Archive for the ‘Regional arts’ Category
THE RANGE: Opening of ‘A Thousand Words’@Futures Gallery
On November 7 an exhibition by students from the Visual Arts department of the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE was opened in the Futures Gallery in Toowoomba. The paintings, prints and their presentation as a gallery exhibition have been created as part of assessment for the Certificate IV Visual Art and Contemporary Craft..
David Taylor, Faculty Director of the Education, Commerce and the Arts addresses the opening audience
One of the biggest opening crowds filled the gallery space with excited and proud students presenting their works to family and friends.
David Taylor, Faculty Director of the Education, Commerce and the Arts, commented on the quality of the works presented in the exhibition and the enthusiasm of the teaching team that worked with the students, Dr Deborah Beaumont, Jo Murphy, David Lemay and Tim Fry. The exhibition was opened by USQ’s Head of the Creative Arts School, Associate Professor Janet McDonald who discussed the close links of students and teachers between USQ and TAFE and the possibility of future collaboration between the two institutions.
Janet McDonald and David Taylor
One long term attendee at TAFE vis arts students end of year exhibitions commented that this is one of the best exhibitions that they’d seen since the early days of the art department with teachers like Fred Weitzsaker, Joe Ottway, Patrick Petein and Michael Schlitz.Congratulations to the students and teachers for the diverse and stimulating artworks presented in this exhibition. A Thousand Words Exhibition @ Futures Gallery continues until 12 November 2012.
A Thousand Words panorama
A selection of student work from A Thousand Words follows…
Alysa Mae Amor Fraterna
Amanda Jones The Wait
Steven Lamb Tiny Interactive Planet
Danielle Schull The Three Lost Friends
Elizabeth Hudson Just Imagine
THE RANGE: CHELSIE LUCK @ Tosari Galleries
Chelsie Luck in her Tosari Galleries show PHOTO: Doug Spowart
The Toowoomba art scene has few artists as stylish and enigmatic as Chelsie Luck. With an exhibition record of 10 solo shows in the last 5 years Chelsie’s practice is prolific and well defined by her autobiographical approach to subject matter. Her bight palette, wide-eyed portraits of young women have a sense of life as adventure.
Babushka by Chelsie Luck
Chelsie’s exhibitions have formerly been held in ARIs that have nurtured her development as an artist. ARIs have provided her with a pathway to the commercial gallery and the opportunities that come come from that supporting institution.
The exhibition was opened by her former USQ lecturer and Toowoomba Chronicle arts reviewer Sandy Pottinger. Sandy’s erudite and eloquent speech provides an understanding of not only the artist and the work but also to the deeper origins and influences to the artist’s practice.
A YouTube video of the speech is attached below.
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Chelsie Luck exhibition @ Tosari Galleries PHOTO: Doug Spowart
Words, photos and video by Doug Spowart: Supporting THE RANGE Independent Arts and Culture Festival
INVITATION: Are you a regional artist? A Centre for Regional Arts Practice event @ THE RANGE FESTIVAL
Centre for Regional Arts Practice event
THE RANGE Arts and Culture Festival: The LAUNCH
Last night, with much fanfare, social camaraderie and prominence, the Toowoomba art scene came alive with the launch of THE RANGE Arts and Culture Festival. The idea of a nine-day art event was masterminded by Ashleigh Bunter and was generously supported by Federal and State Government grants[1]. This activity promises to give a boost to the local arts community and will also serve as a celebration of the significant artist run initiative (ARI) scene in Toowoomba.
Attendees @ The RANGE Launch Photo: Doug Spowart
Attending the event at the Empire ‘Church’ were the glitterati of the local scene including two councilors (maybe more), the local newspaper art scene critic, gallery people, university art faculty members, art collectors, a couple of TAFE art teachers, art society members and representatives of the local arts council. Added to this group were numerous artists, performers, musicians, film-makers, creatives, art buyers and last but not least, members of the art interested public. SEE: The Chronicle Newspaper photos HERE.
Presented on one wall of the function room was a selectively curated group of artworks from what was described as the ‘Darlings of the Darling Downs’ art scene. This display included works by Damian Kamholtz, Stephen Spurrier and Danish Quapoor and were presented for the appreciation by attendees, and later in the evening, these works were auctioned providing an unusual addition to the formal proceedings.
The crowd excitedly engaged in conversation and were revved up by Councilor Geoff McDonald who acted as master of ceremonies for the evening. The chant ‘The—RANGE’, ‘The—RANGE’, ‘The—RANGE’ made an auspicious start to the proceedings and was followed an introduction to the directors and gallerists of the ARIs featured in the program—Alison Mooney—Mars + The Grid, Sally Johnson—Blockwork, Alexandra Lawson and Tarn McLea—Raygun and Alex Stalling and Elysha Gould—made. Creative Space.
Introducing the ARIs Phtoto Doug Spowart
An address by USQ’s Head of the Creative Arts School, Associate Professor Janet McDonald commented on the ARIs and their importance within our community as providing a space other than the traditional gallery institution. These initiatives allow emerging artists and curators, including many USQ students and graduates, to operate in the public space presenting work and building their experience and professional practice.
A second speaker, Charlie Cush, Senior Advisor Arts Culture, Local Government Association of Queensland, spoke excitedly when he expressed that he was ‘blown away by the grass roots arts movement in Toowoomba’. He stated ‘that many arts communities around the country are looking towards what is being achieved here as a model for the how an ARI can foster emerging artists and contribute to the vitality of a region’.
The audience was then treated to the spectacle of works from the ‘Darlings’ being auctioned off by a professional auctioneer—bids were slow however the activity highlighted one approach to the many ways in which art is presented for appreciation and acquisition.
From my point of view the concept of ARIs has been around for a long time. My experience in this gallery practice goes back to the 1980s when I was co-director of Imagery Gallery in Brisbane. At the time artist-run-spaces as they were called then, provided a platform for artists outside of the commercial scene to present their wild ideas and art. They were experimental art spaces, often overtly non-commercial and supported by an ‘in-crowd’ associated with the artist’s demographic, their training institution and the social networking possibilities that the gallery opening provided.
The RANGE ARI’s, through the umbrella created by this Bunter Project, now emerge, not as isolated special interest groups, but rather as a powerful support mechanism for the advancement of all aspects of art from inspiration, creation, presentation, appreciation, criticism, merchandising and possession. Perhaps, for a regional arts community this event marks a new era of respect and opportunity for art. This attitude is desperately needed in our current political and economic climate which is seemingly ambivalent to the presence and the value of art and its important role in the community and life.
As we left the launch party a lone smoker was outside watching the last of the featured local films projected on the open air theatre set up for the night—I’m sure she was contemplating the meaningfulness of this moment for the arts in Toowoomba …or just enjoying the warm night air, the open air theatre and a smoke.
Watching a movie in the open air theatre Photo: Doug Spowart
ASLO SEE the Ash Bunter interview on the CHRONICLE NEWS Website
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BLOG words and images by Dr Doug Spowart in support of the RANGE Arts and Culture Festival.
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1. Regional Arts Development Fund–Arts Queensland and the Toowoomba Regional Council, and the Australian Government’s Regional Art Fund in partnership with Artslink.
THE PhD PENULTIMATE DRAFT and 5 Food Antidotes
Are you undertaking a PhD? Does the stress of it all affect your health and well being?
Here are 5 Antidotes in the form of food snacks that may help.
Victoria Cooper @ the Wooli Study Centre working on her PhD
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ANTIDOTE #1: A LUNCH of ANTIPASTO DOWN THE BEACH
Two slices of prosciutto, mixed unsalted nuts, a slug each of double brie and blue cheese, black olives, pickled onion, seeded biscuits and packham pear. We drove there so Bundaberg Ginger Beer was the accompanying beverage.
An antipasta-styled lunch on the beach
The view from the luncheon table…
SEE OUR ‘ALONG THE TRACK BLOG’ POST on the location Diggers Beach near Grafton
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ANTIDOTE #2: An AFTERNOON TEA of home-made LEMON CAKES and EXPRESSO COFFEE
Afternoon tea of lemon cakes and coffee
Afternoon tea verandah view
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ANTIDOTE #3: A LUNCH of OYSTERS – Kilpatrick, with capers and mayo and au naturel with sourdough bread and fried prosciutto accompanied by a small glass of Verdelho white wine.
Oysters – a serving for three
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ANTIDOTE #4: A SEAGULL’S BREAKFAST the coastal version of the ‘Dingoes Breakfast’ – A poop and a look around…
A seagull’s breakfast
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ANTIDOTE #5: DINNER – FISH ‘n’ CHIPS out of the paper with lemon slices, mayo, flaked salt from the Murray River and a New Zealand Chardonay from Marlborough Sound.
Fish ‘n’ Chips and Mayo
NOTE: Don’t forget to have a great view to look out over when dining…
The view: Wooli River and Yuragir National Park beyond
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We trust these antidotes may work for you … They did for us
Cheers Dr Victoria and Dr Doug
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HELP DESIGN YOUR CITY: TRC City Centre Master Plan consultations
The invitation document header
Like all regional communities in the middle of the resources boom Toowoomba is a town growing rapidly. The Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has initiated studies to develop the necessary planning strategies considering the region’s expansion into the foreseeable future. The project is entitled the City Centre Master Plan (CCMP) and is intended to provide, ‘a co-ordinated set of design frameworks that will build on the strategic vision outlined in the CCMP by providing more detailed design concepts and guidelines.’[1]
Community consultations are a necessary part of the inclusive methodology employed by the TRC to ensure that their consultants and advisors ‘get it right’. On Wednesday the 17th of October members of the public and other interested parties were invited to ‘Help design public spaces within the Toowoomba City Centre’. We responded to an invitation for artists to contribute to the plan that came via the Arts Council of Toowoomba’s electronic mail-out.
At the meeting we were given an overview of the project and introduced to a plan for the workshop that divided the city into ‘places’ for review and discussion including the following: Open Spaces, Laneways and Streetscapes, Public Art projects and the landscape.
The meeting began with an overview
Vicky joined the table discussing the laneways and Public Art projects, which was directed by Brisbane art consultancy and project management group, Urban Art Projects (UAP). The discussion identified important Toowoomba Spaces: The Chronicle Arcade, Bell Street Mall, Duggan Street and general laneways and pathways commonly used to flow through the city. All agreed that the West Creek needed to be acknowledged as an important feature of the city.
The discussion of public art projects was highlighted with a question regarding the current lack of an art policy in the TRC planning agenda. The attendees were then reassured that the policy very close to being approved.
Many creative ideas, some new and some proven such as the Melbourne laneway projects were mentioned in the round table discussion. The need for safe public laneways and actively utilised, peopled public spaces were key points for the new development. In-situ and ephemeral art projects were high on the agenda to resolve some of these issues. The time passed and seemed productive for the team running the workshop. Some new networks were developed as people interacted in the discussion.
Even though there was a genuine attempt to be inclusive and respectful for the potential of existing structures both physical and cultural, there was no guarantee that any or all of the ideas would be realised. This was a plan for the possibilities, rather like a suggestion box. How they were to be funded and managed was not on the agenda.
An aerial photograph and planning discussion document from the meeting
On another table the topic of Open Spaces was discussed with Peter Richards, Director of Deike Richards, a Brisbane based multi-disciplinary design practice. The members of the discussion group included many urban planners, architects, councilors and artists. Topics discussed looked at traffic flow, tree-lined boulevards, redevelopment of large blocks including the City Hall precinct, ideas for the Toowoomba Foundry site, bikeways and the repurposing of car parks into greenspaces. Suggestions for the Foundry site included a market like Melbourne’s Victoria Markets, as well as an artist’s studio precinct and a GOMA/MONA-like gallery—could it be called “TOGA–TOowomba Gallery of Art?.
Summation of discussions
Ever present on maps of the Toowoomba City Centre at this meeting is a mega shopping centre development by QIC Global, creators of Robina on the Gold Coast and other major shopping centres. Their plan is to link the existing structures of Grand Central and Garden Town shopping centres with an overhead walkway. This will necessitate the demolition of the Council Library and the bridging of West Creek. It’s interesting to consider that shoppers will now only need to drive to either shopping centre, cross the walk way to the other and back into their cars. They perhaps will no longer need to engage with the older town shopping precinct.
Discussion outcome overlays
What then is in store (a pun) for this historic town? What we are concerned about the following:
- Will art initiatives be managed, controlled and undertaken by outsiders in a kind of cultural fly-in fly-out fashion or will the art be nurtured and generated within?;
- Could the city centre end up as an experiment in urban(e) design?;
- Toowoomba has great historical value and memory, both Indigenous and colonial that needs to be considered;
- This city also has an important place in the landscape, on the divide between the great water system of inland Australia and the larger urban regions and fertile valleys of the coast; and
- As the community also is home to a rich arts scene, with many notable local, national and international creative individuals and groups that where ever possible could be involved as active participants.
We hope that commercial and political agendas will continue, as shown through this consultation process, to be influenced by community input, needs and values. And that this collaboration will create an ‘art-full’, exciting and functional city centre to support Toowoomba’s future as the commercial and public hub for this rapidly changing region.
Victoria Cooper & Dr Doug Spowart
[1] From the invitation ‘Help design public spaces within the Toowoomba City Centre’
APS TRAVELLING PRINT EXHIBITION 2012 in Toowoomba
APS Travelling Print Exhibition 2012 @ Atelier Gallery Toowoomba
In 2012 the Australian Photographic Society celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its formation. One of the three remaining foundation members from 1962 is Toowoomba’s own Graham Burstow. Graham and other local photographic luminaries Barry Whisson, Alwyn Kucks and Gerry Saide attended an exhibition of 100 prints from the 2012 APS Travelling Exhibition at Atelier Gallery on October 10, 2012.
The APS has come a long way in its 50 years and while I wasn’t around in the beginning I’ve been there since first joining the organisation in 1967. There’s something comfortable about the style of pictorialism that amateur photographers have refined and mastered that is evident in this show. And while some curators and academics may argue that pictorialism is a style of photography that died out a long time ago it’s alive a well an continuing to contribute amazing images of the world we inhabit — a few are selected here.
What for me is exciting is how everyone now can make their own high quality prints.15 years ago in the pre-digital era the projected colour slide was king as everyone could put a roll of Kodachrome in the 35mm camera and make photographs. Those who worked in the specialist technology trap of the darkroom were few and far between. What’s more the predominant genre was black and white as colour papers and processes were not really designed for home processing. Digital photography, computers and inkjet printing has given everyone the equivalent of a darkroom!
Congratulations to APS on its celebration of 50 years and to the members whose work was included in this exhibition.
FOR MORE DETAILS: http://www.a-p-s.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152&Itemid=214
Vicky and Alwyn Kucks discussing an image
Cynthia Henley-Smith’s “A country road, Victoria
Graeme Guy (Sing.) “Seconds to live”
Tina Deal (Qld) “Aussie bush”
Graham Burstow and Doug @ Atelier Gallery, Toowoomba
Set-up: COW ART – Year of the Farmer
Cow Art setup in progress
The cows came back to Toowoomba to form a herd of 800+ artworks expressing the support of the 2012 Year of the Farmer. Organised by Paul Blinco and Debbie Nawrotzky from Pacific Seeds the corflute cows were decorated by artists, school kids and interested contributors to the project.
On Friday we took our artwork, the CondaMINE Cow, Variety: Thylacine (SEE previous post) out to the paddock to join up with the herd. Here are some images of the setup underway…
Vicky and our cow with Lindsay and Paul Blinco
‘The CondaMINE Cow – Variety: Thylacine’ verso and recto (SEE background to the artwork – Click here)
Setting-up the Cows
Laying out the cows
A montage of Cow Art
More images+audio from the COW ART Facebook Page, the Toowoomba Chronicle and ABC Radio interview
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WOOLI NOCTURNE: a new project
We are working on a new project whilst on retreat on the NSW north coast. A tentative statement for the work is as follows …
In the interstitial zone between day and night our everyday and prosaic surroundings begin to take on an appearance that is, for us, unfamiliar. Streets and houses, the spaces of our habitation, are illuminated by the afterglow of sunset or by the shaft-like rays from the occasional street light. In this space the homely becomes the uncanny. Perhaps stirring memories of cave dwelling experiences deep within the primitive brain where in the shadows of the coming night, monsters lurk – just beyond the fire’s warm flickering light.
Enjoy … Vicky + Doug
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In support of The YEAR OF THE FARMER ‘The CondaMINE Cow – Variety: Thylacine’
‘The CondaMINE Cow Variety: Thylacine’ recto and verso
We, at the Centre for Regional Arts Practice, are about to contribute an artwork to a project that is intended to celebrate the Australian Year of the Farmer. The project is called, the Australian Year of the Farmer Cow Art, and is being organised by Wendy and Paul Blinco from Pacific Seeds, Toowoomba. Around 1,000 corflute cows were made and passed on to interested groups, artists and school kids across the Darling Downs Region to decorate. The plain white surface of the cows have been painted, collaged or worked on by a range of other artistic means.
For more information visit the Australian Year of the Farmer Cow Art Facebook site
Named The CondaMINE Cow – Variety: Thylacine, our cow was created from a montage of texts and images from our Artists Survey book #12 Checklist of Signs That Extractive Mining Has Taken Over Your Regional Community (SEE the blog post Flying Arts Award for details). In this book, and now in this new variant (the Cow), we posit that a threat exists for farmers and farming land productivity by the extensive mining activity now taking place throughout this land. The farmer, like the Thylacine, may be an endangered species destined for extinction. We trust this cow will raise interest and promote debate on this issue.
Our Cow is at the beach where the makeover was carried out—next week she will be herded together with another 1,000 cows in Toowoomba for the main event.
‘CondaMINE_Cow’ artwork by Victoria Cooper + Doug Spowart
‘CondaMINE Cow’ in production
Vicky offering suggestions for the makeover
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