1st Tamworth Textile Triennial Opening

Ararat Regional Art Gallery director, Anthony Camm at the opening of the 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial with Tamworth Regional Gallery staff (l to r) Kate Hofman, Pam Brown and Tamworth director, Sandra McMahon.

Patrick Snelling speaking about the exhibition.

Tamworth Regional Gallery's 1st Textile Triennial, 'Sensorial Loop', was officially opened by ABC presenter, Claudia Chan-Shaw, on Friday 30 September 2011 at 6pm. Although this is Tamworth's first triennial, it builds on 18 earlier biennial exhibitions, which have provided an important platform for surveying developments in contemporary textile art practice.

Ararat Regional Art Gallery's director, Anthony Camm, had an opportunity to visit Tamworth Regional Gallery for the first time to attend the launch of the triennial. His visit was possible thanks to a grant from the Gordon Darling Foundation. Ararat Regional Art Gallery and Tamworth Regional Gallery share similar collection and programming specialisations and his visit provided an opportunity not to only view the triennial exhibition, but to meet staff and participating artists and view the collection area.

This triennial exhibition has been astutely curated by Patrick Snelling, and is thought provoking in the way it addresses the diverse concerns of artists working with textiles fibre materials and techniques today. It is especially interesting to see the work of established artists alongside recent graduates and to consider the extraordinary developments that have occurred since textile fibre art first came to prominence in the 1970s. A series of curator and artists' talks held on the weekend following the opening inspired lively discussion about the state of textile fibre art in Australia. ‘Sensorial Loop’ will soon commence its national tour, which includes Ararat Regional Art Gallery in 2013.

ABC Radio has posted an interview with Patrick Snelling online about the triennial exhibition, which shows photographs of the featured artworks. A catalogue accompanying the exhibition can be purchased from Tamworth Regional Art Gallery, including in a lovely, limited edition boxed version. There is an extract from Patrick Snelling's catalogue essay on his blog.

Annemieke Mein

Above: (l to r) Anthony Camm, Director, Ararat Regional Art Gallery; Annemieke Mein, and Anton Vardy, Director, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, at the opening.








We have been so incredibly busy since the opening of our Annemieke Mein exhibition on 19 July 2011, so it has been a while since we lasted posted. Here are some photos from the opening - finally. The exhibition has just closed (on 3 July) and was one of our most popular shows ever. The exhibition received a phenomenal response, with many people deeply affected by their experience of viewing Annemieke's work. Thanks to our staff and volunteers who have worked incredibly hard to make the exhibition a success. We are especially grateful to Annemieke Mein and to the Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, for lending works and supporting the exhibition.

Annemieke Mein in Ararat

Ararat Regional Art Gallery is proud to present an exhibition by textile artist, Annemieke Mein OAM, from 19 May to 3 July 2011. Annemieke’s meticulous representation of the natural world through textiles is distinctive in the Australian art world. Her singular vision has inspired audiences for three decades and she remains unique amongst Australian artists for the fervent interest her work attracts in the community.

Over the years, Annemieke has pushed the technical and pictorial boundaries of her work in textiles. Underpinning her practice is an astute eye for detail borne from an intense engagement with the natural world. Annemieke has said that each of her artworks “requires extensive research, field studies, observation, specimen collecting, countless sketches and a disciplined timetable of working hours”. This stunning exhibition surveys Annemieke’s career from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, with works loaned from the Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale and from her own collection. The exhibition also includes samplers and drawings that provide an insight into Annemieke’s creative process. Two soft sculptures from Ararat’s permanent collection are also included and will be contextualised alongside related loaned works.

The Annemieke Mein exhibition will be officially opened by Anton Vardy, Director, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale on Thursday 19 May at 6pm in the presence of Annemieke Mein OAM.

Image: Annemieke Mein, 'Pink Emperor Gum Moth' 1982 (detail), Collection: Ararat Regional Art Gallery, purchased with the assistance of an Australia Council Crafts Board Grant, 1982, Photo: Terence Bogue.

About Time in Horsham

(l to r) Anthony Camm, Mardi Nowak and Adam Harding at Horsham Regional Art Gallery ( l to r: tapestries by Valerie Kirk, Kate Derum and Gerda van Hamond)

Our touring exhibition, 'About Time: Australian Studio Tapestry 1975-2005' was officially opened at Horsham Regional Art Gallery on Sunday 20 February at 3pm. The exhibition looks great in the gallery's temporary home. It was nice to see many people from Horsham's textile community in attendance and the inclusion of a Horsham community tapestry at the entrance to the exhibition was a nice reminder of the importance of the community tapestry movement in the studio tapestry story. Horsham Regional Art Gallery Director, Adam Harding was a great host and with his colleague Michael Shiell has done a great job in presenting and promoting the show.

We are thrilled that Mardi Nowak, who is an artist-weaver featured in 'About Time', has agreed to deliver public programs to support the exhibition's tour throughout regional Victoria. The day after the opening, Mardi presented a very successful talk in Horsham to over 50 high school students from across the Wimmera. Thanks Mardi! Mardi is also Curator of the Town Hall Gallery in Hawthorn.

The 'About Time' catalogue essays are now available to read on-line at Craft Victoria's 'Craft Culture' respository of craft writing. Ararat Regional Art Gallery Director, Anthony Camm's essay provides a response to the works in the show and their place in the rise of the studio tapestry movement. Essays by notable artist-weavers, Professor Kay Lawrence AM, Sara Lindsay and Hilary Green, from a section of the catalogue called, 'Reflections from the Field', can also be read on-line.

The Horsham show closes on 6 March, after which the exhibition will travel to Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery (1 July-14 Aug)and Central Goldfields Art Gallery in Maryborough (4 Sept-9 Oct). 'About Time' is funded by the Regional Exhibitions Touring Initiative and its catalogue is sponsored by the Gordon Darling Foundation.

Many Become One

Ararat-based artist Jade Kahle was approached earlier this year with the idea of introducing textile craft skills to children leading to an installation outcome in response to the 2010 Children’s Week theme, ‘A Caring World Shares’. The project has been funded through a Children's Week grant from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. This resulting installation ‘Many Become One’ is the culmination of the collaboration between Jade and the participating children. The exhibition was launched by Ararat Rural City Councillor Anne Marshall last Tuesday afternoon, 3 November.

Jade’s concept for ‘Many Become One’ focuses on forms from nature, such as beehives, bird nests and wasp daubs. A half-seen and imagined world of bee and bird is evoked through crochet, knitting and stitch-work, with honeycomb motifs symbolising unity, building and co-operation. Each workshop led to the creation of the various textile pieces that feature in the installation that was designed and constructed by Jade. The individual elements were made by primary school students from Ararat West, Ararat North, Landsborough, Moyston, Willaura, St Mary’s in Ararat and Skene Street in Stawell. Children from the monthly Embroiderers Guild Needles and Pins children’s textile group also contributed to the installation. The installation is presented until 5 December 2010.

Jade Kahle is an artist and designer who has been working with her zooblast label since 2004. For more information visit the zooblast webpage.

Living Treasure

Liz Williamson presenting her floor talk













Dr Kevin Murray opens the exhibition.

Last night we celebrated the official opening of Liz Williamson:Textiles, which is an Object Gallery Touring Exhibition as part of its Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft series. Liz was raised at Carisbrook, near Maryborough, and her regional Victorian connections remain strong to this day. It was great to welcome many of Liz's family and friends to the opening. We were thrilled that Liz could attend and present a floor talk prior to the opening. Dr Kevin Murray, Adjunct Professor at RMIT University and well-known craft writer and curator officially opened the exhibition to a large and appreciative crowd. Ararat Regional Art Gallery is the exclusive Victorian presenter of the exhibition which continues until 31 October 2010.

Tea Party: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Embroiderers Guild, Victoria

Dr Morna Sturrock AM officially opening 'Tea Party'

Last Thursday evening a crowd of around 100 people attended the launch of Ararat Regional Art Gallery's latest exhibition, "Tea Party: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Embroiderers Guild, Victoria". The exhibition includes objects from the Gallery's own collection, historic tea cosies and aprons from the Embroiderers Guild's collection, contemporary tea cosies by guest artists and works borrowed from public and private collections.

A highlight of the exhibition is an afternoon tea table setting made by the Guild's Ararat branch members featuring knitted, crocheted, felted and embroidered cakes, sandwiches, slices and, of course, tea cosies. Many of the women who contributed to this project were in attendance at the opening to celebrate the completion and unveiling of their amazing collaborative artwork.

The opening attracted a strong contingent of Embroiderers Guild members from across Victoria, including representatives from the executive committee, its entire 50th anniversary sub-committee and members of branches in Geelong, Hamilton, Ballarat and as far as Mildura. Many people heading home from the Grampians Texture textile event at Halls Gap also stopped by to attend the opening.

We were especially honoured to welcome two distinguished guest speakers at the opening - Dr Morna Sturrock AM and Janet de Boer OAM, who are both well-known and highly respected textile art identities. Their respective opening remarks were warmly received by the large audience and provided a valuable context for appreciating 'Tea Party' and its contribution to the Guild's state-wide celebration. The exhibition continues until 4 April.

Lao Textile Launch

We had a great turn out for the launch of "Weaving Dreams and Aspirations: Lao Textiles" on Saturday 8 August 2009. The exhibition is curated by Valerie Kirk, a tapestry weaver and Head of Textiles at the Australian National University School of Art, and aims to highlight the rich textile traditions of Laos. It was great to see so many familiar faces from the regional textiles community in attendance.

Our guest speaker was Boby Vosinthavong, who operates the fair trade business, Lao Silk & Craft and is the Australian representative for the Lao Sericulture and Phontong / Camacrafts Handicrafts Cooperative (aka 'Mulberries'). Mulberries is a not for profit company established by Boby's mother, Kommaly Chanthavong, that seeks to create income generating opportunities for Lao people in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner. In her talk, Boby explained how Mulberries manages the process of creating high quality silk products from the growing of silk cocoons, the dying with natural materials and the painstaking task of weaving. Boby demonstrated the first stage of the production of silk - the reeling of raw silk from cocoons. It was great to welcome Boby and her family to Ararat to share the unique Mulberries story and to provide a context for appreciating the exquisite work in the exhibition.

Viceregal Visit

Above: The Governor and Mrs de Kretser meeting exhibiting artist, Julie Shiels (left).

We were incredibly honoured to welcome The Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser AC and Mrs Jan de Kretser to the Ararat Regional Art Gallery on 20 May 2009. Our exhibiting artists, Julie Shiels and Tamara Marwood, were introduced to the Governor and Mrs de Kretser and spoke to them about their respective exhibitions. There was a great moment when an unsuspecting young visitor and his dad were formally introduced to the Governor. It was a very exciting day for all associated with the Gallery.

Tamara and Julie's Exhibition Opening

Installation view of exhibitions: 'Flock' (above) & 'Handcrafted Landscape' (below). Photos by Peter Pickering.

We are currently presenting two very different, though subtly related exhibitions by Bendigo region artist, Tamara Marwood and St Kilda-based artist, Julie Shiels.

We had the great honour of welcoming Professor Lyndal Jones from the School of Creative Media, RMIT University and Director of The Avoca Project to open Tamara and Julie’s exhibitions last Saturday afternoon.

How You Make It - ABC Ballarat interview

Thanks to ABC Ballarat for visiting Ararat for our recent presentation of 'How You Make It', a Craft Victoria - NETS Victoria touring exhibition of contemporary fashion, curated by Kate Rhodes. Lisa Moncrieff interviewed me as we walked through the exhibition. Click here to listen to the interview on-line. Next stop for 'How You Make It' is Mildura Arts Centre, where it will be presented from 11 June to 15 July.