Gloucester Arts and Cultural Council Inc

Andrea Noice and Marley Colborne, mother and son, come together for the first time to showcase landscapes from the Bucketts to Beach using an array of mediums, textiles and textures. Their selection of artwork charts their journey and connection to Australian natural wonders, care free days spent by the water and optimism for freedom and movement in the coming months and years ahead. Andrea’s partner and his family are from Gloucester and now, she feels connected to the area and its people. She was born and raised in the UK, has travelled to many parts of the world, exploring constant motion and the sweeping changes of various terrains, none more impressive than that of the Bucketts. Her more than ten-year practice of painting in oils are emotionally charged and she hopes to share her joy with others. Andrea has recently become an exhibiting member of the Ku-ring-gai Art Society in Sydney. Marley is studying Fine Arts at UNSW and is currently focused on creating landscapes using a combination of photography and printmaking with the intention to have his works painted and printed using various techniques, textile work and projection.

Faces You May Know.... A portrait competition for residents of the Midcoast Council area.  The subjects must be living within the 2422 postcode. Works can be any medium, excluding photographs. Works can be on any surface that is flat – e.g. on stretched canvas, paper, cloth, glass. Maximum size 18” x 24” or 45cm x 60cm. They are to be unframed. Works on paper can be matted and covered in clear plastic for protection. Stretched Canvas or other works that can’t be ‘pegged’ must be ready for hanging with hooks and wires. Entries must be registered with the Gloucester Art Society by 15th January 2023. Contact Tracey Murrell bartra@bigpond.com or ph 6558 3154 or Jean Buettel jbuettel@gmail.com ph. 0421 082 594 for terms and conditions. The works will all be covered and unveiled one by one on the ‘Unveiling Night’

Raised on the works of A. B. 'Banjo' Patterson and Dorothea Mackellar, I have a deep love for this wide brown land we call home. "Coast to Country" is a series of photographs aiming to capture the essence of Australia and showcase some of the things that I love most about the Aussie countryside. I am passionate about getting outdoors and living life to the full. I believe sunsets are good for the soul and that being out in nature can speak to us in ways that our smartphones never can. In a world that keeps us busier for longer, I hope my art will make you stop and stare, take a deep breath and connect to that innate longing inside for beauty, joy and purpose.” Originally from Central West NSW, Kali has spent the past 15 years exploring Australia and the world. From rusty old shearing sheds out west to the Great Pyramid of Giza, you can be sure to find Kali there, camera in hand, just waiting for that perfect light. Her stunning photographs are displayed in homes and businesses worldwide. Kali now resides on the Barrington Coast and offers a range of framed fine art prints alongside personal and business branding opportunities.

Chris lives locally having moved from Sydney since his retirement. He still exhibits regularly in Sydney, but welcomes the opportunity to show his work here. For this exhibition he has returned to watercolours, some of particular viewpoints on our spectacular Bucketts Way, others based on memories from many drives along the way and also some recent sky studies.  Watercolour is a challenging painting medium, perhaps the most challenging, because true watercolour uses transparencies to achieve particular effects so that once a mark is made it can’t be painted over. There are also rural and urban landscapes in acrylic and oil as well as some abstract work to give a balance to Chris’s figurative approach. Chris hopes you’ll enjoy the range of work he has selected for this exhibition. He is also available for commissions.

Country Lines – a satirical look at country life by Sitting Duck comics Created and illustrated by Dave Keen “I’ve always enjoyed the lighter side of life, the humour, the parody of human nature. Life doesn’t need to be taken so seriously all the time.”  Dave Keen has lived locally in Gloucester for the past 15 years having moved up from the Illawarra where he grew up. As a youth, he studied many forms of art and has worked in signwriting and graphic design but, has always enjoyed the simple narrative of the comic. “I love how so much can be said and interpreted from a single image but especially those ‘a-ha’ moments when you catch on to the depth of the inside joke.”  Dave has lived and travelled around many parts of Australia and around the world, witnessing and engaging in a wide variety of human behaviours and cultures. Dave Keen’s work is a mix of fine ink work, watercolour, acrylic and some great (bad) Dad jokes. For the past 11 years, Dave has worked as a primary school teacher in a small country school and has had a lot of time for the observation of rural life to sink in. This is Dave’s first formal exhibition.

JULIE  LYNCH Julie is a multidisciplinary artist working as a designer for performance, teacher and visual artist specialising in bold floral and nature subjects.  She has loved drawing and painting for as long as she can remember. Her practice is inspired by the colours, textures and shapes of nature and everyday objects and how they conjure memories of family, childhood and travel. Julie works from her inner-west Sydney studio where inspiration surrounds her. View the exhibition online here

First Nation Artists come together to celebrate NAIDOC with an Exhibition of Art and Culture. 2023's exhibition includes a variety of works, paintings, metal prints, weavings, digital work and wood carvings by 7 artists  Ava Crick, Glenn Jonas, Katreena Jarmin,  Michael Scarrott, Paula Standen, Renee Molineaux and Zyra Jarmin. Get involved  and find out more here

ARTIST STATEMENT – John Andrews It gives me great pleasure to share this exhibition with the refreshing and vibrant paintings of our friend and neighbour in beautiful Waukivory – Meg Tulk. This time I have tried to capture the transience of daily weather changes in trees and bark, and clouds converging on hills, on frosts that crisp underfoot, and sun that blinds you with rainbow magnificence. “Can you believe the bright colours of tree trunks after rain? Then look again.” I started painting in Papua New Guinea as a dare from a plantation owner to do something other than a landscape, so I painted the execution of Marie Antoinette in poster colours on paper. He loved it and bought it, so I continued painting on my return to Australia in oils on hardboard (mostly landscapes as it turns out, with the occasional portrait.) I won the Camden Haven Bicentenary Art Prize, but my greatest accolade came from Lloyd Rees with a Highly Commended at the Festival of Fishers Ghost in Sydney. There followed a number of other prizes at local shows, and entries in Sydney Royal Easter Show, Wynne Prize etc. I subsequently trained in abstraction with John Peart and Irene Amos at a University of New England Art School. Trips to visit family in Switzerland included art galleries of course, and I was greatly influenced by the Impressionists, particularly Van Gogh with his impasto paint and green in beards, as well as Zund and his photo-realistic trees. Other artists whom I admire are Fred Williams, Clem Millward, Margaret Olley, Ian Fairweather, Ainslie Roberts, Andrew Wyeth and Ivan Shishkin. “We hope you enjoy our colourful take on life.” ARTIST STATEMENT – Meg Tulk Meg Tulk's bold use of vibrant colour is the dominating element in her paintings. Acrylic paint is used in the traditional method and as a watercolour technique to create a unique bleed of one colour to the next. The slightly abstract nature of her paintings is achieved through the addition of texture and the use of negative painting. This adds detail and depth creating an atmospheric effect to her work. The topics range from larger than life fruit and flowers, seasonal scenes from nature and memories of travel both in Australia and abroad.   “Having endured and enjoyed an exhausting but rewarding career in education, my painting allows me to express my life experiences and loves through a previously not appreciated examination of light, shades and tones of colour. (Trees are no longer just green).  The process of painting is for my own enjoyment with the product hopefully the enjoyment of others.”

2023 Pix Competiton is open! Photography enthusiasts, it's time to get snapping with Gloucester’s annual photography competition and exhibition now taking entries. To enter the competition check out the details and critera  Pix from the Stix is Gloucester's annual photography exhibition that celebrates the talents of budding and experienced photographers. Kickstarting in 2001, PIX has a range of categories for entrants 18 years and older, as well as an open section for juniors 17 years and under.

The Gloucester Artists formally the Gloucester Art Society was established back in the 60’s with members coming and going over all those years. Currently we have over 30 members and meet in the School of Arts Rooms above the Gloucester Gallery the first Monday and third Monday of each month, excluding December and January. Workshops from various teaching artists arrive during the year covering most mediums. Occasionally a paint out day is organised and we all brave the weather and paint together. The last one being Falls Ridge Winery which was fun with lunch and some wines to top off the day. Every Spring we have a group show in the Gloucester Gallery for anyone who is a member to participate. Bi Annually we have organised and sponsored  a Local Portrait Competition for any artists in the Gloucester area painting any local who lives here. On occasion we meet and show each other our work even if we have not been painting together. It’s nice to see what other artists are creating. Check out Gloucester Artists on Facebook to see what is happening and what has been happening.

Dianne Turnbull Dianne Turnbull is a Newcastle based artist whose work is mostly in mixed media. With a strong focus on acrylics and ink, her artistic output is not restricted to a particular style or genre. Dianne’s inspiration is drawn from an affinity with colour, light, patters and the textures found in nature and the landscape. Her love of waterways and the mysteries of swamps is an ever present subject. Dianne Turnbull Instagram @dianneturnbullart Phone: 0415 688 447 Email: dianneturnbullart@gmail.com Jackie Maundrell-Hall  Jackie is a contemporary oil painter using large brushes, palette knives and blending tools to capture the very essence of the natural environment, the fleeting light and wild moments of nature. She has exhibited and sold widely both in England and Australia. Since moving to Australia she has won many awards including • Newcastle Art Prize 2016,2017 commended • Spring Art Fair, Cessnock Gallery 2017 Landscape Prize • Dobell Festival 2021 commended • LCACA Competitive Exhibition 2022 3rd prize • NALMAS Charlestown Exhibition 2023 Commended. Pam Carroll  I have had a lifelong passion for painting and I am inspired by the beauty of the natural world. I am drawn to watercolours because of the transparency and luminosity I can achieve with them. As I am fascinated by the quirky nature of animals and I enjoy capturing them in paint especially Emus and Giraffes, also the beautiful black and yellow cockatoos that frequently visit my yard. Capturing Seascapes and Landscapes in watercolour are also a favourite subject of mine. I have a Diploma in Fine Arts and have been exhibiting mostly with Hunter Women Artists group for the past 10 years. Ailsa Williams What a wonderfully interesting challenge painting and creating artworks is and I am lucky to have commenced this on my retirement from cookery demonstrating and infants teaching to expressing in watercolour wonderful subjects in art. I've studied mainly watercolour with talented teachers, and I also create with acrylics, mixed media, pencil, charcoal and inks. To have your art work displayed in galleries and many homes is a great privilege and lots of happy and creative hours are then shared with others and family. My love of nature and my garden is always present and provides endless subjects. Please enjoy viewing these creative artworks. Cheryl Barrett I have been a self taught artist for many years, attending various workshops with differ- ent artists to expand my knowledge and learning many different techniques along this journey . Starting out with traditional oils and then venturing into mixed media, pastels & acrylics, I have discovered throughout how much I love bright colour, especially in the landscape. I love incorporating roads to take the eye into mountains & valleys, with houses and barns scattered, sometimes hidden. The oil painting below is titled and is featured in this exhibition. Jill Campbell I have had an interest in art for as long as I can remember and have exhibited in the Hunter Region, Southern Highlands and Sydney. As well as a number of solo exhibitions I exhibit with the groups Painters Ink and Hunter Women Artists. Awards have included Newcastle Art Prize Commendations, People’s Choice Award for the Lake Macquarie Regional Gallery Reconnected exhibition and the People’s Choice award at the Wingecarribee Landscape Prize, Bowral Gallery. Previously, I used my art skills working in schools and at the Universities of Sydney and Newcastle with young students and teacher trainees. I am interested in developing the narrative aspect of artwork and have found that collage and use mixed media in creating layers, both physical and metaphorical, in my works. A constant in my work is the use of colour and texture, reflecting upon my environment and the way this environment changes. Leigh Dennis I am a watercolour artist, working intuitively. I work wet in wet, using paint from the tube, palette knives, large brushes and lots of water. I am inspired by the natural world, but let my imagination soar to create my abstract paintings Annie Palmer I am challenged by the quest for a unique expression and interpretation of a variety of subject matters, especially the Australian bushland. Over many years I have produced various visual techniques using acrylics, water colours, mixed medium, pastel, collage and fine penwork . I am very proud that no two paintings of mine are ever the same. I prefer to paint contemporary styles with a diverse variation of colours. I love studying the landscape and then creating a contemporary vision of that scene, using a palette knife to create textures incorporating collages and acrylic inks. My passion for painting trees, rocks and the Australian bush is incorporated in most of my art works. A new direction I am recently undertaking is contemporary artworks incorporating historical heritage buildings of the past. Over the past 40 years I have attempted to bring to you, the viewer, an appreciation of the simple but beautiful things that surround us in life. I am proud that I have sold many paintings here in Australia and overseas, as well as exhibiting in many local galleries. I share my passion for painting with a diverse group of artistic and creative friends of all ages. I have sold to overseas and Australian clients and taken out many awards for my art. Annie Find me on FB : Anniepalmerartist Or Instagram: Anniepalmerart Mobile: 0417 219 031 Jenni Gander Art is my passion. I studied one year of art at Newcastle TAFE and have attended many workshops, both privately and at the Society of Artists Newcastle Inc, with tutors from across Australia and New Zealand. My love of flowers, bush gardens and the coastal heath evolved from memories of a magical childhood in a coastal seaside town. Recent paintings in acrylic and mixed media are mostly experimental, working from memory to reflect the Australian bush and native flowers. I strive to capture the intricate weave of colour and shapes, which are somewhat messy but always beautiful. Images of flowers in the garden and the bush are developed by layering colour and design to show the depth, the obvious and the hidden layers of nature. @jenniganderart Sharon O’Hearn Sharon commenced her artistic journey after retiring from business in 2014. To further her education she studied the theory and practice of Visual Arts at TAFE, graduated with a Diploma in 2017 and then continued to study for an Advanced Diploma in 2018. Sharon has exhibited in many galleries in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. ‘Abstract Expressionism’ describes her preferred method of work and also enjoys drawing, painting and sculpture. Sharon O’Hearn FB Sharon Ohearn Instagram @sharonohearnart Phone: 0414 583 654 Email: sharonohearn@ymail.com

Kylie Goldthorpe Biography Kylie is a textile and installation artist who practised in SE Qld and now lives in the Gloucester area. She has exhibited in Queensland , ACT and NSW . She has exhibited in numerous Art Awards and Competitions including Artisan Brisbane, Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery Emerging Art Prize, Churchie Emerging Art Prize and the Blake Prize Directors Cut. Artist Statement: Bound for Home “ You cannot understand someone until you walk a mile in their shoes”. Bound for Home is about walking in another’s shoes. This is an exhibition for the lost and alone. For the displaced and dispossessed The enslaved and impoverished. The alienated and marginalised. The uprooted, the abandoned, the shunned. This exhibition examines a different way to engage our compassion, our empathy and our shared humanity.

Fred Bullen joined his local art society on the Mid North Coast when he moved from Sydney 15 years ago and he's never looked back. He started with traditional landscapes on canvas, then moved onto large format boards for abstract works, often with very heavily textured surfaces. His inspiration comes from the local bush and beach which are then reproduced in one of many styles such as ‘abstracted realism’. He has won awards for his works which are currently displayed in galleries in Forster, Taree and Port Macquarie as well as local cafes. He also enters his work in the regional annual agricultural shows and art society Art Exhibitions. As much as Fred enjoys the challenge of painting a wide variety of subjects using an equally wide range of techniques, his greatest pleasure comes from hearing that an artwork has unlocked a heartfelt memory for the viewer.

Returning for their second tour with Music in the Regions, Andrew Blanch and Emily Granger combine their solo expertise on guitar and harp to create a unique duo that displays the energy, versatility, and beauty of these much-loved instruments. In an instrument pairing rarely seen together, this is at once both fresh and familiar. Side by side on stage, the instruments face each other like an enchanted reflection – with striking visual and aural similarities. In this way, the sound world created by these two plucked string instruments is not dissimilar to that of a guitar duo – the harp, with its 47 resonant strings and a collection of extended techniques, providing an expanded range of expressive possibilities to the more common two-guitar pairing. Award winning guitarist Andrew Blanch is internationally renowned having claimed third place in the 3rd International Guitar Competition Maurizio Biasini in 2016. In 2020, Andrew released his debut album on the ABC Classic label with long-time collaborator, guitarist Ariel Nurhadi. The album was selected as Limelight Recording of the Month, Featured Album on ABC Classic, and was one of just a handful of albums nominated for the AIR Best Classical Album Award that year. Australian-American harpist Emily Granger has firmly established herself in the Australian concert scene, recently being appointed principal harp of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. In 2022 Emily released her solo debut album, In Transit. In Transit was selected as Featured Album on ABC Classic and 2MBS Fine Music Sydney. Enthusiastically received by reviewers, Emily’s album received more than 2.3 million streams within 12 months of release. Having performed widely as a duo at venues such as Sydney Opera House, UKARIA, Canberra International Music Festival, and Australian Digital Concert Hall, Andrew Blanch and Emily Granger will tour Suite mágica to Nundle, Emerald Hill, Barraba, Gloucester and Dungog this August. Saturday 26 August, 4pm The Citizens Centre, Gloucester Tea & Coffee will be available to purchase Tickets $35, Under 18's are free

"Saturday 25th November 2023 Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm Gloucester Senior Citizens Centre Drinks will be available for purchase from 7pm Tickets are $35 each “Magnificently entertaining. Such musicians are rare in this country.” – City News The virtuoso Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco Lara, who boasts of a distinguished career in Europe and Australia of more than 30 years, brings his album show “THE ANDALUSIAN GUITAR“- featuring some of the finest musicians from Spain and Australia, can assure you that this is an experience not to be missed! Paco Lara’s recent successes with the Andalusian Guitar Show at the Sydney Opera House and Adelaide Guitar Festival in 2021 and his 2022 national tour, are placing Lara’s flamenco flair at the top of the Australian music scene. Lara is considered the Spanish ambassador of this art form in Australia, representing the very best of flamenco from his hometown, Jerez, Spain. Embodying the unmistakeable Jerez style of flamenco guitar playing, PACO LARA presents the flamenco guitar in all its authenticity, culture, and artistry. Expect to see impressive articulation, mesmerising footwork with musical elegance and imagination that makes up this talented flamenco ensemble performed with the characteristic and unmistakeable sound (“toque"") of Jerez (Spain). Interpretations of themes from The Andalusian Guitar and some of the greatest guitar classics of all time from composers including Paco de Lucía, John Williams, Joaquín Rodrigo, Chick Corea, will be performed with the characteristic and distinctive sound (“toque"") of Jerez (Spain). You will be transported to Southern Spain captivated by the sound of his guitar, flamenco dance and his musicians. Paco Lara has a toured internationally alongside some of the best artists in Spain. Such as, the Maestro Paco Cepero (one of flamenco’s most legendary guitarists and composers), Mercedes Ruiz (dancer), Isabel Pantoja, etc... He has also been at the vanguard of Flamenco Fusion with hugely successful groups such as El Barrio and Los Delinquentes. ”the music, beyond being exceptionally well played, is always pretty and eminently approachable – a quality compounded by the choice of repertoire. John Shand” (The Sydney Morning Herald). Apart from his skill as a formidable soloist, Paco is also revered for his ability as an accompanist in the specialised world of flamenco singing (cante); having recorded and performed for years with flamenco’s most significant singers including: Beni de Cádiz, Juan Moneo “El Torta”, El Capullo de Jerez, La Macanita, Remedios Amaya, Jose de los Camarones. Featuring: guest flamenco dancer, Deya Miranda Giner,  percussion and keyboards Byron Mark. "

GACCI's Gloucester Landscape Felting workshop aims to educate children aged 8+ from Gloucester and surrounds about the importance of biodiversity focusing on Gloucester River and Barrington Tops.   Volunteers from the Tops Landcare Group will cover various aspects of the ecosystem, from trees and shrubs to large animals and insects, emphasising their significance.  Led by artist and teacher Gemma Cross, the children will participate in a wet felting activity to create a landscape picture of their favorite place, either Barrington Tops or Gloucester River. They will learn about the science of wet felting and the properties of wool, and then use wool in different colors to construct their picture. When: Saturday 12th August Time :  10am - 12pm Who:  Children aged 8+ Where: Gloucester CWA Hall Cost:  $5 + All Money received will be donated to Landcare This National Science Week project is supported by the Australian Government.

Calling all fanciers of high fashion and comedy, it’s on again,  the GACCI Players present  “May-Hem“  A collection of one act plays and skits that will have you laughing 'til it hurts . Join in the fun with some familiar faces including, Mo hjorth, Dave Keen, Carol Bennett, Jim Bird, Katheryn Stinton, James Hooke, Colleen Sorensen, Tony Kingston, Graeme Healy, Dave Windred and Peter Moon .  Don’t miss this opportunity to let your hair down, relax and laugh along with your friends.  Book a table and bring your favourite nibbles and drinks .  See you all there! Tickets  Non Members $25   Members $20 (discount codes have been emailed) Friday 26th May  doors open at 7pm for 7.30 show Saturday 27th May  doors open at 12.30pm for 1pm show Saturday 27th May  doors open at 7pm for 7.30 show

One of Australia’s most loved forums for literature, ideas and storytelling, Sydney Writers’ Festival will live-stream its headline events from Sydney to Gloucester on Thursday 25, Friday 26, Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May.

GACCI Players present 'That's Amore'    - Short Bites of Love's ups and downs New dates are: Friday 17th & Saturday 18th March  Gloucester Citizens Centre  30 Hume St Gloucester  Show starts 7.30pm, doors open at 6.45 Drinks available prior to show, (BYO not permitted) Tickets $25  Highschool Students $15 Directed by Wendy Buswell Starring: Trish Banyer, Renee Berger, Peter Chidiac, Graeme Healy, Clay Hill, Joseph Hogan, Anita Jackson, Will Maslen, Jasmine Van-Aalstv