"Merry Christmas to all the NEA family, it’s been a wonderful year at NEA. Thanks for all that you do to keep the dream alive. Let’s make 2020 even better! " Tim Bowtell, NEA President
Tim is pictured here outside the Benalla Rural City offices with the portrait of Greta Thunberg he painted for the Window to Window Festival. in early December 2019.
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The brainchild of NEA's Exhibitions Coordinator Simon Klose, the $50 Christmas Exhibition is now underway in the Exhibitions Gallery (Gallery 2). Featuring works by NEA members, early sales are promising - new works will be installed as works sell! If something takes your eye, our Gallery Shop volunteers will assist you. As 2019 is coming to a close, we thank everyone for your
continued support throughout the year! Come in and browse for your holiday gifts - we have a wide variety of paintings, jewellery, hats, skirts, baby wear, skin products, cards, tree decorations and many more. All items are individually designed, made locally, and are reasonably priced. So please come into the Gallery and support your local artists. Our volunteers will be happy to gift wrap your purchases. The shop will be open for extended hours before Christmas: Benalla late night shopping until 8pm on 5th December. We will have a special of a free NEA T-shirt or NEA bag with every purchase over $50.00. Extra days open - Sunday 8th, 15th, and 22nd, and Monday 23rd December from 10am to 2pm. We will be closing the Gallery Shop on 24th December at 4pm and reopening on January 3rd 2020. We wish you all a very happy holidays and look forward to your continued support in 2020. -The Gallery Shop Team- (Valerie, Carole, Melanie, Bill and Cathy) '$50 Christmas'
A special Christmas exhibition provided by members of North East Artisans Friday December 6 2019 to Thursday January 9 2020 '$50 Christmas' is an exhibition of affordable artwork by members of the North East Artisans made or selected to meet the Christmas Season’s tradition of giving gifts. Our '$50 Christmas' exhibition provides gift opportunities which will be thoughtful, individual and have high personal and human value. Although the price of the artworks is fixed at a ridiculously low $50 – this is meant as a humorous and ironic gesture – but really - it is NEA's gift to Benalla's Festive Season. We're not making any money here.... The idea of the exhibition is to bring NEA's exhibition space into the commercial domain with a $50 splash opportunity for the Festive Season commercial mayhem period. There is no entry fee (waived) but the 20% commission stands - so the "in hand" artist payment for sold works will be $40. We hope the exhibition will help the Gallery Shop as well....if there's nothing in the exhibition then try the shop.... The exhibition runs from Friday December 6 to Thursday January 9. Works are to be dropped off on Tuesday 3rd December from 10 am to 4 pm and collected on 10 January from 10 am to 4 pm. Further details are available on the attached Conditions and Application form. We don't expect members to give works away - but if there is oldish stock or an idea for a less labour intensive artwork than usual this is the time to bring it forward The EXHIBITION team - simon, bev, cathy, frank and grace (and sometimes Tim) The Exhibition team is sending out invitations today to NEA members to enter works in the '$50' Christmas exhibition. If you are thinking of entering, or find yourself talking to a member who may be interested, the work entered doesn't need to be new work, can be concepts you are currently developing.
Entries are due in next Tuesday 3rd December, although there will be some grace as the opening isn't until Friday 6 December. Please check out the web post below, the Conditions and Application form, and the poster developed by Tim Bowtell in response to an invitation by Simon Klose, Exhibitions team leader. It's already causing lots of discussion... which is what art's all about! (If you are aware of rapper 50 Cents...or Fiddycents you'll understand the connection!) $50 Christmas Exhibition From NEA Members ‘Affordable, creative and fantastic” An in-house Christmas exhibition provided by artists of the North East Artisans Friday December 6 2019 to Thursday January 9 2020 North East Artisans 122 Bridge Street Benalla $50 is an exhibition of artworks by members of the North East Artisans made or selected to meet the Christmas Season’s tradition of giving gifts and presents which are thoughtful, individual and have high personal and human value. Although the price of the artworks is fixed at a ridiculously low $50 – this is meant as a humorous and ironic gesture – it is the choice of the artists to determine their own contribution to the equation of principles and ideas.
Don’t expect works to be glazed and framed = although some may be – but expect a great gift opportunity provided by people who share the North East with us and want to provide a positive human contribution to the seasons character. Simon Klose Occasional Blogger - The last days of spring, the pre Christmas shopping experience, and more28/11/2016
First, a reminder that the Rite of Spring exhibition in the Events Gallery officially ends on November 30. People will be able to pick up art work they have purchased then, however remaining works will continue to hang until after late night shopping on Thursday 6th November. It has been wonderful having an exhibition of new work by NEA's artisans in this space. Visitors to Benalla who come to NEA seem to truly value the opportunity to visit what is becoming the NEA complex - with Gift Shop & Gallery; Foyer Gallery; the Events Room Gallery and seven artisan's studios upstairs.
It will soon be Christmas. NEA's Christmas party last weekend was a happy and relaxing event and artisans and volunteers are now gearing up for Benalla's pre-Christmas shopping experience on Thursday 1st December between 6pm and 8.30pm, NEA is an active participant in the event and will be remain until 8.30 pm. Buy tickets and some unique Christmas gifts at NEA before heading out to shop until you drop for two and a half hours!
Also on at 6 pm Thursday 1st December is the opening of 'A Month of Art Works by Merv Beamish' pop up arts show at Chocolate Lane.
Caught in action restocking at NEA for Christmas, artisan Sue Lamour of Sacred Stones.
While the workshop program is slowing down, the 'implementation stage' of the Door of Hope project is ramping up. The project's teachers have been appointed and the next stage of marketing the project is about to begin.
I love checking out gallery spaces! A few days ago I came across a new gift shop with exhibition space in the store next to The Whitty Cafe at Whitfield A past work colleague Anton co-owns and works at the cafe and gallery and is particularly keen to hang and sell paintings in addition to jewellery , wood work and ethical products.. The Whitty Cafe is in a 'niche' market, located near King Valley wineries and places where people come for weekend stays.
On a trip to Sydney a month ago I visited one of my favourite gallery spaces at Sturt Workshops in Mittagong. Worth a detour when travelling to Sydney!
Back to NEA - the other day Cornelia said it would be a good time to take a photo of her studio. Here goes!
BL **'The Occasional Blogger' is open for submissions by NEA members who may, from time to time like me, have a strong urge to write about NEA!. Send copy to bevlee47@gmail.com. |
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