approached for the book, Ms Thomas said she was keen to help celebrate what had been achieved by local women through community art projects.
She said the walking track bollards had snowballed from an initial 12 bollards to 40.
Inspired by Maery Gabriel and Eileen Harrison, the mosaic compass rose was completed by 24 women and captures all that is Gippsland – including mountains, lakes, skiing, bushfires and farming.
However, Ms Thomas also recalls a time when the group faced an anti-public art sentiment. She attributed this to the falling of controversial Warragul public artwork “Cloud”.
Consisting of coloured wind vanes on a cable structure over South Rd, “Cloud” fell in 2006 before being re-designed and reinstated in 2007. Just a few months later it was wrecked in gusty winds and dismantled for good.
Compiled by Dr June Alexander and Sarah Cannata, “Art Beat of the Country”, is filled with stories that document the firsthand reflections of women involved in two art and community projects in the Gippsland region spanning from 1997 to 2007.
“The women, many now in their 70s and 80s, reflect on what happens when opportunity is provided to develop self-respect, focus on goals, and collaborate for amazing outcomes,” said Dr Alexander. “Threads in women’s stories weave a rich tapestry of social history that preserves the voices, thoughts and feelings of making do and finding solutions during difficult times. Besides addressing issues of financial hardship and low self-esteem, the art projects provided relief from undercurrents of mental health issues, domestic violence, loneliness and isolation.”
She also believes the book unearths important takeaways that can be applied during challenging times, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“Art Beat of the Country” is available to buy as a PDF online via bit.ly/2TgKVg6.