Newstead Open Studios

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Tag Archives: Castlemaine State Festival


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Newstead is OPEN this weekend!

A trip to Newstead and surrounds is well worth taking, to visit the talented artists in their open studios for our second weekend of open studios this Saturday and Sunday 30 and 31 March 2019, or by appointment.

The Newstead Open Studios art trail is our offering as part of the Castlemaine State Festival.

Eighteen talented artists stretching over thirteen studios open to the public. Their amazing artwork will be on display and for sale.

Come meet, chat and support these enthusiastic individuals. See them in action and be awed by their talent.

Enjoy a feast of gifted art work lovingly created:  paintings, ceramics, sculptures, photography, fibre art, mosaics, printmaking, mixed media, steel, resin and drawings. This will be an artistic banquet for all those who hunger for a relaxed and inspiring arts experience.

Your pocket guide and map to Newstead Open Studios arts trail 2019, is available throughout Newstead venues, surrounding townships and find us on Facebook, Instagram and at http://www.newsteadopenstudios.org where you can download the pocket guide and/or map.

As well, enjoy a coffee or lunch at Dig, visit the Art Salon’s Eat My Art at the Community Centre and The End of Night at the Arts Hub gallery in our beautiful railway station – its all on the Open Studios art trail map!


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Opening the door on Newstead’s studios

Local artists are getting creative in preparation for this year’s Newstead Open Studios on two weekends – 23- 24 & 30-31 March, 10am-5pm. Running as part of the Castlemaine State Festival, it promises a rich creative experience for locals and visitors alike.

Thirteen studios – and 18 contributing artists – will open their doors to friends, neighbours and visitors – a chance to peek inside and experience first-hand the creative process.

Our artists 2019

Studios offer intriguing and intensely private spaces where imagination and intuition take flight, rich with concept, ideas and passion. For an artist, their studio is a place where they are free to express and create, often in solitude. Opening the studio door offers a great opportunity to experience these intensely intimate spaces, laden with deep reflection, and experimental practice. And practically, you get to talk to the artist, understand their ideas and processes as well as buy something special from the hand of the maker.

For me, the first 2018 Newstead Open Studio planning meetings at the Railway Hotel coincided with my arrival to the area. My house was in a state of disorder, my life was packed in boxes; but opening my studio became the priority! I loved the idea of open studios and I really wanted to be a part of it. I’m a printmaker: printmaking is a magical process and opening my studio door last year meant delightful days where I shared this ancient and mysterious craft with visitors.

This year, new artists will be joining our open studios program along with many favorites from previous years: Norm Close and Leone Wallace in Welshmans Reef; Diane Thompson, Ken Killeen, Frances Guerin, Chrisanne Blennerhassett, George Duckett, Chris Johnston in Green Gully; Trefor and Belinda Prest in Strangways; and Mary Caspar, David Golightly, Sarah Koschak, Prue McAdam, Roger McKindley, Kristin Scherlies, Richard Sullivan and Selina Wilson in Newstead.

With 18 contributing artists and 13 studios open, Newstead Open Studios 2019 promises to be a rich and diverse experience for all those seeking to visit artists at work. Look out for our postcards and pocket guide, and follow us for updates on Facebook and on our website https://newsteadopenstudios.org

Chrisanne Blennerhassett


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Newstead Open Studios 2019 – Be part of it!

Planning has started for our Newstead Open Studios as part of the 2019 Castlemaine State Festival.

Would you be interested in opening your studio during the festival as part of Newstead Open Studios (NOS)?

The Newstead Open Studios group has gone from strength to strength over the last 4 years since we started. Have a look at our Newstead Open Studios website – https://newsteadopenstudios.org/ – plus Facebook and Instagram. Together we do a lot of great publicity – and it’s been fun!

Time is short! We need to book our advert by Thurs 6 September.

Interested? Send me a preliminary expression of interest by email – canj@bigpond.com – if you are interested.

 


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Opening soon!

During the Castlemaine State Festival eight studios will open their doors providing access to a divine selection of passionately created artworks on the weekends of 18th & 19th and 25th & 26th March 2017. You can download the guide here.

The artists are looking forward to sharing stories of their artistic journeys. They want to inspire visitors with their endeavours and hope guests appreciate the uniqueness of their artwork and support their efforts with a purchase that has an intriguing story attached.

  • Chris Johnston’s medium is clay; sculptural and functional, which reflects her connection to place and the land.
  • Roger McKindley’s Antares Iron Art Garden is where broken and discarded objects morph together to live once again.
  • Brass and copper are manipulated by Trefor Prest to create intricate, organic and mechanical oddities – with a touch of Steampunk.
  • Delicate wheel thrown porcelain pottery is gently created by Sarah Koschak. Her functional pieces are simply elegant.
  • Sally Roadnight explores the landscape through the artistry of various found objects and media including drawing, sewing, printing, sculpture and basketry.
  • Printmaker Richard Sullivan is influenced by his environment which is reflected in the artist books, collage and altered books he creates.
  • Prue McAdam’s special love of abstraction and gestural marks is explored in her paintings. Prue paints using a variety of media.
  • Striving for the highest quality of woodwork of which his hands and mind are capable, Lachlan Park makes ‘things’ from wood.
  • Krissy Scherlies is currently allowing her imagination to take control as she paints colourful, contemporary canvases using paint and sand.
  • Julie Patey utilizes printmaking and mixed media to explore the process of art making through the use of colour, shape and texture to echo her connection to the landscape of central Victoria.
  • Stunning nature photographs of the bush reserve surrounding the Old Walmer School are captured by photographer Bronwyn Silver.

This is only a glimpse of what will be waiting for you. Check us out in Trouble – the brilliant Newstead-based arts guide – on Facebook, or better still come and see! We will welcome you with open arms.


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Brilliance

Come and enjoy the brilliance of our creative artists during the 2017 Newstead Open Studios – part of Castlemaine State Festival.

Latest images of works being created by Krissy Scherlies, Bronwyn Silver and Roger McKindley.

Roger McKindley

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Axed - Roger McKindley

Axed – Roger McKindley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Krissy Scherlies

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Bronwyn Silver

 

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Yellow Gum bark, brilliant colours after rain (Bronwyn Silver)

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Polatrichum – a moss -vibrant after rain (Walmer South Nature Conservation Reserve, Bronwyn Silver).


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Local artists to open their doors

sarah-at-the-wheelHave you ever wanted to get up close to the potter’s wheel, the painter’s brush or the woodworker’s chisel? Have you ever wondered how a basket is made or where a ceramicist gets her clay?
Well now is your chance, with the thriving underbelly of Newstead’s art and craft scene to reveal itself as part of the Castlemaine State Festival. Dubbed Newstead Open Studios, it is just that, with 11 unique and passionate artists across a range of mediums opening their doors to the public during back-to-back weekends in March.

image-5Come and experience the mesmerising throw of ceramicist Sarah Koschak’s pottery wheel where she creates handcrafted porcelain pottery or the wonderland that is Roger McKindley’s art garden, a place that every child must visit (grown up kids included). Full of feeling and imagination are the mosaic and canvas works by Krissy Scherlies.

Lachlan Park grew up in Newstead and makes ‘ things ‘ from wood, while in Strangways you can see Trefor Prest’s brass and copper oddities – the intricacy of an engineer meshed with the heart of a sculptor.

fullsizerender1At The Red Door Gallery in the centre of Newstead, Richard Sullivan’s prints and artist books express connection to place and memories. Alongside Richard’s work is that painter Prue McAdam who enjoys playing with acrylic paint, charcoal and ink. And to round out this special array of works are those of Julie Patey. A practicing artist and art teacher for thirty years, Julie’s work is related directly to nature and landscape.

 

If the local bush has a special place in your heart too, then Bronwyn Silver’s nature photos are a must see, taken over many years exploring the forest surrounding her historical home in the Old Walmer School. And nestled amongst the eucalypts in Green Gully, between Castlemaine and Newstead are the sculptural and functional ceramics of Chris Johnston with a special guest exhibition by sculptor Sally Roadknight who creates exquisite pieces from found pieces of nature.

b-silver-1Studios will be open from 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday the 18 & 19th and 25th & 26th of March. This really is a special opportunity to see these authentic local artists in their natural habitat and see or perhaps even purchase some of their latest creations. Some have longer opening hours. Check out the details about each studio at newsteadopenstudios.wordpress.com and get your  guide/map from the website, from Dig Cafe or Red Door Gallery both in the heart of Newstead. Or find us on Facebook and Instagram.


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Opening soon!

2017-newstead-open-studios-artists-2During the Castlemaine State Festival eleven artists from Newstead and district will be opening their studios to the public. On the weekends of 18th & 19th and 25th & 26th March, eight studios will open their doors for the public to access a diverse selection of lovingly created artwork.

You will have the opportunity to visit their studios, chat to the hosts about their artistic journeys, be inspired by their stories and support their endeavours, perhaps by purchasing an original artwork with story attached.

Come and visit and enjoy some diverse offerings. Photographer Bronwyn Silver offers a range of nature photographs of the bush reserve surrounding her home – the Old Walmer School. Julie Patey explores the process of art making through the use of colour, shape and texture. It echoes an important connection to the landscape of central Victoria, using printmaking and mixed media. Krissy Scherlies’ current style is the exploration of her imagination and the courage to express her feelings on canvas and through the playfulness of mosaics. Lachlan Park makes ‘things’ from wood. He strives for these things to be the highest quality of woodwork of which his hands and mind are capable. Prue McAdam is a painter who works in a variety of media and has a special love for abstraction and gestural marks. Printmaker Richard Sullivan is influenced by his environment and creates the most engaging of designs. His talents also include artist books, collage and altered books. Sally Roadnight’s work involves a continuing exploration of the landscape using various found objects and media including drawing sewing, printing, sculpture, and basketry. Sarah Koschak creates functional wheel thrown porcelain pottery, bringing handcrafted beauty to everyday life. ‘Engineering with heart’ describes the work of Trefor Prest. He creates intricate, organic and mechanical oddities fabricated from brass and copper. Entice your imagination through mystery and a sense of play at Roger McKindley’s Antares Iron Art Garden. Broken and discarded objects come together, finding a new life. Chris Johnston references connection to place and the land through the medium of clay. Her pieces are sculptural and functional.

So there you have it, a feast of artistic talent waiting to satisfy your hunger for an extraordinary creative experience. For more information please visit our website (www.newsteadopenstudios.wordpress.com). A studio guide/map will be available on our website, or from Dig Cafe and Red Door Gallery in the heart of Newstead, or find us on Facebook and Instagram.