North East Artisans (NEA) has revamped its gallery gift shop with a winter theme.
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The theme has a cool winter colour scheme and has a range of items to help you through the cold weather, such as handmade gloves, locally knitted scarves and warm beanies.

The revamp has been designed to enhance the experience for local shoppers. With premium handmade products and a selection of unique artworks from local artisans, guests to NEA will enjoy more meaningful keepsakes and gifts when they explore the gallery gift shop.

‘Winter is a great time for shopping and the NEA gallery gift shop is a great place to find that one-off gift for someone special or for yourself,’ said Valerie Clements, gallery shop coordinator.
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‘The shop continues to stock the incredible artworks that it is known for,’ said Valerie.

‘Come in for a hot drink at the Red Road Café, peek into the mind of an artist by exploring the studios and make your next gift special by browsing the NEA gallery gift shop.’

All products in the gift shop are handmade and have been sourced from local artists.

NEA gallery gift shop opening hours:

Tuesday-Friday  10am-4pm
Saturday              10am-2pm

Visit the gallery gift shop at North East Artisans, 122 Bridge Street, Benalla

The Annual Tatong Art Show is running again this year as part of the Benalla Festival in November.

Entries are now open. A downloadable entry form is attached below, with hard copies available in the Gallery/Shop/Red Road Cafe, at the Benalla Art Gallery and at the the GMCU. Entries close on Friday October 21st.

Realizing that the 'In Your Face' NEA Portrait Prize 2019 exhibition would be more expensive to run than previous exhibitions, the Exhibitions Team sought additional funding to ease the financial burden on North East Artisans.  

We would like to acknowledge funding of $500 from Benalla Rural City's Community Sponsorship July funding round and the donation of $350 from V-Line Benalla staff community fund.  

With a much larger prize on offer next year for the new biennial Contemporary Art Prize, our fundraising net will need to spread further, however we are thrilled to have received these contributions in support of 'In Your Face'

Thank you so much Benalla Rural City and V-Line Benalla Station!

​Exhibitions Team

​Hello All
 
We are now in the final stage of preparation for the “Benalla Rugged Up” yarn bombing event.  The last week has seen good progress, but there is always more that can be done.
 
Here is a summary of where we are at (updates from last week’s status information in green; effort still required in red):

• We have submitted our Event application; Waminda Community House is again covering us for insurance.  As a gesture of appreciation, it would be great if people could join Waminda as a member.  This is not mandatory, but they are helping us, and this is one way that we can help them increase their membership numbers (this in turn helps them with grant applications).  Let me know if you would like a membership application.  It only costs $5.  A number of us have already submitted our membership applications.
• We have submitted a Community Sponsorship Grant application.  We needed a not-for-profit incorporated organisation to sponsor this.  This was not easy to find as many of the possibilities are already applying for a grant, and they can only apply for one per financial year – this was a reason for not asking Waminda to sponsor the grant application.  The Gliding Club of Victoria have undertaken this role.  Our application has been successful and this money will assist us in meeting some of the costs of the event.
• We have received a large quantity of material (yarn, strips and squares) donations from the community, including Cooinda and Estia Health.
• Bollard covers and beanies have been allocated, although we have received a couple of new donations, and will have a look at how these could be used.
• With the strips and squares we have received, we have almost completed the sewing together of as much as we can in the timeframe.  Further donations have arrived this week and have assisted in finishing allocation to trees in Bridge Street.  There is now a considerable amount of material to start work on trees in Mair, Nunn and Carrier Streets.
• Identified bunting for six pergolas; decorations for the One Wild Apple laneway vines.
• We have started sewing flowers (we have around 300) to ribbon for decorating the bridge – we will only have sufficient to do part of the bridge, and will concentrate on the town end.  We still have a number of flowers that need to be sewn on to the ribbon
• We have a number of volunteers from ANZ bank to assist with the installation on Friday.  BUT we need more community volunteers for Saturday to finalise the work.
• Some community organisations are also planning to decorate trees/poles in their own property, for example Cooinda and the Uniting Church.
• Cleared bins at Library, Millers, West End Post Office, NEA

 
The outstanding tasks are:

• Finish sewing flowers to ribbons for the bridge
• Review wraps for seats/bicycle racks
• Assess remaining material as to where it can be used
• Allocate volunteers to the various areas for installation
• Finalise plans for the installation
• Final organisation of the material so that it is easy to provide the installers with the correct items
• Move to and set up the Visitor Information Centre as our Installation headquarters on Thursday after 4:00pm

 
As you can see there is still some work to do.  The fun part of actually producing the material has been great.  To date the hard work of organisation has been done by a small group of people.  Further assistance from people who are available on Saturday, 3 August to help with the installation would be of great help. 
 
We will be meeting on Wednesday, 31 July at 10:00 to review and finalise the plans for the installation on 2/3 August (that is the coming Friday and Saturday!).  Everyone is welcome to come to this meeting.  We will be meeting in our “work room” at the Gliding Club.  Call me if you have trouble finding the work room (0417 065 351).
 
If you can help with the finishing work on the material (mainly sorting and sewing) or with the installation on either Friday or Saturday, please come along on Wednesday or call me on 0417 065 351.  I have cancelled all my other commitments this week apart from Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon, so I should be available to talk with you if you have any questions.  And you can always send me an email.
 
I hope you have enjoyed any part you have played in the journey to get us to this point, and even if you cannot help with the installation, come along and say hello to those who are working on this essential part of the event.  After all, this was the goal for the work we have all undertaken.
 
Thank you all
 
Joy
0417 065 351

Among other creative activities (including film-making, writing, drawing, digital art and comic books!)  Killer Pig Productions' Jake and Sam Bowtell produce podcasts!
A first series is available as audio on Killer Pig's YouTube channel

Episode 1: Jack Johnston
Episode 2: Franco
Episode 3: Owen McLaughlin
Episode 4: Annaliese
Episode 5: Ellen James
Episode 6 Lily Aagren
Episode 7: Felix Leunig
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Killer Pig's podcasts provide a unique opportunity to 'eavesdrop' on wide ranging conversations between Jake and Sam in which they explore all sorts of ideas from a twenty something perspective in a comfortable, stimulating fashion, exchanging thoughts and ideas with their guests in a conversational manner.

Killer Pig Productions are on Facebook, Youtube, Spotify and the NEA website!  

IN YOUR FACE PORTRAIT PRIZE FINALISTS 

Kerryn Amery
Mervyn Beamish
Jeremy Bianco
Tim Bowtell
Frank Burgers
Kim D’Arma
Deb Dodd
Cara Dosser
Denise Ellison
Anthony James Faulkner (Gammy)
Barbara Forster
Maggie Hollins
Tara Kells
Asia Kosowski
Janet Leith
Annie Longmuir
Jacqueline Macleish
Rob Matthews
Stefani Helena Mierzwa
Marian Quigley
Fleur Rendell
Tanya Tabone
MariJana van Zanten
Catherine Warnock
Kathleen Whelan

'In Your Face' - NEA's Biennial Portrait Prize Exhibition can be viewed in the Exhibition Gallery (Gallery 2) from Tuesday to Friday 10 to 4 pm and Saturdays 10 to 2 pm from August 3 to August 31st..

The winner will be announced by judge Deborah Halpern at the exhibition opening on Friday 2 August.  
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While you are viewing the exhibition, fill out your choice for the People's Choice Award!  


NEA ​Exhibitions Team

NEA;s Exhibitions Team would like to acknowledge the financial contribution to the holding of the In Your Face Exhibition by the Rural City of Benalla (Community Sponsorship Grant) and V-Line Benalla Station staff.  

Creative State Consultation (with Creative Victoria representatives)

Thursday 25 July 2019
6.00pm - 8.00 pm
Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre
62-68 Ovens Street
WANGARATTA  VIC  3676

This forum is the first in the state which will look at artist's practice and the best ways to include the regional creative arts to help shape the Victorian Government's strategy and investment in the creative industries from 2020.

Please see below link also.  
https://engage.vic.gov.au/creative-strategy

For More Information = contact Dr Treahna Hamm   tmh180@gmail.com

​Hello all
 
Here is the latest update around the progress towards our yarn bombing event – Benalla Rugged Up.

• We have submitted our Event application; Waminda Community House is again covering us for insurance.  As a gesture of appreciation, it would be great if people could join Waminda as a member.  This is not mandatory, but they are helping us, and this is one way that we can help them increase their membership numbers (this in turn helps them with grant applications).  Let me know if you would like a membership application.  It only costs $5.
• We have submitted a Community Sponsorship Grant application.  We needed a not-for-profit incorporated organisation to sponsor this.  This was not easy to find as many of the possibilities are already applying for a grant, and they can only apply for one per financial year – this was a reason for not asking Waminda to sponsor the grant application.  The Gliding Club of Victoria have undertaken this role. 
• We have received a large quantity of donations from the community, including Cooinda and Estia Health.
• Bollard covers and beanies have been allocated, although we have received a couple of new donations, and may have a look at how these could be used.
• With the strips and squares we have received, we have almost completed the sewing together of as much as we can in the timeframe – perhaps the remainder can be put aside for next year
• We have started sewing flowers (we have over 250) to ribbon for decorating the bridge – we will only have sufficient to do part of the bridge, and will concentrate on the town end.  
• We have a number of volunteers from ANZ bank to assist with the installation.
• Some community organisations are also planning to decorate trees/poles in their own property, for example Cooinda and the Uniting Church.

 
The outstanding tasks are:

• Finish sewing flowers to ribbons for the bridge
• Allocate the material we have to the trees
• Allocate volunteers to the various areas for installation

 
If you can help with any of these tasks, let me know.  We are still working out of the Gliding Club building, but have moved to a ground floor room – actually we have three rooms.  I plan to be there Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoon this week.  The building is open form around 9:00 to 3:00 Monday-Wednesday and Friday.  I can also arrange to be there on Monday afternoon and part of Thursday, or even later afternoon, early evenings on any day if anyone can help at those times.  Just give me a call on 0417 065 351.
 
Our major priority now though is to identify extra volunteers to assist with the installation process.  Without volunteers to help with the installation, all the effort to get us to this stage will not be successful. 
 
Please contact me as a matter of urgency if you can assist with the installation on either Friday 2 August or Saturday 3 August.  An hour or two on either day is all that we ask, or more if you are available.  Just let me know what time/s you can help so I can set up a roster.
 
We are near the end, and with the material that we have received, we are quite excited about being able to achieve more than last year.  Our town will be brightly coloured for August.
 
Joy
0417 065 351

Two NEA identities who have contributed an enormous amount to North East Artisans, Cornelia Selover and Seamus Foley, have made the decision to move on, to focus on their lives and creative endeavours in the places they have come to call home, Cornelia in Albury/Wodonga, Seamus in Gippsland near Sale. 

Cornelia Selover
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Cornelia was an early if not founding member of North East Artisans.  A prolific artist working in genres from painting, graphic design and sculpture to ceramics, rugs and more, Cornelia has been a strong, 'whirlwind' like presence at NEA, whether fulfilling her insatiable appetite for working on her art; curating and marketing memorable exhibitions or working on the accounts with her finance team leader hat on. 

Visits to Cornelia's large, sunny upstairs artist's studio were memorable, yet signs of her gradual departure were imminent when she downsized to a smaller studio after establishing her home studio in Albury.  We were intrigued by her art, by the impact that having directly experienced the Kinglake bushfires may have had on it.  We watched, fascinated, as her 'Crunque' saga developed and featured in her sculptures, jewellery, repurposed crockery and ceramics, as well as in her paintings.  We will never forget Corn working towards installation of her Crunque sculpture in the forecourt of 'The Shed' next to NEA, the day Shaun Murphy helped her to get it into position.. Cornelia's inspiration and efforts towards the two exhibitions 'The Rite of Spring' (1916) and 'In Your Face' (1917) were awe inspiring, including her capacity to develop beautiful graphic designs for accompanying posters and pamphlets..   We would like to thank Cornelia for her creative/graphic design support for many NEA exhibitions.

We have laughed with Cornelia and cried with her as at times 'life got in the way' of her art.  We have been thrilled to see her gain the recognition she deserves, with work exhibited in at the Dax Gallery in Melbourne, both in solo and group shows; her individual show in MAMA in Albury last year; with work entered in the Archibald accepted for Melbourne's esteemed 'Salon de Refuse'.  We shared her joy recently on hearing that her 'Woman giving birth in the presence of a horse (2017) sculpture had been acquired for MAMA's permanent collection. 

Cornelia's presence at NEA has been a very powerful one in so many ways and we would like to honor and celebrate it.  We are following Cornelia's creative journey via social media as she continues to work  in clay and prepares her entry for next year's Archibald Prize.  

​
​An Occasional B:Log

 Are you aware of New York's Hudson Valley area?  Visiting 'Postcards from the Hudson Valley, New York', a reciprocal postcard exhibition exhibition currently at NEA, evokes  a sense of what it might be like to live there..   

Postcards in a range of media = watercolour, photography, multimedia, digital prints, collage and more - shared with us by artists from the Hudson Valley in New York were photographed on the walls of NEA's  Exhibition Gallery, where the exhibition has been on display for almost a month.   It has been extended to Saturday 28th July.  

North East Artisans would like to thank the  artists from New York's Hudson Valley who entered this International Postcard Exchange and shared a part of their life with us.  Thank you!

Artists and photographers who would like to submit response 8" x 6" art work postcards from North East Victoria please contact Irina 0407491756.

The Call for Entries to the "In Your Face' Portrait Prize has been extended!  Application forms  can now be submitted up to Tuesday 16 July at 5pm.!    

The 'In Your Face Portrait Prize' represents new territory for NEA as it involves a selection panel, shortlisting and then judging by acclaimed ceramic artist, sculptor and painter  Deborah Halpern prior to the opening of the Exhibition.  

"Artists are invited to enter a maximum of TWO works for this exhibition which MUST be a Portrait /s of some type, in any style or medium and not exceed the maximum size of 1.2 X 1.2m. 2.

The entry must be an original, uncopied work, that has been completed in the last 12 months and NOT previously exhibited.

To be eligible, all entrants must submit ALL the requirements of entry by the extended date of Tuesday July 16th at 5pm.  This includes ‐ A completed application form, one JPEG image (2MB only) of the artwork, an artist statement (word docx) and entry fee payment.   Entries received after JULY 16 will not be accepted.

The ENTRY FEE of $15 per work is non refundable if works are not selected for the exhibition. 5.

Applications MUST be sent via EMAIL to the NEA Exhibition Coordinator – janet.leith@gmail.com Please contact Janet for queries & information.  Hard copies of the application form will be available@ NEA Gallery Shop, 122 Bridge Street, Benalla. However jpeg images & artist statements MUST be emailed in the correct formats. 6.

All work must be professionally prepared for hanging and installation. To be suitable for hanging   please adhere to these requirements.   If framed, frames must be a decent quality to sell in a gallery.   Plastic frames without ‘D’rings and wire/string are not acceptable."

There is further detail on the entry form below!  

Application Form

​Hello All
 
We have just under three weeks before the installation days on 2/3 August.  This is just a brief update around the progress to date for our Benalla Rugged Up yarn bombing event.
 

• We are hoping to get a small grant form the council to assist with the costs.  If we are unsuccessful, nice to have items like coffee vouchers for volunteers may need to be dropped while we concentrate on covering the necessary costs around cable ties etc.
• The Event application should be submitted during the coming week, once we confirm that we have public liability insurance covered by a local organisation.  We have spoken with the Council and it looks like everything else is covered.
• There is still some work to do preparing the material, but there is also a lot that has been done.  The biggest jobs outstanding are to finalise the allocation of the prepared material to trees, seats, bollards etc, and to sew flowers onto ribbon for placing along the bridge.

 
For those who are able to help with some of this, the Gliding Club room will generally be available from 9:00 to 3:00 Monday to Wednesday and on Friday while the office is open.  Please let Rhonda in the office know if you are there.  I will be there:

• From 1:00 until around 4:00 Monday
• From 10:00 until around 12:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday
• From 1:00 until around 4:00 on Friday

 
If anyone is only able to help on Thursday, please call me so we can work out if there is a time that I can be there – at the moment I am not planning to be there as I have another commitment, but may be able to work around this.
 
Joy Shirley
0417 065 351

Beacon lies on the Hudson River about 60 miles north of the city of New York. It is an artistic community much visited by art lovers. Mervyn and I have visited several times to participate in workshops run by Basha Maryanska.

It is a charming town with many galleries and funky cafes. Pandorica’s is a fantastic café decorated deep blue like Dr Who’s Tardis!  We were impressed by the Hudson Glass foundry and gallery next to RiverWinds Gallery on the main street.

The Coen Brother’s filmmakers have invested in Beacon artists’ community, buying the decommissioned high school and turning it into art studios. (Calling all property investors to do the same for Benalla!)

Benalla has a nice symmetry with Beacon as both host Not for Profit arts organizations promoting cultural vibrancy.  New York based photographer Mary Ann Glass visited Benalla whilst in Victoria conducting workshops.  On her return to New York Mary Ann asked 25 artists from the Hudson Valley  to make the  postcards now on show in Gallery 2 at NEA.  In the spirit of Sister City-hood, Mary Anne offered us a reciprocal show in Beacon for artists from North East Victoria.
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Our Inaugural Postcard Exchange is a cultivated space to broaden our artistic horizons and make a stimulating connection with artists on the other side of the globe.  It is a playful concept designed to engage artists and public alike.
 
Irena Korotkow, June 2019

"Hi
 
First an update – we have unpacked all the material from last year, and it is now in the room at the Gliding Club that we will be using for our preparation. 
 
It would be great if a few more people could assist with some of the upcoming work. To this end, I will be there from 1:00pm on Friday afternoon.  To start, we will need to discuss the steps necessary to be ready for the installation on 2-3 August.  Then we can continue sorting the material, and working out what actual knitting/crochet needs to be completed.  Hope to see you then.
 
If you have trouble finding us please call me on 0417 065 351 after 1:00pm on Friday.
 
Joy"