Swamp-Hen Vignette  demonstrates Killer Pig Productions' ongoing development as film producers.    Jake and Sam Bowtell continue to challenge themselves, writing, directing and producing short films such as 'Swamp Hen Vignette' on shoe string budgets.   Swamp Hen Vignette  features  only three actors (Sam Bowtell, John Larkin and Owen Maclaughlan) and the old SEC building's corridors and windows,  The editing and use of music is skillful; the scene shot through the windows of an adjoining building particularly memorable and the use of graphics in the closing credits impressive.. 
​
Swamp-Hen Vignette is fast moving; skillfully edited and makes compelling viewing.

​The corridors and stair wells at NEA will never feel quite the same again! ​

(An occasional BLog)

Now that Ned is home again,
Engraved amongst his own again,
His final wish atoned again
He'll never be alone.
No stake hold in this mortal coil
no further battles to embroil
forever laid in Greta soil
Now that Ned is home.

Perhaps it's time to compromise,
To look at things with different eyes,
Not heroise nor demonise,
Not worship nor despise
And in return it's time to mark
a day so savage wild and dark
(T'was murder down at Stringybark)
Now that Ned is home

Out there beyond that Great Divide
Where all must surely now reside
where earthly sins are cast aside
And grievance satisfied.
Perhaps eight men would meet again
In circumstances less mundane
And seek to salve all mortal pain
Now that Ned is home.

To find in common, bushman's ways
Much more than you or I today
And yarn by campfire; boil the tay
And share the bowl of clay
Now that both outlaws and police
From earthly conflict find release
May all together rest in peace
Now that Ned is home

Seamus Foley
2014

NEA's proximity to the area in which Ned Kelly lived, roamed, was imprisoned and appeared in court; the still rustling to and fro between descendants of the Kelly family and the police officers; the periodic launching of new books and plays about Ned's life; the recent opening of the memorial to the police officers at Stringybark, inspire conversations about the life of Ned Kelly at NEA.   Kelly saga related literature brought by customers to the Red Road Cafe to read over coffee (as happened just yesterday), typically generates discussions about Ned's life, his mother Ellen, the police officers involved; his court case and more,   

NEA's 'resident poet', studio holder, instrument maker and whittler, Seamus Foley, has taken a lively interest in the Kelly story since living in Greta a few years ago.  Seamus's poems 'Now that Ned is home again' (2014) (above) and 'The Kellys' are Riding Tonight' (2017) are incredibly evocative - it always feels such a privilege to hear Seamus perform these poems.  Seamus describes being inspired to write 'Now that Ned is home again' in the period after Ned's remains were buried in the Greta cemetery. 

An occasional BLog. ​

​NEA artists Irina Korotkow and Mervyn Beamish recently returned from the International Artists Residency in Krakow, Poland.

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.

Currently showing in the Rural City of Benalla's window 'Foyer Gallery' - Frank Burger's 'Coin Counter I' and 'Coin Counter 2' from his 'Coin Counter' series.  

 
Frank Burger's ‘Coin Counter’ series
 
The drawings are 100x70cm, framed to about 120x90cm. There are 3 in the series, all charcoal, pastel and gouache on Fabriano Rosapina paper.
 
Titles:
 
'Coin Counter 1', 'Coin Counter 2', and 'An economy of sheep’.
 
Coin Counters are the metal tubes used to 'prop up' the subject matter in two of the drawings. They are components of coin rolling machines from my 'Armaguard' days: coins are fed into a chute at the top of the machine, then fall down into the 'coin counters' where a laser light shines through a hole, counts the coins and stops the flow of coins before lowering the stack of coins down for paper wrapping.
 
In my drawings these components symbolized the economic nature of society, which, in relation with the other objects depicted, made for interesting metaphors and interpretations of meaning.  
 
The third drawing,'An economy of sheep' continues this conversation with different still life objects.It was completed somewhat later (2011-2012), and shares with the other two the same media, technique and intention.
 
To clarify, Coin Counter 1 has the boat, Coin Counter 2 has the elephant, An economy of sheep has the kitchen scales and sheep skull. 

​Congratulations to Benalla Yarnbombers on the 2018 Yarn Bombing Event - 'Benalla Rugged Up'.

From small beginnings, a dedicated and inspired group of potential yarnbombers took up the challenge, learning about yarnbombing and possible designs along the way.  The planning group included NEA members Annie Longmuir, Maggie Hollins, Sally Wallace, Jennifer Gill and Mary Kennedy.  As the deadline for contributions neared, photos began to be shared on FB of the collected knitting and crochet contributions building up on tables in the Uniting Church Hall.  The cane collection baskets at NEA began to fill to overflowing.  Heart warming creations began to appear in Bridge Street, with one of the trees outside NEA featuring Mary Kennedy's hula skirt and Annie's colourful knitted, crocheted and flowered swathed creation hugging the tree just outside NEA's front door.  Wonderful bollard creations include Jennifer's daisy flowered crocheted chains which loop between the bollards outside Millers' store.  The inaugural installation has proven to be beyond  expectations both in volume and design.  

NEA was listed as a venue for planning sessions; knitting sessions at the Red Road Cafe and as a collection point,   NEA's role also included providing the requested option of website within  the NEA website.  A 'Planning Portal' prepared by Bev and Maggie provided an early point of contact and 'referral on'; however the Yarn Bombers FB site, email list and Mailchimp newsletter were clearly used more effectively as communication strategies during the busy period in the weeks leading up to and during the installation.   

Websites can, however, provide a repository function which FB and Mailchimp are perhaps less suited for.  They can come up in search engines for people researching Benalla's yarn bombing event and be a useful source of information for media releases.  The Planning Portal has been retained in the Projects area of the NEA website for now.  Updating the Gallery tab in the Planning Portal with images of the 2018 Yarnbomb would be worthwhile; as would  retaining its links to the FB page, and also links to all news posts categorized under Benalla Yarn Bomb.  Next year, it could be used again or it could form a base from which to begin discussing the development of the Yarn Bombing event's own website.   

Benalla's inaugural yarn bomb has been memorable,  There is a substantial resource base on which to build next year - both in terms of knitted and crocheted works and knowledge of patterns, installation, and more.  The event has considerable capacity to continue to reach out to the community in unanticipated and engaging ways such as happened this year with the joining in from knitters from Estia Health;  volunteer support by regional ANZ staff using their 'community bank' hours to help with the installation; and many other examples of unanticipated contributions by the community.  More recently,  the Yarn Bombing group has received a request from Benalla P-12 college for speakers to enable them to find out more about what is involved as they are hoping to motivate their 5/6 classes to become involved with the YB project next year.  

Congratulations, Benalla Yarn Bombers!

An Occasional BLog

Jake and Sam Bowtell's concept of filming 2018's Wall to Wall Benalla street art through the eyes of people viewing the event across the weekend has come to fruition with the release on Killer Pig Productions You Tube channel last week of 'A View from the Street - Wall to Wall 2018'.  Throughout the Wall to Wall weekend Jake, Sam and young film maker Jack Johnson called in to NEA for breaks, cameras over their arms.

'I'm so excited that this is finally out to the public!  Local brothers from Killer Pig Productions have done another killer job--they were up at the crack of dawn and on site filming all weekend for this year's Wall to Wall.  Great job, fellas, and thanks to Matt Katsis Music for the killer tunes'.    Michaela Alexander, 'The Gallery Gigs' event manager, NEA.  

"...Perfect timing for a flash back!!!! Wall to Wall Festival 2018!!! Local boys - Killer Pig production with Matt Katsis amazing track - Enjoy!!"  Wall to Wall Benalla on FB.

Killer Pig' team members Sam  Bowtell and Jack Johnston filming, Day 2

An occasional BLog.

'Winter Retrospective' - Jamie Ferguson & Michaela Alexander - July 2018

The beginning of winter saw Jamie and Michaela conceiving the stunning 'What's On' notice board on the stairwell wall in the foyer entrance which is  full of NEA happenings.  

The winter solstice poetry evening inspired and organised by Seamus is now a treasured memory of those who attended, Follow up sessions for practicing poets  are now planned on the last Sunday of the month between 2 and 4pm .  Poetry evenings to celebrate the solstices, perhaps even an equinox or two, will provide a further chance for poets to read and perform their work..  

Seamus has continued facilitate sessions with Irish music playing friends in the NEA foyer throughout the winter.  He has also introduced sessions in wood carving and whittling to the obvious enjoyment of woodworking friends and keen woodworkers with ties to NEA. 

Janet Douglas and the U3A Recorder Group began meeting fortnightly in Gallery 2 on Wednesday mornings in June.  Some of the group always stay behind for a warming drink in the Red Road Cafe! . 

NEA's committee of management continues to work to master systems and can often be found problem solving about matters of governance and administration.  The MYOB system is now in place with Joan from 'A Balancing Act' providing highly valued bookkeeping services and consultancy..  With space finally in the volunteer artisans calendars to schedule Point of Sale training, training in the Point of Sale system, purchased with a grant, has been provided to responsible committee members.  Training is now rolling out to volunteers in the gallery/shop and will soon be fully operative.  

With Winter a wonderful time to knit and crochet, throughout the winter months activities including the International Sit and Knit day celebrated by Annie and friends in Gallery 2.; preparations for Benalla's winter yarn bomb event 'Benalla Rugged Up'; baskets with wool and pieces being collected for the yarn bomb and our own come and try knitting needles and wool were the order of the day.  

NEA's Gallery Shop began opening 7 days a week in June as did the Red Road Cafe.  Operating something like a cooperative within a cooperative, Tim B, Ruth M, Sam and Lauren are sharing the daily operation of the cafe.  As a general rule, Tim puts on his barrista hat on Saturday mornings, Ruth is barrista on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays (Ruth's hot and spicy pumpkin soup with toast is popular on a cold wintry day), while Lauren and Sam are 'mine hosts' from Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday... 

Felting workshops  somehow have a good 'fit' in' winter -  Annie has presented a number of felting workshops in June.  Sally's Introduction to Jewellery making workshop continues to meet regularly, with Seamus and other NEA volunteers often found in the class learning new skills to introduce into their work..  

There have been some wonderful Gallery Gigs, with NEA volunteers supporting Michaela as she applies her musical knowledge and instincts, passion and energy to providing opportunities for singer/songwriters to perform in an intimate and appreciative setting in Gallery 2 on a regular basis.  

It was also Plastic Free July - a self portrait by NEA' artist Janet Leith 'A Sense of a Special Place'' featured on our home page throughout July.  Janet's painting was displayed as part of GANEAA's 'Plastic Free July' inspired exhibition 'It's In the Bag' 3 to 31 July at Bainz Gallery in the foyer of the Wangaratta Library.  

During Plastic Free July we shared a captivating video by Wangaratta's Luke Davies and his Recycled String Band 'Recycle and Reuse' on Facebook.  Luke featured on blues harp and vocals in a set or two with Scott Cooke and Corin Raymond in a Gallery Gig in April.  Thanks for writing this great song, Luke!  

There is likely to be more to report on than this, particularly as there's another month to go, but hopefully you'll catch up with this in the Newsletter, Instagram or Facebook!

It has been so enjoyable seeing Ken Raff's artwork on the home page over the past few weeks, here's a 'screen dump and crop' of the page as a post for posterity!

An occasional BLog.

"The ‘Collins Street farmer’ represents the corporate organisations that have taken control of our food chain. He looks down at a hamburger that consumed around 2,500 litres of water to produce.
 
The city scape in the background describes the affluent Western world fed by these farming practices, people disconnected and too busy to think about where their food comes from and how it is produced.
​
 
Look carefully in the top left corner and you will see a bulldozer clearing the last remaining old growth forest. Acres of monoculture corn and soy sprawl across the horizon where these forests once stood. The primate on the stump sits helplessly wondering where its home has gone. The dead canary sends an alarming message to stop these unsustainable practices before all species on the planet are doomed.
 
The cows are locked in small yards.  Part of the production line, they are force-fed corn on a conveyor belt. The markings on the cows form the world map indicating that this is a world problem, while on the other cow the face of an African child peers out, wondering why that corn isn’t grown to feed his starving country.
 
The whole scene plays out in knee-deep rising water caused by global warming and rising sea levels.
 
My mural was inspired after watching a documentary called ‘Cowspiracy - the sustainability secret’.  For me it was a game changer.  I became a vegetarian the very next day.
 
“Filmmaker Kip Andersen uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organisations are too afraid to talk about it.
 
Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.”

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.

  
What was the first work you exhibited publically or sold as an artist? 
 
‘In my 20’s, in Newcastle, some oil paintings at an exhibition’
 
How has your background influenced your creativity ?  
 
‘My family influenced me a lot.  Mum was a painter and I was the only child let into her studio.  My grandmother had antiquarian books next to the old laundry shute, and we used to slide down the laundry shute amidst her antiquarian books.’
 
What’s the best part of being an artist?  
 
‘The voyage of the soul – that sounds pretentious, but it activates the soul, and even though you can’t activate God, it tickles God’s nose a little bit’.
 
What’s the worst part of being an artist? 
 
‘The best part is the letting go, but sometimes the conscious part of one self is impatient and and too harsh. Sometimes I end up in a creative quagmire, stuck, and the harder I try to let go, the more stuck I get’.
 
What’s the best (or worst) advice you’ve received about your work? 
 
‘The worst advice is when people push a conservatism upon it.  It’s hard to say … it’s always from people with too conservative an eye.  The best advice was from a fellow called Anton who had Downs’ Syndrome who said, ‘That’s bloody silly, Jamie, but I love it’”.
 
What’s been the most significant moment in your artistic/creative career so far? 
 
“Finding ‘The Secret Life of Salvadore Dali’ on my Grandmother’s bookshelf when I was 14.  She let me borrow it, too!”
 
What do you find most challenging about painting? 

‘Going deep.  It’s as if … beauty used to be locked behind many doors; going deep is obviously difficult, but not so much any more.  You should see some of the Goya like work I did…’

When you’re struggling with a painting, where do you look for inspiration?

‘I just pause, empty my mind, begin again, anywhere on the canvas, with some faith…’

Who do you picture as the ideal viewer of your work?

‘A man– living or dead—filling with a thousand eyes my acreage of mind.  And, if that’s not possible, a very small man with seventeen nostrils’

Whether creativity in different areas can be taught is often debated – what’s your view? 

‘To say creativity can’t be taught would go down a fascist road, to say everybody should be taught creativity goes down another sort of totalitarian road.  However I do believe in the Utopian view set forth by Charles Fowler that the world should be teeming with billions of poets happily drinking strawberry milk.  Teaching art is problematic because it implies governance and bureaucracy, but yes, I do believe art can be taught’.
 
Where and when do you prefer to paint?

‘Any time, any where, without being rained on too much’.
​
What do you listen to when you work?  

‘I’m generally sober and silent when I work – I come from the accountancy school of creativity.  I don’t even mind people talking to me - I can switch off.  Sometimes it’s hard to be interrupted and have to change a poo-ey nappie though’.

Do you buy your eg. art supplies online, in an art store, or both? 
 
‘I inherited lots of art supplies, after 30 years I’m still using some.  I use Louise and Jim’s shop in Benalla and I’m starting to use online more, but I always get tempted by antique paint boxes and antique paints.  I even saw a jar of Mumme on E-Bay – 1700’s artists used to get sections of Egyptian mummies and mix it into their paints’.
 
What’s your advice for someone wanting to be an artisan in your field? 
 
‘Throw away any pretence and just begin…’
 
When not painting , what do you like to do?
 
‘I love being with Abby and my kids and I love being with my friends.  I love being by myself with bottle of red wine at midnight reading a book say, from the 1500’s… I love physical stuff, too, sex, lifting heavy rocks, etc...’
 
If you weren’t making or supplementing your living by being an artist, what would you be doing instead? 
 
‘I’d be connected to a circus in some capacity’
 
If you could go out to dinner with any artist,, who would it be and why? 
 
‘I would go to dinner with Hakuin, a Zen artist who I heard was a good cook and loved laughter’.
 
What’s the art  work that’s had the most significant impact on your life and work or an artist– and why? 
 
‘Surrealist art, because it reminds you of your liberty’.
 
Do you have a philosophy for how and why you create?
 
Not particularly.   Honesty, maybe.   Letting things speak that are sometimes silent’.
 
At the beginning of the interview you said you are currently working on‘A series of oil paintings with a simple, spiritual iconcography – ladders, Persian rugs, etc…’   What do you hope viewers will take away from this? 
​
‘That something inside them is gently turned upside down’. 

​Jamie was interviewed in quiet moments while on roster duty in the Gallery 1 at NEA in March, 2018, You can check out photos of Jamie’s work and studio photos on his page on this website--  http://www.northeastartisans.org/jamie-ferguson.html

​ '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

A message from Meralyn Vincent from 'A Brush with NEA' team.

"Thank you to everyone, including Ruth Mollison, Edie, Kylie Pitts on the coffee cart, Justin and Simmon with the kids murals, Cornelia for her T-Shirt design and all the volunteers who put in hours during 'A Brush with NEA. (Please accept my apologies if I’ve missed someone)

I just wanted to say THANKYOU for all the effort you all put in... it was a cracker of an event for NEA and I’m pretty proud of the results.

We did a wonderful thing for the community and I feel like we’re on the map in a lot of people’s minds.

High five everyone,
​
Meralyn.

The Lost Trades Fair in Kyneton is coming up on the Labour Day weekend.  This is a key event in the calendar for  Schloss - Good Ol' Toys and Collectables. Tim Schloss's unique wooden toys and quirky collectables are all handcrafted, with nearly all  made from recycled or salvaged wood.. They are eco-friendly and great for the imagination., Tim, a founding member and past President of NEA, exhibits work in the NEA gallery; regularly participates in "Meet the Maker' events and offers workshops such as  the 'Personalise Your Own Sword' workshop being offered at 'Lost Trades' and  the successful 'Billy Goat Stool making workshop held at NEA in January 2017.   

A  number of other North East Artisan  members also work in wood using traditional methods.

Garth Mitchell, whose walking sticks can be purchased at NEA, commenced the time consuming process of making hand made bespoke walking sticks  15 years ago after becoming a collector of walking sticks..  Garth searched the ‘net’ to find out more about the design, structure, materials, styles, etc of walking sticks. "Although little was available in Australia, I found that stick dressing was a very popular pastime in the United Kingdom, with many sites dedicated to product, technique, style, and so on. With that I was hooked!”
 
Garth, who now belongs to a stick making guild in the UK, cuts and shapes the sticks by hand, using rasps, planes and spokeshaves.  Mastering joints and polishing requires patience and skill. Garth prefers to use Australian timber and to contrast shank and handle. "Handle styles are generally the traditional English styles - Cardigan, Derby, Crutch and Crook, and, to be somewhat technical, in most cases I admit to a horn or timber spacer over a reinforced tenon joint”. 

Seamus Foley, also a musician and poet, can often be found at NEA whittling objects which he is now incorporating into jewellery.  Seamus uses traditional methods in pursuing his love of musical instrument making, restoration and repair in his open studio at NEA. 

Chris Seeley's love of rare and recycled woods and traditional joinery methods is evident in the beautiful tables, trays and other objects made in his Butter Factory workshop in Swanpool and on sale at NEA.  Chris is a master craftsman of fine furniture. From old salvaged timbers Chris creates wonderful new pieces using traditional methods of joinery. 

Schloss - Good Ol' Toys and Collectibles followers can see Tim's work and enrol in 'Personalise Your Own Sword' workshops at the Lost Trades Fair at the Kyneton Racecourse from 10 am Saturday March 10 and Sunday March 11.    .

​"Craftsmanship, skill, tradition, forgotten arts and rare trades. Find authenticity, meet the makers - if you love bespoke, handcrafted, artisan trades and skills - do not miss this event. Incredible makers practising their trades; coopers to carriage builders, silversmiths to stonemasons, glass blowers to gunsmiths, over 100 makers at the biggest gathering of traditional tradesmen and women in the country.  Be inspired by the 'art of handmade'."  

The work of artisans Tim Schloss, Garth Mitchell and Chris Seeley can be viewed and purchased at North East Artisans.  Seamus Foley has an open studio at NEA. ​ 

Occasional blog by BL
January 21,  2018

​Quick Facts on Merv:   

​Home:  Benalla, Victoria

Where would you most want to live and create/write etc?   Benalla!

Comfort food:   ‘I love frozen yoghurt icy poles’

Artistic Influences:   Tom Roberts; Dennis Hopper; Geoffrey Smart; Cornelia Selover

Current reads/films/exhibitions attended:  ‘I watched ‘Frida’, on the artist Frida Kahlo, last night’.

What are you working on at the moment?   ‘A portrait of a family member’

What was the first work you exhibited publicaly or sold as an artist?   ‘It was a long time ago.  My mother was quite a well known artist, I think it was bought on the off chance I might follow in my mother’s footsteps.  It was an oil painting of a New Guinea native looking through greenery…it was pretty awful really.’
 
How has your background/ background influenced your artwork/creativity ?   ‘My background includes growing up on a farm; working as a builder and labourer; compiling the Canberra/Goulburn Telephone directory.  I returned to school, then worked for the Post Office and in public service jobs including a stint as a draughtsman in PNG.  After this I went to art school, then worked in industrial design and as a freelance writer and editor.   I inherited my creativity from my mum, who was a prolific artist.  I’m not really an urban painter.  The fact that I like painting country, bush scenes comes from my farm background. The colour and openness gave me an astute feeling for colour.  Colour mixing has always been intuitive for me.  I love teaching art – I really do.  I like community teaching, I’ve done lots of this in Sydney.’
 
What’s the best part of being an artist?  ‘The meditation.  When I get depressed it takes me to another world.  It takes me to my daydream world.  It’s meditative.  Most paintings I do as a challenge, to prove I can do them, to experiment.’
 
What’s the worst part of being an artist?  ‘It can be a challenge to my self esteem.  I have needed to get out of the habit of comparing myself to other artists.  Like swimmers who swim against their own times, I have to watch that my self esteem doesn’t go down by comparing myself to other artists.  I’m fortunate that I don’t have to sell to live…’
 
What’s the best (or worst) advice you’ve received about your work?  ‘Hard to say… I think the main thing has been the encouragement to keep going and keep experimenting’
 
What’s been the most significant moment in your artistic/creative career so far?  ‘An invitation to exhibit and show my work in New York and since then a number of other overseas destinations.  When I sell something, it’s  a boost to my ego, if nothing else.  When a workshop is going well, that really is a thrill…when a workshop sells out and people keep coming’’
 
What do you find most challenging about (your field of work)   ….. ?  ‘A fair question.   Myself, I think.  I find if I have a break it’s hard to get back into the flow of things.  I’m renovating a house at the moment and have to force myself to go back to painting’. 

When you’re struggling with a painting, where do you look for inspiration?  ‘Often I’ll change the medium I’m using – change from oil to oil pastels.  I’m always searching the internet for inspiration.  I do a lot of digital art, most paintings are planned digitally, not photographically’.
​
Who do you picture as the ideal viewer/audience of your work?  ‘I love teaching…my ideal audience is someone who is managing to get inspired to paint’

Whether creativity in different areas can be taught is often debated – what’s your view?    ‘Anybody can be encouraged to be creative – some fall in to place more easily than others.  We can’t all be Rembrandt.  If the motivation is there, creativity can be brought out, as the human mind has a creative factor to it’.
 
Where and when do you prefer to work on your art?   ‘I prefer to paint in a studio, but I also like plein air painting… Lately I’m all over the place.   When I have access to a studio, I’ll work all night.  Lately I work in the morning; snooze in the afternoon, go to work at night’

What do you listen to when you work?   ‘These days, nothing.  The deafer I get, the less noise I want.  If I do listen to something, I play it over and over.  One of my paintings was painted to the sounds  of Meatloaf’s ‘Midnight at the Lost and Found’.

Do you buy your art supplies online, in an arts store, or both?  ‘Both.  I buy online, but the value of going to an art store is in the advice and range of art supplies.  Most art stores have online stores.’
 
What’s your advice for someone wanting to be an artist in your field?  ‘If you want to make a living as an artist, do a marketing degree!  Experiment by yourself, go to community workshops, or if you have the opportunity, go to art school.  This teaches you to be an artist, not just skills.  Troll YouTube – it’s a universe in itself’.
 
When not painting , what do you like to do? ‘I read a lot; use computers; work on websites and watch television.  I’m a gardener, too!’
 
If you weren’t making or supplementing your living by being an artist, what would you be doing instead?  ‘I’d still be writing.  I started writing as therapy as I’m dyslexic, but I just took off.  I’d be writing, or a grey nomad, maybe.’
 
If you could go out to dinner with any artist, who would it be and why?  ‘Dennis Hopper.  His paintings feature a lot of people in situations – he has way of marrying people, emotions and locations in a wonderful way.  The other is James Gurney, He teaches so much information in his blog and in his books.’
 
What’s the art work that’s had the most significant impact on your life and work or an artist– and why?  ‘Artists like Tom Roberts.  I like the Australian bush artists.  I’ve always been interested in and affected by Geoffrey Smart.  My side genres  include steam punk.’
 
Do you have a philosophy for how and why you create?  ‘No – not that I know of.   It’s up to the beholder to decide’
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At the beginning of the interview you said you are currently working on a portrait of a family member. What do you hope viewers will take away from this?  ‘It’s in the eye of the beholder.  I want to create an emotion, for them to see something that’s relevant to them, not to me’.

Still Life with Crash – 2012    Oil on Linen        Frank Burgers

‘Still Life with Crash’ is one of my favourite paintings from this period.

It is a nostalgic reminiscing of relationships and the general chaos of life.  It is about loose associations created between objects and things that one would not expect to make connections.  It is Modernist at its roots, playing with line, colour and the physical manipulation of oil paint. It is entirely autobiographical, a neurotic navel gazing much like the rest of the contemporary art world. (Except for the stuff that is entirely political – or making some sort of statement devoid of ego).

Autobiographical in the sense that Images are sourced from the sub-conscious, random images and ideas until the painting achieves its own kind of logic.

Metaphor, I love metaphor and the potential for stories that a calculated mismatch of images conjures up.

Meaning lies in the baggage that every viewer brings to the picture. I just set the scene….

Frank Burgers, 2017
 
Ps: I will consider parting with this painting if I felt confident it went to a good, caring home. It would also take a considerate sum to consolidate my loss. It truly is one of a kind. It is a painting of original conception uniquely resolved, without the repeated application of formulae. It is hand crafted.

Its price, on application, is less than a top of the range flat screen TV,  but reflects the cost of materials, the cost of production including studio rent and professional fees paid, gallery commissions, previous sales records and career achievements, tax, longevity,  and value added due to the unique nature of this product.
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Considering the above, offers can be left in writing, on the couch in my upstairs studio. Please include contact details and phone number.

Our featured artist for October, Julie Burdis, has expressed her breast cancer journey through both painting and poetry.  

‘Drowning in a sea of cliches’
 
Radio National knew. They told me.
If the lump is hard, does not move or disappear between menses,
Be concerned.
 
I was.
 
5 years riding a roller coaster ensued.
4 G.P.’s, 2 surgeons , 6 mammograms, one ultrasound conspired to dismiss my concerns. Then I must be insane. They couldn’t all be wrong. Could they?
 
They were.
 
My brain fumbled in a fog of diminishing vocabulary, as the now concerned doctor, pronounced his verdict using a language,
Not of my knowing.
My blood went cold.
 
Invasive ductal carcinoma, mastectomy, lumpectomy,
Oncologist, pet scan, cat scan. I could nor form a 4 letter word.
And yet the clichés kept coming.
My legs turned to jelly.
 
Tossed off the ship of life, left in it’s wake, dark clouds on the horizon,
Storm clouds ahead. The earth moved – and so did my bowels.
Had I so early, entered –
The sunset of my life?
 
Dreams manifested water, troubled and still, I was up the creek without a paddle
And drowning in self pity.
A sinking feeling engulfed me.
 
Dejected, rejected, found wanting – of no further use. A specimen, in a glass jar.
through which I could neither touch, nor be touched.
An unwelcome stranger loomed.
Loneliness.
 
Let down, yet perceiving judgements and blame for having clasped in my bosom,
this foul, sneaky, skulking disease. My head spun, my world crumbled,
though night kept following day.
I was stopped in my tracks.
 
From the depths of these negative ablutions, laden with guilt and self flagellation,
My subconscious funnelled through to the light at the end.
You are pissed of, - it screamed.
And, I saw the light.
Use the energy of your anger as a fuel to nurture your mortality,
urged this voice of dissent. Always look the Tiger in the eye, buy some chooks and never say die.
And I did, I do, I did, I don’t and so, I am.
 
N.B. -  and totally cliché free.
 
Julie Burdis.
julieburdis@internode.on.net.
 

On Friday 13th November local writers met at NEA for the second of the Broken River Writers Discovery Workshop series, this time with Jake and Sam Bowtell of Killer Pig Productions.  The focus in this workshop was to discover more about writing for film.   Having immersed themselves in film production since 2009, if not before, Jake and Sam proved to have much to share with the group.  

Jake and Sam introduced us to the story behind, then screened their film 'Slope'.  It proved to be a wonderful springboard for a rich and vibrant discussion during which we seemed to switch seamlessly between responding as viewers and responding as writers.  While the session included a rich 'film appreciation' element, the writers' process was regularly interspersed and explored by Jake and Sam.  

We left Jake and Sam's thought provoking discovery workshop with an understanding that writing for film includes writing for silence; that the excitement of film making relates to its many facets -  with considerations about the use of particular actors; sound; lighting and so much more involved in film production.

​Thank you Jake and Sam!

Watch out for Carla Gardner's writing about this event on the Broken River Writers' Facebook Page!  

An Occasional Blog' by

Bev Lee

"This image of the four people came  walking towards me on  a village street in England. I immediately thought of the title.  As with most of my paintings I put the image onto paper so as not to forget.
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It was 2011 before I decided to pull it out, and do a preliminary small painting before putting it onto a larger canvas. I used to take it to a Wednesday night art class. When I got home, I decided it was what I was aiming for. Why I decided to put it into a city I don't know. In the top left hand corner I had planes in the sky firing at buildings. I flicked on the telly, only to see my painting in action as the aircraft flew into the Twin Towers in America. My hair felt as though it was standing it was standing on end. I realised I would never be able to do that painting and so it was put away, {with a lot of others} for future thought.

Deciding to attack the 'paintings waiting', I thought this painting was in sync with the 'On Ageing' theme of Violet Town's Honey Suckle Art Show in 2017 and smudged out the planes and put in the rising Sun. A new day'.

Julie Burdis

Julie's 'The Circle of Life' entry won the Honey Suckle Art Show's Painting and Drawing Award in September 2017.    An ideal  choice to feature in October for Seniors' Month .

​The Benalla Flexible Learning Centre's AOK Gallery exhibition of student work in Gallery 2 at NEA in late August was over before many of us realized it!.  So, we'd like to document it visually  for people to look at who may have missed it.,  The Benalla Ensign also contained an excellent article about the exhibition.

It was such a pleasure to have the exhibition at NEA and those who visited Gallery 2 were impressed by the diversity of work exhibited - almost certainly the result of individually tailored learning experiences building on the genre preferred by each student.  ​

This video, produced by BFLC students and staff to accompany the exhibition, provides a look at the Learning Centre's exhibition project from many different angles.    

Occasional blogger
BL
2 September 2017

Broken River Writers very first Discovery Workshop with playwright Gabriel Bergmoser was even better than expected. Gabe is young and full of energy, on the go the entire time, vibrant and funny. 

Discovery Workshops have been set up for local writers and the broader community to enjoy and learn from a variety of Guest Speakers who come, share their story-telling journey, inspire and impart some of their knowledge through a variety of short exercises. 

Gabe chose a variety of exercises to illustrate the plot and character dynamic of conflict. The first exercise was for one half of the room to come up with reasons as to why he should drink the bottle of scotch, while the other side of the room had to come up with reasons for why he shouldn’t drink it. Immediately there was conflict. 

Other workshop activities built on this theme of conflict, setting the scene for the performance of Gabe’s one act play, Heroes, performed brilliantly by Matt Phillips & Blake Stringer. Heroes illustrated the issue of conflict between characters, and the conflict within themselves between what they want and what they need. 

After Heroes there was a discussion with Gabe, Matt & Blake about the play, from inception to recent performances across Victoria and nominations and presentations of a range of awards in the Geelong One Act Play Festival. “Heroes is a complex, extremely well written play by an exceptionally gifted young playwright,” said Bev Lee, who was absolutely rapt she’d decided to come to Broken River Writers first Discovery Workshop.

The next day Matt & Blake performed in Mansfield in the One Act Play Festival where they won Best Production, Best Writing and runner up Best Actor. And since then they’ve also won Best Production and Best Playwright at the Foster One Act Play Festival, with nominations for Best Actor and Best Director!

Big thank you to the Broken River Writers volunteers for coming in early, setting up, preparing supper and packing up after everyone went home. Big thank you also to NEA for hosting the event and auspicing Broken River Writers, and Tomorrow Today for providing the funding. 

Details of the next Broken River Writers Discovery Workshop to be announced once they are finalised.

Carla Gardner

​An Occasional Blog

After identifying a need for training to start more actively using NEA's Instagram account, the media team called upon Candice (@candicejanecreative), who had helped to set it up. Here's Tim's first choice as a post - Mal Webster's 'All Star Sneakers'.  

Occasional Blog by Bev Lee
August 2017