You’re invited!

You’re all invited to the Studio Spaces of the Mid North Coast Exhibition to celebrate 30 years of the Manning Regional Art Gallery. I am included with a wonderful line up of artists, sculptors, printmakers, authors and illustrators, painters, ceramists, textile artists, traditional tool makers, installation artists and wildlife illustrators. You’ll see a video of their practices in each of their studio spaces and an element of their work on display.

See the full invitation

Thirty years in art gallery life is not a long time, and it’s an achievement to even develop a public gallery with the work and commitment needed to make this a reality. There are always rough rides with art and many people don’t see its deep connection to human existence. But it is just as important as the footy ground is to many.  Local small galleries seem to work hard to include many types of interests and look for art in the small alleys of life much more than large galleries. Ways of making, reasons for making, looking at things differently and seeing into how others describe life is a little bit of freedom in a world that isn’t so free much of the time. Art is a pretty tricky word now. What is Art?  I don’t know, but I do like being moved by shapes, colours, imagery, skill and the thinking that goes along with it. Why do we make? I like the health that art gives us, a hopefulness. The word art gallery is a bit limited in the rich space of local galleries, they are much more, they are Art Gateways.

The Manning Regional Art Gallery started in a much smaller space outside the town of Taree 30 years ago.  I was honoured to be able to exhibit there too and now its home is situated in the heart of Taree town in an historical building. The dedicated space has provided a wide range of opportunities for artists to exhibit, sell and teach their craft.  The possibilities are endless and when I worked there for a very short time I imagined online and staging communities for real connections and promotion of work and teaching.  There are great tools for this now and local galleries are set to embrace them in the vibrant way they serve their communities.

You’re all warmly invited to the exhibition – Studio Spaces of the Mid North Coast. 4 April – 13 May 2018. Opening night is Saturday 7 April at 6pm. See you all there! Please make yourself known to me if you come along to the opening.