Friday night. It was a mild evening; the departure lounge gallery was quietly filling with members and friends. Light music from the talented Benalla Guitar Ensemble floated across the room. Wine and finger food circulated.
 
The pictures on the wall were gathered together, ready to go, a lot of them, over 60 works. Compared to the pictures which came across from New York to Benalla, the local products look slightly wild, off the wall and energetic, ready for anything.  Did I hear them humming there on the walls?
 
When they hit New York, crowded onto the gallery walls, telling their story to anyone who will look, I think the message will be loud and clear. Energy, invention, directness and a staggering diversity of image and subject. It’s a great message and a great project. Congratulations to the artists and the curator Irina Korotkow... look out New York….

Simon Klose
Exhibitions Coordinator

​Thoughtfully curated by Eve Crocker and Annette Walton Guerin from a large body of work by highly regarded local artist Sarah's Trethowan, the Sarah Trethowan Retrospective exhibition at Violet Town's backARTS Gallery fills all gallery spaces, with the back gallery also including tables displaying Sarah's poetry. .

Opening the exhibition on Sunday afternoon, 15th September, Sarah's  friend, artist Penny Bristol Jones, spoke with deep affection of Sarah, describing their sharing of artistic discussions, dreams and .experiences for over 30 years,.  Seeing so much of Sarah's work exhibited together proved to be very moving for many of those who came together to celebrate her life and work.   

The opening of Sarah's exhibition also marked the opening of extensions to the backARTS gallery, which now has a front gallery facing the street, two interlinking smaller spaces and a back gallery space.  The back gallery spaces link through to the museum and Babbler's Cafe and open out onto a versatile courtyard area.    Benalla's Classical Guitar Ensemble played in the courtyard during Sarah's opening, where Sarah's friends and family drank good wine, ate from plentiful platters of finger food, and shared stories and memories of Sarah.   

Sarah Trethowan joined and exhibited at NEA in 2017/early 2018.  This exhibition honors Sarah's life and work as an artist and is a wonderful opportunity to remember Sarah, an active and passionate artist in North East Victoria for many years.  The exhibition continues until the 10th November.

​Yes, that is correct, Yarn Bombing 2020!  I am hoping that we can make our yarn bombing event in 2020 easier for everyone, as well as bigger and better by starting our planning much earlier.  To do this, I am looking for a group of volunteers who can help with the planning, organisation and administration of the event.  My idea is to have different people take responsibility for different aspects.  These would include publicity, social media, community group contacts, administration etc.  I am hoping for this group to meet at the end of October and discuss what worked for 2019, what can be improved (early planning is one of these), who can help in which way.  So, please let me know if you are interested in assisting with the early planning phases.
 
If you have any questions give me a call.  But more importantly, please let me know if and how you can help.
 
Joy Shirley
0417 065 351

​President's Report 

I have only been in the President role with NEA since May this year.  Thank you to Hazel Frankland for her work as President prior to this.

There have been many changes in the Management team in the last 12 months; however I would like to acknowledge the contributions of all members who have held positions on the management team during this time.  Although circumstances meant they were no longer able to continue in their elected roles, thanks must go to Hazel Frankland, Ruth Mollison, Pete Raftos, Jennifer Gill, Cornelia Selover, Emi Day and Janet Leith.

I cannot speak highly enough of the current Management Team.  I have had the honour of working with Jarita Stubbs as Treasurer; Kylie Pitts as Secretary; deSales Turner as Volunteer coordinator; Team reps: Valerie Clements for the Gallery Shop; Michaela Alexander for Music events; Frank Burgers for studios and OH&S; Janet Leith and more recently Simon Klose as Exhibitions Coordinator.  A very special thank you from me goes to Sally Wallace for her amazing support as Vice President over the last few months.

I am sure all members of North East Artisans are proud of the achievements of our organisation over the last 12 months; however it is our volunteers who should be congratulated.  From our gallery shop volunteers through to our team members and Management Committee--what we have achieved and continue to achieve is the result of your efforts, so thank you!

The last 12 months has seen us grow in terms of confidence in our organisation as well as attracting the attention of others organisations, the broader community, community leaders and media outlets.  Our teams have been working cohesively and efficiently in helping to strengthen our commitment to providing a thriving local arts community in Benalla and the North EAst.

I wish the incoming Management Committee all the best in the future development of North East Artisans and trust that they will continue to uphold our values and vision.  This does not mean we should never evolve or transform; whatever direction we take in the future, the heart that is NEA will continue to beat.

Deb Dodd
​September 2019

President/Chairperson                                                Tim Bowtell 
Vice President/ Vice Chairperson                             Sally Wallace 
Secretary                                                                        Kylie Pitts 
Treasurer                                                                        Jarita Stubbs 
Volunteer Coordinator/Team Rep                             deSales Turner 
Gallery Shop Coordinator/Team Rep                       Valerie Clements 
Media/Marketing Coordinator/Team Rep               Jake Bowtell
Studio Coordinator/Team Rep                                   Frank Burgers
OH&S Officer/Team Rep                                             Frank Burgers
Exhibitions Coordinator/Team Rep                           Simon Klose
Workshops & Bookings Coordinator/Team Rep     Annie Longmuir
Music Events Coordinator/Team Rep                       Michaela Alexander
Ordinary Member                                                         Cathy Pianta 

 "Good Morning Makers!
                       
We are very excited to announce that we will be hosting our 3rd Annual Makers Market in the Botanical Gardens on Saturday the 23th November, 2019.

The market will be open from 9am to 1pm, and Makers will have access to the area from 8:15am.

The Gallery will be supplying trestles, chairs and advertising (mail out, Ensign and social media).
We are asking stall holders to bring anything else they might need on the day. For example tables cloths, a cash float, eftpos if you'll be using it, signage, shopping bags.

This year we will be charging everyone a small fee of $10 each to cover admin and advertising costs.

With limited spaces available, please let me know by Friday 27th September if you would like to have a stall on the day, and how many trestles you will require.
​
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any queries.

Thank you, Kat."

Katherine Hauptmann – Administration and Customer Relations Officer, Benalla Art Gallery
Benalla Rural City Council
PO Box 227        
BENALLA VIC 3671
t: 03 5760 2612  I  f: 03 5762 5640  I  
e: katherine.hauptmann@benalla.vic.gov.au
www.benallaartgallery.com
​

BogARTS is a group of Strathbogie residents wanting to practice and promote the imagination in all her wonderful guises.

This year BogARTS have taken on the running of the Strathbogie Art Show, part of a week long art festival being staged by BogArts from the 1st to the 9th of November 2019. The Festival kicks off with a grand opening on Fri 1st then public exhibition on the 2nd and 3rd . From Saturday 2nd to Sunday 10th there will  be an outdoor sculpture walk . The week caps off with spoken word, singing workshop and a Gypsy Punk Masquerade Party with Hello Tut Tut – all on Sat 9th.
 
There is a link to the  BogARTS Entry form below.  Please note - entries close at 4pm on Friday October 4th!   
 
More information is available at https://bogartsfestival.org/ or contact
 
John O’Brien
0439 818 366
https://bogartsfestival.org/

Join award winning Australian writer and performance poet Joel Mckerrow as he helps you to push past the creative blocks you have been stuck in and so to begin to create with a renewed sense of freedom. This is where Creative Process meets self-reflection and in its confluence comes beautiful artistry.

For those of you who might be wondering, Joel McKerrow is an award winning writer, speaker, educator, creativity specialist and, having performed for hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, is one of Australia’s most successful, internationally touring, performance poets.

Based out of Melbourne, Australia he is the Artist Ambassador for the aid and development organisation ‘TEAR Australia’ and was the co-founder of community arts organisation, 'The Centre for Poetics and Justice' (2010-2013).
​
Joel was the third ever Australian representative at the Individual World Poetry Slam Championships in the USA (2012), is a TEDx speaker/performer, a successful play-wright and is a co-founder/host of the The Deep Place: On Creativity and Spirituality Podcast.

Thursday October 3, 1 to 3 pm
North East Artisans, 122 Bridge Street East  Benalla
$30 (pay at NEA)

Joel's Website - https://www.joelmckerrow.com/about

'The Power of Story' - Ted X  University of Melbourne, 2014

The Exhibitions Team is calling for entries for NEA's second ‘Wisdom and Experience' exhibition, 'an exhibition of the work of older artists focused on their observations of our world through their art and craft'.  The exhibition opens on Tuesday 8th October, with works to be delivered to NEA on Sunday 6th and Monday 7th October from 10am  to 12 midday. 

'Wisdom and Experience' 2019  is open to older artists (over 55 yrs) who live within the North East Artisans catchment’ area of within 100 kilometres radius of Benalla.

Each work is to be accompanied by a text outlining the motivation behind or the significance of the subject for the artist/craftsperson.

This second 'Wisdom and Experience' exhibition continues to bring forward the special advantages in wisdom and experience that comes with age.   Benalla has a high proportion of older people in its population and this event is one of the ways this advantage can be brought forward in a positive and engaging way.

The exhibition runs in NEA's Exhibitions Gallery from 8th to 26th October, with an opening celebration on Friday 11th October from 5.30 to 7.30 pm.. Special tours will be available to visiting groups.

North East Artisan’s Biennial portrait prize “In Your Face” closed on Saturday 31st August after a month of high visitation, complementing events and interesting debates.  
 
With its closure comes the announcement of “The People’s Choice” award, collated from the many votes of visitors to the exhibition. The $500 prize has been comprehensively won by Janet Leith with her portrait of a young woman “Aimee”.
 
Janet’s practice as an artist is centred in Wangaratta, although she has strong links to Benalla, both at North Eastern Artisans and Benalla Art Gallery.
 
“Aimee” is a refreshing and vivid portrait of a young woman moving from the left to right side of the picture whilst engaging the viewer directly with her eyes. Visitors obviously shared the positive elements the portrait represented.
 
The First Prize of the In Your Face Portrait Prize was shared by Frank Burgers’ “Mum”and Tanya Tabone’s “ Uncle Fred, Pumpkin Head”.  Selected by the official judge Debora Halpern, both portraits represented members of the artist’s family, honestly depicted.
 
In Your Face is rapidly developing into the exhibition prize to watch in the North East, with a wide selection of styles and subjects exhibited. It is a reliable measure of the people’s pulse in image and art.
 
North East Artisans thanks the artists, judge and organising committee and especially the sponsors and public, who make the prize come alive. We can’t wait till the 2021 prize….  

​Simon Klose