Blog Archives

Seamus reflects on 'The Source' Exhibition at NEA

30/4/2019

The Source exhibition at NEA, held to support The Source Festival in March 2019, probably 'flew under the radar' as far as NEA exhibitions go. It was it its final days and photos needed to be taken! In the manner of artist Peter Tyndall's 'Theatre of the Actors of Regard', Seamus Foley thoughtfully considered the works of Julie Burdis, Annie Longmuir, Charlie Corser and Valerie Clements, and others for this last minute photo shoot!

'The Ocelots' - Friday May 3 6.30pm at North East Artisans

27/4/2019

The Gallery Gigs - Friday May 3 6.30 pm Exhibitions Gallery at NEA 'The Ocelots'

"Initially cutting their teeth on the notoriously tough busking circuit, this real life band of brothers (or twins, to be precise) have trodden the boards across Europe, wowing crowds and turning industry heads along the way. Based in Wexford, Ashley and Brandon Watson draw inspiration from the likes of Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel and the Followill family, fusing folk and pop-rock to create a bewitching brew of lush harmonies and sweet hooks. They’ve also caused a stir with their guerrilla gigs, where they turn up unannounced in random locations and perform for their fans on YouTube."

Source: Edwin McFee 'Hot for 2019 Irish Acts: The Ocelots' Hot Press Website, 1 Feb 2019

Purchase Tix for The Ocelots at the Gallery Gigs from Try Booking Here!

'Marquees and Markets' - NEA at 'The Source' event in the Benalla Gardens

26/4/2019

It was a great relief to find the 'previously thought lost' NEA Marquee in a remote cupboard at NEA the day before 'The Source' event at the Benalla Botanical Gardens on March 23rd! It's last recorded use.--Violet Town Market in late 2016 when Mervyn, Irina and Meralyn set up at the Violet Town market.

The Source event was imminent, we'd lost our Events Manager somewhere along the way - we had to act! Valerie Clements, the Gallery Shop team leader, developed a workable concept for our presence at the market after discussion with Bev and others. Our (still rather large) stock of T-Shirts would be the focus, on sale at reduced prices, along with lots of information about NEA to share with visitors and a selection of stock that would cope with market conditions. Rodney Horsfall was enthused about taking a second of three NEA sites for a 'Cigar Box Guitars' display and demonstration - what a relief!. Then Rodney realised the market was on a Sunday - he was already committed on the Saturday concerned! Always helpful, he arranged a selection of his guitars to display among our 'merch'. Bev located details about set up times and other matters. The unsinkable Deb Dodd kicked into gear, packing her car with trestles the night before, while Valerie and Bev packed their cars with 'merch' from NEA early on Saturday morning,

We all 'bumped in' to set up the NEA marquee just as it started to drizzle, to be followed by intermittent light rain. The marquee was taken out of the pack, the framework erected, but - there was no roof! Deb returned to NEA to open the shop--sending a text not long after to let us know the roof had been found! Roof finally in place, T-shirts, NEA pamphlets, Gallery Gig fliers, cards and merchandise were arranged on the tables. Sadly Rodney's cigar box guitars had to be returned to the car - we were concerned about the impact of the moist conditions on their well being.

A 'gentle' day of chatting to people; sharing information about NEA and spruiking 'NEA T-Shirts' followed. Valerie, Bill and Bev took the occasional sojourn to see other stalls and buy a 'good coffee' from the Red Road Cafe where Lauren and Sam had a busy day. NEA friends Schloss Ol' Toys and Collectables and 'woodies' David Hall and Chris Seeley were located nearby.

NEA had supported 'The Source' event from its beginnings, always planning to participate in the Makers Market and to hold 'The Source' exhibition in NEA's Exhibition Gallery to celebrate and surround it, Darrel de Fazio's energy and enthusiasm for the event was and remains clearly obvious - we wish him well as he develops 'The Source' concept into the future.

Getting back to 'marquees' and markets - NEA definitely has the wherewithal of a small marquee and trestle tables needed to participate in markets. It was most enjoyable connecting with community members interested in stepping into the NEA zone, if only for a few minutes. Markets and 'marquees' are also a great way of re connecting with members of the NEA family, past and present! It was a quite wonderful to have children come up to us and say 'we come to NEA for Table Top games' or 'my mother's friends Kylie and Tim belong to NEA'!

(And... just in case you're interested and before I forget ... we sold six T-shirts and one card!)

"An occasional BLog.'

NEA's Marquee at the Violet Town market in late 2016 -
Meralyn is standing in the shadow towards the back of the tent.

Mosaics for Beginners - Workshops - 'One, Any, All of' 5, 15, 31 May

24/4/2019

Mosaics for Beginners Flier - Download PDF

2 day Pastel Workshop with Jenny Paull, 18 & 19 May, Exhibition Gallery

14/4/2019

2 DAY PASTEL WORKSHOP
WITH PASTEL ARTIST
JENNIFER PAULL
www.jenniferpaullartist.wordpress.com
In this workshop we will be exploring basic pastel application techniques and the use of different papers for varied effects, as well as colour theory and mixing. A wide range of subject matter will be available from landscapes to portraits and the figure.
Come and have fun with this wonderfully versatile medium.
Full list of required materials supplied on booking. Morning and afternoon tea supplied. BYO lunch.
Great coffee available on site at the Red Road Café!
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th May 2019
10am - 4.30 pm
North East Artisans' studio
http://www.northeastartisans.org/
Bridge Street (opposite Hides' Bakery)
Benalla Vic 3672
Cost: $180 for 2 days
Bookings: phone Jenny Paull 0407 856 048
Payment must be received by Friday 10th. May

2 Day Pastel Workshop with Jenny Paull 18 & 19 May - Download Flier

Poppy Making Workshop on Anzac Day - 25 April 12.30-3.30 pm - Gallery 2

13/4/2019

Notice of NEA Special General Meeting, Tuesday April 30th at 5.30 pm

12/4/2019

A Special Members Meeting will be held on Tuesday 30th April at 5.30 p.m. in Exhibition Gallery 2 at NEA, Benalla.

The rules of a Special Members Meeting require that only the matters specified will be presented, discussed and voted upon as required. Minutes of the meeting will be taken and will be available to all members on request.

Matters to be discussed.

1. Present situation of NEA regarding Positions vacant, nominations or expressions of interest for these Positions. .
And or…
2. Viability of employing a qualified part time manager to work alongside, assisting existing position holders.
3. Shortfalls in Volunteering
4. The future position of NEA when current lease ends in March 2020.

At the close of the meeting, depending on time, general informal discussions may continue but please note that only the 4 points above will be discussed, and proposals considered.

Members are asked to check their emails for further details or ask for a copy of the letter which contains further details from the gallery shop.

The meeting will take not more than 2 hours. Please bring a plate of finger food for sharing after the meeting.

Hazel Frankland
MAppLing, NEA President

'The Poetic Process' workshop with Joel McKerrow, May 3 Wangaratta

12/4/2019

Maggie Hollins, a member of NEA's poetry mailing list and secretary of Goulburn and North East Artisans Association (GANEAA) thinks extremely highly of poet Joel McKerrow. Maggie would like to share news of the poetry workshop Joel will be conducting on Friday May 3 during GANEAA's biennial 'Across the Arts Forum' 2019.

The Workshop title/brief - 'The Poetic Workshop' - 'Pithy poetry writing with the potential for performance. Learn techniques to help free up the writing process with Joel McKerrow leading the way. Be inspired.' The venue - GOTAFE Wangaratta. Date for your diary - Friday May 3rd from 10 to 3.30 pm. Budget considerations - $70 or $55 Concession. Bookings - https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=486353&

Find out more about Joel McKerrow and the workshop:
https://ganeaa.com.au/ata-program/joel-mckerrow-the-poetic-process/
Book in to Joel's workshop through Try Booking:
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=486353&

Check out the program as a whole
http://ganeaa.com.au/across-the-arts-forum-2019/

GANEAA Across the Arts - 3 - 5 May 2019 - GOTAFE Wangaratta

12/4/2019

Members of the creative community in North East of Victoria are gathering again in early May for  Goulburn and North East Artists Association's (GANEAA) Across the Arts Forum. GOTAFE Wangaratta will become a hub of creative activity for three days as a program of 18 workshops designed by GANEAA to inspire and further develop the capacity of local creatives' are conducted by local and nationally regarded artists from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 May.

If you are considering attending one or more of the 18 'Across the Arts Workshops' offered across Friday 3, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May, each workshop runs from 10 to 3.30pm - most workshops cost $70, or $55 for concession. Bookings can be arranged via trybooking..https://www.trybooking.com.

The 2019 Across the Arts theme -'Across Cultures' - is also reflected in an concurrent exhibition at the Wangaratta Library and Bainz Library. A 'Saturday Concert' at the Uniting Church Hall from 7.30 pm provides an opportunity to gather and celebrate the event! .

NEA artists Frank Burgers, Maggie Hollins and Janet Leith are al active members of GANEAA, with Janet conducting a Portrait Painting workshop as part of this year's 'Across the Arts - Across Cultures' workshop program. GANEAA members, including Kathy Whelan, participate in exhibitions at NEA, including in our current 'Another Brick in the Wall' exhibition.

The Frank Burkitt Band at the Gallery Gigs - tonight! Thursday 11 April 6 pm

11/4/2019

We are in the middle of a wonderful 'Gallery Gigs' season at NEA, with three gigs to go before a long winter break. The Frank Burkitt Band, have "gathered their instruments and hopped over the ditch from their New Zealand home for a 17 date tour across Victoria and New South Wales" which includes a North East Artisans Gallery Gig in Benalla tomorrow night! We are so lucky!

The band's second album Raconteur won the band the Vodafone NZ Music Award for Best Folk Artist 2019. This tour will support their new live EP Lost But Alive.

Thursday 11 April 2019 at 6:00pm Gallery 2, North East Artisans.122-124 Bridge St East, Benalla, VIC 3672 Tix $15 https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=473746 or at NEA.

'Lessen the Pollution, Better their lives' Photography Exhibition at NEA - Exhibition Gallery April 26 - May 10

10/4/2019

'The exhibition "lessen the pollution, better their lives' addresses environmental protection. The aim of this exhibition is to raise public awareness of soil and water safety and in turn inspire viewers to take action to protect our Mother Earth. Photos in this exhibition were taken on a community service trip in rural China. Local customs and water situations are included in the works.' Linzy Zhao and Lynne Zhao.

Museum of Art in Albury acquires Cornelia Selover sculpture

8/4/2019

It is wonderful to learn that the MAMA museum of art in Albury recently added Cornelia Selover's sculpture 'Woman giving birth in the presence of a horse' (2017). to its permanent collection. ''Woman giving birth in the presence of a horse' looked visually stunning hanging high in the gallery's atrium ceiling close to the exhibition space in which Cornelia's work was displayed in the 'I Wish You Were - There' exhibition at MAMA from 19 July to 16 September last year. Congratulations, Cornelia!

Photograph: Bev Lee September 2018

The Exhibition Guide for Cornelia's 'I Wish You Were There' exhibition at MAMA can be downloaded here - (large file)..

"North East Artisans @ Wall to Wall 2019"

8/4/2019

Red Road Cafe's Sam and Lauren in their new Wall to Wall T-Shirts

NEA's program over the Wall to Wall Benalla Street Art Festival at the weekend featured -

9:- 4 Red Road Cafe - Extended Hours
9 - 4 'Another Brick in the Wall' Exhibition
10 - 4 Gallery Shop - Extended Hours, plus:
11 - 3 Sunday - Makers Market at the Hub - 'Buttons to Go' was there!
10 - 2.30 Sunday - NEA demonstrations and tasters - Wall to Wall Hub - Catherine, Chris, Elaine, Jarita, Seamus with willing whittlers Sally and John.

The weather was perfect to be sitting at the footpath cafe drinking coffee from the Red Road Cafe in festival mode, perhaps catching Frank, Tom and Bruce in session, or visiting the NEA marquee at the Lake where our artisans kept busy whittling, carving spoons, making jewellery or folding paper. Thank you Elaine, Catherine, Chris, Elaine, Jarita and Seamus for being there; talking to the public about your work, sharing ideas with one another, and representing NEA at the Hub.

A very special thanks to Sharon Tharratt from all at NEA for helping us to realise most of the original concepts planned for the Hub and to Kylie for stepping in to facilitate NEA's involvement.

'Another Brick in the Wall' opening, Thursday 4th April, Exhibition Gallery

6/4/2019

NEA activities during Wall to Wall Benalla Street Art Festival 2019 include the 'Another Brick in the Wall' exhibition, a Gallery Gig on Saturday night featuring JoJo Smith and Lucie Thorne, demonstrations by NEA artisans in the Workshops Tent at the Hub on the Foreshore on Sunday and extended hours for the Gallery Shop and Red Road Cafe over the weekend.

NEA President Hazel Frankland opened the 'Another Brick in the Wall' exhibition on Thursday evening 4th April. A relaxing time was spent enjoying the art work, catching up with one another and enjoying the 'Absolutely Delicious' fingerfood and a glass or two of bubbly!