Oil Painting Workshops in Currie, King Island

 

More than a dozen enthusiastic  painters attended two workshops conducted this month by Elizabeth Barsham, artist in residence at the King Island Culture Centre for January. Elizabeth is  not only an accomplished artist, but has been teaching adult drawing and painting classes for many years.

 In conjunction with her Return to the Island exhibition at the Culture Centre she invited interested islanders to come along and see how she creates her intriguing and idiosyncratic artwork.

 In the workshops Elizabeth explained how to select subject matter and compose it into a picture, first from a still-life arrangement and then from a selection of landscape photographs. Her informative and entertaining demonstrations covered ways to begin a painting, how to mix colours and how to apply the paint. 

Participants were fascinated to discover the difference between the way they looked at photographs and how they interpreted paintings, and to realize they need only four colours to create a satisfying picture.

Alison Milsom, who organised the workshops, said  “It was wonderful to learn about painting techniques; I love oil paint, but I've never really been shown how to use it before. I've been waiting for years to find out some of these things”.

 Elizabeth is currently employed by the Nolan Art Gallery and School in Hobart.

King Island Potters 2013

King Island Potters

Pottery exhibits

on display at the Cultural Centre

22nd January - February 22nd,  2013

Through the 2011 and 2012 school terms 24 local residents enjoyed working with clay under the expert guidance of experienced potter, Stewart Hoyt. Supported by the King Island District High School and King Island Cultural Centre.  A pleasant surprise was finding glazes still on the island used by the Pottery Group from the 70's. Thanks to Joc Bowden and Eva and Martin Finzel the results are full of colour, energy and beauty. Stewart Hoyt returned to the island on 20th January to set up a Raku Kiln with some of the potters and the results are just delightful and sparkling with colour and craftsmanship. A show not to be missed.

Donna Lougher Exhibition, Colville Gallery, 2013

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Sally Marsden, King Island Arts and Culture Centre and Arts and Cultural Development Office, King Island Council.

Thank you Donna for inviting me to open your exhibition. This is a rare and precious experience for me to witness the final outcome off the island from one of our residencies at the King Island Cultural Centre.

 

Some works within this exhibition result from Donna’s Visual Journal developed and shared with the King Island community at the conclusion of her residency. An assemblage of ideas and feelings created from the elements from both the cultural and environmental landscape of the island.

 

Seeing her work in a broader context through this exhibition I can feel her intense but sensitive emersion into her subject matter and passion for it – captured in her swift use of paint and brush and her whole being – an immediacy that for me reflects the whole atmosphere of her experience and interpretation of often the quite mundane and ordinary in our physical environment and cultural landscape. As Donna says she explores the ordinary appearance of things and is interested in finding the essence or something of the spiritual nature of the place. 

 

The King Island residency program with Arts Tasmania has been running since 2006 and been getting stronger and stronger with artists returning with exhibitions and also independent residencies including artists from Victoria and Northern Territory.  For our island community we are totally enthralled by the individual approaches to the exploration of what the island may offer to individual artists, arts practice, and the inevitable demands of isolation on all of us. Our isolation demands flexibility and adaption.

 

Artists such as Donna arrive and instantly with eyes roaming, ears to the ground, sniffing the wind and sea, sweeping up community members for links, stories, memories, connections, environments to explore, ideas and explorations unfold and emerge reflecting the character of place,  the mysteries of the ocean, our ordinary lives, our history,  and the unfolding landscape of a Bass Strait Island.

 

Donna roamed over windswept rolling hills, along coastal kelping tracks and beyond with her dog, Walter, in car and sketches and wet canvases tumbling into the back of the car, as her visual journal/diary and developed further in the studio at home for this exhibition. This energy and commitment to her experience and subject matter has been fully retained and the works I’m sure you would agree retain integrity to her intentions.

 

Jeremy (Wire) Curtain Retrospective

“Not many people would know I’m an artist. 
Yep I’d like them to”

2nd November to 30th November

A Retrospective Exhibition and Celebration of 'Wire's' life as an artist


Retrospective Exhibition Launch , November 2nd 2012

Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate 'Wire's life as an artist" from 5.30 BYO

 

Victoria Dunn Exhibition

Brochure

Jeremy (Wire) Curtain Retrospective

“Not many people would know I’m an artist.  Yep I’d like them to”

 2nd November to 30th November

A Retrospective Exhibition and Celebration of 'Wire's' life as an artist 



Retrospective Exhibition Launch , November 2nd 2012 

Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate 'Wire's life as an artist" from 5.30 BYO

New Artist in Residence - Victoria Dunn
Works in Progress Exhibition
26th October to 31st October 

Victoria Dunn (2012), Sound, acrylic on canvas.

Image courtesy of the artist

Creative practice for me involves my experiences of the place where I live.  To be among the people and objects and natural forces that make a place is paramount to the pleasure of living and to my way of working.

When living in a new place the expectation is that there will be a phase of strangeness due to new perspectives on otherwise familiar aspects of living.   Everything is different yet familiar: interactions with people, housing, cooking, moving among objects that make up the landscapes and towns, and of course, the weather. 

Everyday life involves the constant crossing of boundaries or thresholds of experience.  The focus of my work on King Island will be the exploration through drawing/painting of what I perceive as the crossing of boundaries that traditionally delineate built and natural environments. 

The intention is, through my experiences of Southwest Victoria (where I live) and King Island, to make drawings in various environments including that of the studio.  From these works I'll create further work in my studio in Warrnambool.  An exhibition of these subsequent works is planned for 2013 at Scope Galleries (Warrnambool) and in the Cultural Centre, King Island.  
Victoria Dunn

King Island Artist Pam McKay

I’ve lived most of my life in coastal Qld, also lesser time in WA, NSW, and NT.  My husband Noel and I love to travel and discover new places.

After reading of King Island in a national magazine in 2009, we came for a quiet 6 day getaway as retirees and fell under the spell of the island and its people.  We impulsively bought a NW coastal property, sold our Mt Tamborine home in Qld, and moved here.

I grew up on a sugar cane farm driving tractors and playing in the creek. This instilled in me a love of nature and strong colours, the raging red of cane fires, vivid blue mountains beyond, fresh green foliage of tropical Qld along with the multi coloured parrots and tropical fruits. However I was equally as happy experimenting with sewing, crochet and embroidery.  Later my husband and children wore my sewing creations usually of my own design.  Eventually I retired from the workforce and learnt watercolour and acrylic art, life drawing, sculpture, mosaics and patchwork.

In 2007 on a trip through Victoria I first discovered felting – it was love at first sight and feel; I did  a one day workshop in Daylesford and immediately felt it was ‘my’ medium.  I marvelled at the result of working with fine merino wool, tissue silk and beautiful silk fibre.  With a little research I found I lived just 2 hours from Polly and Myfanwy Stirling, and did several 2 and 3 day workshops with this talented duo. However I didn’t extend my knowledge until I moved to KI.

Image courtesy of artist

Moving here has inspired me, given me a sense of freedom I’ve not experienced since childhood.  I now challenge myself and find felting exciting! It’s a way for me to express myself freely, let the work evolve and  be surprised. I continue to explore and learn new techniques, particularly eco-dyeing through books and the work of other artists; nuno felting with rich silk fabric and fibre being my current preference for creating works of felt art.  I particularly admire the work of Liz Clay and Pam Hovell .  

 Image courtesy of artist

The spectacular colours of the sea sand and rocks in the magical glow of the long twilight, perfect rainbows, rugged raw beauty and clean air all lend themselves to creating  fabulous art.

New works by Richard Skinner

bird stories, kelp stories

fragments of journeys; illuminated and suspended

July 5th - August 3rd 

 Image courtesy of the artist

The works in this exhibition bird stories, kelp stories, are both a record of past journeys and of current investigations, of journeys off and on the island.  Bird stories, kelp stories is a return to the place and people that inspired me, an opportunity to present new work developed since the original residency, and to recognize and celebrate the shared, and sometimes unpredictable, nature of creative exchange Richard Skinner

  This Exhibition was assisted through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts.  Supported by

New artist in residence - Donna Lougher

image courtesy of the artist

image courtesy of the artist

Donna from Evandale, Northern Midlands, Tasmania, is taking part in a 5 week artist residency program at the Cultural Centre funded by Arts Tasmania to create a series of paintings using acrylic.  The many aspects of  King Island's landscape and culture is informing Donna's practice.  Exhibition of her works in progress on 18th of May at 5.30pm at the King Island Cultural Centre. All welcome to view Donna's visual record of her stay.

Makers Market - Wickham Lighthouse 150 Anniversary

Join us on November 5th 2011 at Cape Wickham where you can purchase unique island art, quality products while celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Cape Wickham Lighthouse.

Revisitors or first timers welcome.

Bridget Levy Solo Exhibition Nov 2011

Everyone welcome*

Ten Days On The Island

King Island Cultural Centre

Brochure KICC

Exhibition Now Showing- A Darker Shade Of Light Exhibition

D SHADE of LIGHT Poster Generic[1]

KIng Island Cultural Centre Residency Program

King Island Artist Residency Program:

At the western entrance to Bass Strait lies an idyllic place known as King Island. An island rich in history, with shipwrecks, lighthouses and jagged reefs, bountiful with long stretching sandy beaches and lush green pasture. From our little paradise we produce some of Australia's finest natural foods for which we are probably best known including beef, cheese, crayfish & abalone, yet there is more to this 64km long by 27km wide stretch of land than first meets the eye.

King Island’s unique vistas have inspired many artists. The art and crafts offered create wonderful images of the natural beauty of King Island: sea, rocks, boats, light, birds, wildlife and the marine and pastoral industries.

King Island is extremely fertile with a mild maritime climate. Native flora and fauna abound due to the isolation of the island and lack of natural predators.
King Island’s climate is one of moderate temperatures with a reliable rainfall that supports an outstanding agricultural industry. However, in the infamous Roaring 40’s gales, winds frequently reach over 100kms per hours.

King Islands natural beauty, relaxed lifestyle and relative isolation appeals to artists seeking an idyllic, inspirational environment to work in.

The island has a small but active core of artists whose work strongly reflects the island culture and landscape and a community that is intrigued and supportive of the arts including collaboration in community arts projects.

Residencies allow particular opportunities for artists to experience the character of a place of great depth, culminating in a diverse range of rich and vibrant art interpretation specific to people and place. They are accepted from across Australia and around the world with artists either self funding their residency or supported by funding from their state or country of origin.

Tasmanian artists can apply to Arts Tasmania: www.arts.tas.gov.au/individuals. Applications are for Self Directed or Natural and Cultural Residencies.

Who can apply: The Artist in Residence Program is offered to professional practicing artists nationally and internationally, from any recognised art form including, but not limited to, painting, music, performance, sculpture or writing.

Studio/working space and accommodation is available at the King Island Cultural Centre adjacent to the Currie wharf, a working fishing port.

This provides:
· A one bedroom self contained furnished accommodation
· Studio with northern light
· A scenic and inspiring location
· Access to Currie CBD and other services
· Heating, electricity and running water
· Internet access.
· Phone card can be purchased locally for landline calls.

Phones and Internet: There is only Next G reception on the Island. Mobile Phones with Next G can be hired.

Residents are responsible for purchasing all food and supplies and transport on the island.

For more information about King Island, how to get here, current events and car hire follow the links to King Island tourism. http://www.kingisland.org.au/

Residency Rental fee is $140/week.

Artists are encouraged to stay for 4-5 weeks to get the maximum benefit from the residency.

It is important that residents use materials and methods that do not damage either the natural environment or the accommodation.
For more information about residencies on King Island please contact the Cultural Centre Coordinator.

Sally Marsden
Cultural Centre Coordinator
Arts and Cultural Officer, King Island Council
King Island Cultural Centre
PO Box 147
Currie
King Island
TAS 7256
Email: smarsden@internode.on.net
Phone: (03) 6462 1924
http://www.kingislandculturalcentre.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Barsham

This Tasmanian Regional Arts touring exhibition will be opening on Friday June 4th and closing on 30th June.

Please join us for the opening night at 5.30 on Friday June 4th.

Elizabeth Barsham (formerly painting as E.M. Christensen) is an award-winning artist working in Tasmania, Australia's island state.

A descendant of the first convict settlers and author of several books and articles about Tasmanian family history, she was the first Tasmanian to publish a book about a convict ancestor (Thomas Burbury, Pioneer of Tasmania by E.M. Christensen and W. Sinclair, Victoria, 1979).

Barsham does not dwell on lurid details of the colonial penal system but admires the determination and fortitude shown by pioneering men and women who endured terrible hardships in creating the townships, farms and industries enjoyed today. She is passionate about the need to explore and record what traces remain of their lives, while preserving both the built environment and the remaining forests and primaeval wilderness.

Her uniquely imaginative oil paintings are an emotional expression of her ancestral connection to the landscape and its people. Often based on old family photographs, they feature grim-faced men, women and children against a backdrop of rugged mountains, impenetrable forest and crumbling buildings in an unsettling but hauntingly beautiful mixture of nostalgia, gothic romanticism and humour.

Cubes...NOW OPEN!

Since retiring from teaching Guy Carey has put his energy into photography and music and has now created a stunning set of images based on the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire & Water. The various sized cubes feature detail from these images on each face and the viewer is invited to pick them up and arrange the cubes in new patterns.

see view

see view
'Viewing things from alternate perspectives and looking ‘beneath the surface’

Catherine Stringer


Original works, and digital prints on canvas

See View spans the past three years of Catherine’s practice. This work relates to her residencies in France, 2007 and in China, 2008, and a number of works inspired by her trips to King Island, especially by the shipwreck of the Neva.

Opening Thursday, 10th December at 5.30 pm, BYO drinks


Open from December 10th to January 9th Cultural Centre, Currie Harbour