Local creative talent shines bright
Published on 27 November 2024
The creativity of our local people is front and centre in our popular Community Art exhibition, opening at 2pm on Saturday 30 November at Central Goldfields Art Gallery. This exhibition will be launched by Central Goldfields Shire Council General Manager - Community Wellbeing Emma Little.
Paintings, drawings, craft and sculpture are just part of the variety of art created by local residents from Central Goldfields and Avoca, that have flooded in from across the breadth of our community.
Central Goldfields Shire Interim CEO Sally Jones said the new exhibition was a perfect end to a wonderful year for our Gallery.
“This is a not-to-be missed, end of year free festive event. A local DJ will be spinning discs, there will be delicious food and drink, and it will be a great chance to mingle, meet new people and enjoy a fun, community atmosphere. No bookings are needed – everyone is welcome to come along to our beautiful Gallery and celebrate the creativity of our local people.”
“It’s a perfect finale to the year, following our Emergent exhibition which celebrated the creativity of our young, VCE 2024 students.”
This year there was a special 9 x 5 category that has resulted in a fascinating tableau of paintings on small-scale wooden boards.
Painting workshops at the Gallery have been a popular activity leading into this exhibition, with many participating in guided lessons led by local artist Patricia Walsh, helping local people to create their own landscape painting. Community members from Central Goldfields have found this approach inspiring for their own experiments with the compact form.
Gallery Coordinator Helen Kaptein said this new approach made artistic expression achievable for everyone, allowing many newcomers into the exhibition.
“The 9 x 5 category is a new component for our community art exhibition that encourages people to get in touch with and realise their own innate creativity."
"The 9 x 5 inch (23cm x 13cm approx.) board is a very manageable size to take on and make their own creation. It is also a nod to Australian art history. Back in 1892, the 9 x 5 Impressionist exhibition in Melbourne changed the course of Australian art history. 182 paintings with a loose and free impressionistic style (very different to the dominant trend at the time), were created on cedar cigar box lids. That exhibition was hugely successful, demonstrating once again the spirit of popular innovation and challenging the status quo."
Participation from young people in the exhibition has been encouraged. Students from Maryborough Education Centre have built on their connection with the Gallery this year through entering a swathe of 9 x 5 boards. Maryborough Craft Shop is also supporting the exhibition with a number of prizes for young people.
The exhibition runs until 16 February 2025.