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, prepares her entry for next year's Archibald Prize and launches her clothing company. .  

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​An Occasional B:Log

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!

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

NEA's Merv Beamish, Tim Bowtell, Janet Leith, Kirsty Maclean, Ruth Mollison and Cornelia Selover will be among 30+ artists painting murals with a Christmas icon somewhere in the picture on shop windows in Benalla from 11 am to 6 pm next Friday 30th November.  Watch the artists working on Friday!  Follow up visits over the festive season to see the finished works will make being in Benalla extra special over the festive season.   

Cornelia Selover's 'I Wish You Were - There' exhibition at MAMA in Albury closed yesterday, Sunday 16th September.   It was quite moving, as a member who has followed Cornelia's work closely at NEA, to see it so thoughtfully and beautifully exhibited in a large regional gallery. 

​Corn's 'Women Giving Birth in the Presence of a Horse' (2017) sculpture greeted me on arrival to the exhibition space, farewelling me on departure. 

​Cleverly and minimalistically curated, a number of larger works in a range of medium were able to be viewed in a light and airy exhibition space from both wide angle and closer perspectives. 

It was a stunning exhibition, Cornelia.  Congratulations.

An Occasional BLog.

Annie Longmuir's knitting and crochet class at NEA on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7.30pm ($8 including coffee, tea) is a rallying point for Benalla's Winter Yarn Bomb - Annie can help to work out suitable patterns, show you how to knit or crochet flowers to decorate the plainer strips and squares and more.  

Community members can also add to some knitted coloured strips while enjoying a coffee or chai at the Red Road Cafe.   Cornelia Selover and Mary Kennedy joined in while on the volunteer roster during the week.  The fact that knitting is supposed to be therapeutic seems to be true - they both look so calm in the photos below.  .  ​

You might also find someone to give you a lesson at NEA if you can't knit, as Seamus did this week.  He proved to be a fast learner, taking on board Bev's grandmother's memory jogger 'In, Over, Through and Off'!  with aplomb.   He also looks quite serene, don't you think...  

​Finally... North East Artisans is one of a number of venues at which knitted, crocheted other suitable textile work or balls of yarn can be left to feed into the late winter 'yarn bombing' of Benalla! ​  Here's a link to a downloadable pdf flier for the event.

​ 'NEA' merchandise fundraising products are occasionally offered for sale.  A memorable product - the Between the Walls fringe festival event T-Shirt in 2017 - another the 'In Your Face'  Portrait Exhibition's Poster collection,

In late 2017 Cornelia's memorable 'Nudie' design was printed in a very limited edition  poster to accompany a weekend life drawing workshop offered by Frank Burgers.  .

Then, early in 2018 a poster designed by Cornelia  'We are Here' began to be sold - this can be seen in the Foyer Gallery along with 'We are Here' cards which can be purchased in the gallery/shop.  

The idea of a T-Shirt which could be worn by artisan volunteers on duty in the gallery shop had often been discussed and this seemed a good time to do this. Cornelia suggested using the 'We Are Here' and/or  'Nudie' artwork for the T-Shirts. It was decided to  use Cornelia's 'We Are Here' map design for a generic T-Shirt range  and  to use her 'Nudie' artwork for a more 'limited edition artwork' T-Shirt, perhaps the first in a series drawing on the artwork of NEA artists.

Cornelia adapted her artwork for possible designs and colour ways.  A meeting was held with Jason from local FOBIA industries to discuss designs, colours, sizes and more.  Cornelia further refined the design work, sizes were decided on, and the order sent through to FOBIA.  FOBIA were 'flat out', but promised they could deliver.  

The first day of our 'Brush with NEA' event arrived and Jason arrived early carrying a large box of T-Shirts.  Pricing was finalised, signs written and Lise Darcy did a wonderful job counting stock then presenting it for display on Chris Seeley's 'board table' in the gallery. 

Occasional Blogger - BL
Last 9 May 2018

Cornelia Selover's portrait of 'Kitty May Allwood'
Cornelia Selover's many portraits of 'Kitty May'' leading up to the portrait submitted to the Archibald Prize are well known to people who follow Cornelia's work.  'Kitty May' #25 and #26 were displayed  in NEA;s 'In Your Face' portrait exhibition in July.  'Kitty May' featured in the 'Salon Refuses' is a stunning final portrait in Cornelia's 'Kitty May' series.  

An occasional blog based on September Newsletter item written by Meralyn Vincent.

There is so much happening at NEA currently!  Some happenings have warranted their own posts, so this post is a miscellany of snippets...

​Kylie and Tim's 'Coffee is where the art is'... pop up cafe in the foyer gallery is  a wonderful place to meet people   Sam Bowtell (of the Bow N Tell Brothers and Killer Pig Productions') called by on Saturday morning. The Centre in Wangaratta, is continuing to publicise and distribute Killer Pigs' movie 'Slope' and is likely to rescreen it in Wangaratta at end of January,  Sam and Jake are also planning to screen 'Slope' at rural cinemas across the north east over the coming months and looking towards crowd funding a DVD to be distributed  to schools - a key audience. They are busy on a number of projects, including a feature film - already two and a half years in the making, 

​The atmospheric courtyard outside the foyer gallery/cafe is now providing a terrific home for the colourful mosaic table which community members contributed to under Deb Dodd's guidance at the Maker's Mart festival during Wall to Wall Art last year.

It seems it's the season for our artisans and members to immerse themselves in their own creative development, with Margaret Zaal 'excited beyond belief' to be going to a four day workshop in Geelong; Merilyn at a lifedrawing camp in Queensland and Seamus having just returned from an Irish folk music week near Coroit.  Seamus came away from the week having written a poem, a song and having been the narrator for a documentary oriented slide show on the Irish Rebellion which engaged other Irish musicians in the camp in song. There must have been some wonderful jamming sessions.  

Merv posted this portrait by his friend CJHaumann on our timeline recently - prefaced by 'See what NEA is doing to me!" 

​To finish... - 'Caught' - a photo of the Friday morning to afternoon handover - with Annie Longmuir and Janet Leith caught arriving to replace Lise Darcy and Elaine Murphy recenlty.   

BL

Cornelia, caught here working on a portrait, is currently focusing on portrait painting and recently received two commissions.   

​With artisans sharing rosters there are valued opportunities to talk about shared interests.

The foyer gallery is often a place for catching up and sharing ideas.  Last week Margaret was caught sharing her samples of Daniel Smith water colours with Cornelia and Grace, while Shaun and Paul caught exploring the finer details of walking sticks drawing upon those crafted by Garth Mitchell.  

Many people returned to NEA this year to buy Christmas gifts for family and friends.  Robyn and Fe were almost caught short  on Saturday 17th, with stock moving so quickly that spaces kept opening up.   They were very glad when Chris Seeley arrived with candle holders, rolling pins, and bird houses to restock his Swanpool Butter Factory products.  

A few days later, volunteer Fee was caught chatting with Susie Buycz who had,called in to replenish her stock of beautiful silk scarves. 

Tim and Kylie making already acclaimed coffees with love hearts in the crema.  Their 'KISS' cafe  has begun to pop up fairly regularly in NEA's foyer gallery. 

 Annie's workshops resume again on Tuesday January 10 at 6 pm 

Happy New Year!

BL

**'The Occasional Blogger' is open for submissions by NEA members keen to write about their work or about NEA.. ​Send copy to bevlee47@gmail.com. 

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​Cornelia Selover's  excitement at the development of her new sculpture - a large rotating 'crunque' installation - is captured in this photo as she describes the involvement of workers who fabricated her work at Aligned Engineering in Benalla..

​Cornelia has documented the story of 'this massive Crunque artifact' on Facebook... 

Last week an article by Libby Price's  on Cornelia's work appeared in the Benalla Ensign...

Perhaps one day Cornelia might write more about her Crunque project as an occasional blog.  Hope so!

BL

Inspired by Cornelia Selover, the Rite of Spring exhibition in November provided great impetus to the development of the Events Room Gallery.  The  new gallery adds an art filled ambience to meetings, workshops, games nights and celebrations held in the events room.. It was pleasing to see red dots gradually appearing during the exhibition.  In early December Tim Bowtell's 'Rite of Spring' poster artwork and Deb Dodd's beautiful mosaic'd 'Fiesta for my Feathered Friends' bird bath (pictured) were both happily purchased and farewelled . 

Music has reemerged at NEA over the past month or so, with the Bow N Tell Brothers playing in the Foyer Gallery at the Rite of Spring opening; Cobblestone, Kat and Rat, Michaela, and Erin featuring at NEA's Christmas Party and Carla and Tim Gardner's 25th wedding anniversary party recently, with Russell responding to an 'Open Mic' call up at the Christmas party singing lively sea shanties.   Michaela has offered to become involved in planning future music events at NEA. Thanks, Michaela.

​New digital speakers which can be tethered to phone play lists have led to enhanced music quality in NEA's gallery spaces..  And, of course, if you listen very carefully when he's about, Seamus can be heard quietly singing Irish, English and Scottish folk music..   

The foyer gallery, a salon in which NEA members meet up and share ideas and plans, is being transformed again.  A rather sculptural new coffee machine on a hand crafted mobile counter is now in place and an even more cafe like environment envisaged.  

NEA members who enjoy writing and contribute to publicity, Facebook, the website and submissions play an important role at NEA.  Ruth Eisemann is now actively looking at the placement of NEA marketing in relation to the tourist industry and was recently involved with Tim Bowtell in resourcing a very readable and informative front page article about NEA in a tourism insert in the Wangaratta Chronicle.  NEA artisans, Beechworth glass maker Leisa Clarke and Glenrowan felter Lise Darcy, who live and work in NEA's northern catchment area, are featured.   If you haven't seen it, it's on the table in the Foyer Gallery.

​Sustainability Team member Annalies describes enjoying  the Water Kefir workshop held recently, with five participants providing the opportunity for her to pilot this workshop which will be repeated in 2017.  Tim held his final Oil Painting workshop for 2016 on Sunday, while last week a 'Train the Trainer' program was run at NEA by Sally Wallace from Waminda. Waminda is offering this course to NEA artisans who may be anxious about conducting workshops at a reduced rate conditional upon agreement to offer a workshop through Waminda,  Short notice meant that only one artisan was able to join the group and take up the reduced fee offer this time, however another Train the Train workshop is likely in 2017. 

Planning for the Door of Hope Project is now well underway.  Subject/Object/I - Self Mapping Through Art' with Edie Black and 'From Fibre to Felt' with Annie Longmuir are being offered from mid February to March through the Door of Hope project to people with a long term interest in arts and crafts who haven't had the opportunity, for various reasons, to have this realized.   Fliers and other information will be available soon.  

So much is happening .... but it soon will be time to slow down and focus on family and the festive season for a few days at least.  

​Then it will be January - and another burst of activity at NEA during the World Gliding Championships.  Margaret Zaal has been working with great enthusasiasm on designing new workshop formats to be offered during January, including workshops with groups of three NEA artisans and new toy workshops with Tim Schloss,   It seems that the gliding championships have inspired a new Schloss range to join Tim's Swords, Shields, Axes and Kelly Guns. 

Evidence that Merv Beamish, whose Pop Up Art Show continues to the end of December at Chocolate Lane, has also been inspired by the upcoming gliding championships. is evident in these photos of a 'work in progress' in his upstairs studio. 

BL

**'The Occasional Blogger' is open for submissions by NEA members who may, from time to time, have a strong urge to write about their work or about NEA!. ​Send copy to bevlee47@gmail.com. ​

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While some NEA members have headed towards the sunshine during the winter months, others have been quite involved at NEA,  There has been an active workshop program throughout June and July,  NEA artisans have been exhibiting work in the region and some artisans have been winning awards.  ​New artisans have applied to be represented in the gallery, with some already on the gallery roster.  Artisans and others have been collecting firewood to keep warm at home as well as volunteering at the gallery, which has been able to be warmed up sufficiently to be comfortable.  

Over the winter months I've enjoyed helping to develop our new website.  Designed by Tim Bowtell and supported by Tim Gardner it moved from being a test site to the http://northeastartisans.org web address in June. The Artisans pages on the drop down menu are a real strength of the new website - providing currently exhibiting artisans with an additional opportunity to exhibit their work and provide contact details.    If you haven’t been approached or included yet, please contact Tim Bowtell with (any or all of) three photos of your work, some introductory ‘bio’ wording/ideas and contact details/URL addresses for links. 

The entrance gallery space is evolving into a first point of call when people come to NEA. It's also a space in which artisans often meet, work and share ideas and about their work and philosophies about the arts and crafts in general.  

​Cornelia Selover can often be found working in the entrance gallery area.  I enjoy questioning Cornelia about her work  and in the week of the traumatic killings in Nice was particularly moved by the story behind her work 'A feather fell' (pictured below), inspired by reactions of a friend after the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris.

Tim Bowtell and Deb Dodd have made weekends at NEA particularly enjoyable and productive for those attending their workshops over the winter months.  Tim's Oil Painting - Beginners workshop series is now into it's fourth session.   

By August 7th, Deb will have presented two Beginners' workshops and three Bring Your Own Mosaic workshops in just two months - with grouting sessions as well.  ​  I've decided that mosaics suit my impressionistic temperament and have thoroughly enjoyed Deb's beginners' sessions.

In addition to these NEA workshops, NEA artisans Annie Longmuir and Cornelia Selover are presenting workshops at Benalla Gallery - Annie is in the midst of a series involving creative knitting, while Cornelia will be presenting life Drawing sessions at the Benalla Gallery on Saturdays 13th, 20th and 27th of August from 1 - 4 pm.   Kate Jenvey enjoys running workshops both at NEA and in her studio at home, however is currently focusing her attention on producing works for a solo exhibition to be held at Benalla Art Gallery early next year. 

As an 'as needed' non-artisan volunteer in the gallery it is such a privilege to meet new artisans exhibiting in the Gallery.  Garth Mitchell, a maker of superbly crafted wooden walking sticks, brought his work in last week while I was on duty, while new artisan Amanda Green, who is exhibiting thoughtfully produced, high quality bees wax candles under the label 'Ladybug Green' 'Goodies inspired by nature' also called by.   

During June and July I've visited two exhibitions in Wangaratta featuring NEA artisans Elaine Murphy - in the  intriguing 'Inking the Flyleaf' exhibition at the Baintz Gallery at Wangaratta Library - and Carol Sonogan in the inspirational 5th Biennial Petite-Miniatures Textiles exhibition at the Wangaratta Art Gallery.  I've written about Elaine's work in an earlier post. Carol's petite-miniature textile was just as beautiful as I was told it would be. Artists from around the country participate in this project, displaying contemporary textiles that are no larger than 30x30x30cm.  Carol currently has a number of her petite embroideries on exhibition and sale in the NEA gallery - including one titled 'Winton Wetlands' pictured on the left among her other pieces currently on show.      

NEA's Facebook page is a great place to catch up with artisan news - for example, over the solstice months we read that Kate Jenvey had won the 'Best Drawing' prize at the Flinders Art Show and also read about Annie Longmuir's second prize for her entry of home spun art yarns at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. . 

   

Only another month of winter!  Just before spring starts we'll be able to head out to the  23rd Annual Bald Archy's Prize at Swanpool - 20th August to September 2nd - Tim Bowtell's entry is likely to get lots of local support in the 'People's Choice' category.  

On a final note... establishing a 'Friends of NEA' group would provide a way for non-artisan members of NEA to make a more defined contribution to NEA's continuing existence and development.   Initial research into 'Friends... Inc' based groups seems to be a good idea as a starting point - it appears, for example, it's important to have a distinctive structure and a separate bank account for fundraising.   If you would like to join in the process of background research and preparing for a first general meeting to gain expressions of interest in joining 'Friends of NEA', please contact me at bevlee47@gmail.com or leave a message at 0478 607 838.  Perhaps next winter there'll be news to post from 'Friends of NEA'.


Bev Lee
​Non-artisan volunteer 

**'The Occasional Blogger' is open for submissions by NEA members who may, from time to time, have a strong urge to write about NEA for this column!.