Retrospect Galleries
52 Jonson St, Byron Bay
Exhibition runs through to September 21
The Drawing Group is Rene Bolten, Michelle Dawson, Hilary Herrmann, Kellie O’Dempsey and James Cruickshank. As a group of practicing artists they are endlessly grateful for the casual collision of circumstances two years ago that conspired to bring them together on a fortnightly basis. Drawn Together is a cross section of the work they have produced within these meetings.
The Drawing Group sees this exhibition as a great opportunity to share the creative fun and explorations had over this time. What has naturally evolved in these sessions is a propensity to work in turn on each others artwork or to work collectively on one piece of work. Their combined skills have coalsced in such a way that defies dissection into who did what and in this way the finished artworks have come to have their own identity. It is as though the five very different ways of seeing and mark making have created a 6th artist, or as Rene puts it, ” 5 is more than 5, 5 is one”
The diversity of their individual practices is perhaps the key to the success of their collaboration. Such a collaborative process is a fine blend of respect, trust, and let go, of not worrying about the outcome or being too attached to individual mark making. They all concur that what they do in these meetings feeds back into their individual practice. James, never one to mince words reflects ” While there is the simple pleasure of their company and working without expectation… but what I really love about working with these seasoned campaigners is I get to see how they solve problems and then steal their ideas for my own.” For Kellie “drawing together resets my compass.” And for Hilary it is, “fun, inspiring and reassuring…” Michelle simply speaks of it as “a tonic’
Each meeting is facilitated by a different artist who sets the exercise, be it a still life of apples or fish or the old surrealist game of “the Exquisite Corpse.” The element of chance has become an important factor. The works from the series “Lucky Dip Words” involved pulling a word out of a paper bag and drawing it before passing it to the next person who drew a new word out and had to incorporate an image of that word into the existing picture, this process was continued until the drawings had gone full circle. These are the most narrative of the works produced by the group.
Over Christmas when the group scattered across the globe, they hit upon a game to keep them connected until meetings could resume. Each artist sent out 4 postcards they had altered in some way. The recipients in turn responded to the change and sent the card on to a new recipient who did likewise. The results of this process are the small artworks in the show entitled “Missing You”.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
In keeping with the spirit of their fortnightly meetings the Drawing Group drew names out of a hat and took on the task of encapsulating what each member brings to these fortnightly Wednesday meetings.
Of each other they have this to say:
Hilary Herrmann
“Intrinsic and instinctual with a complexity that belies their primal execution, Hilary paints a world , her world with a stroke that can break you heart…”
Rene Bolten
“Whether drawing on the heritage of Rembrandt or the honesty of scratching shoe polish across paper Rene Bolten’s work is always considered , mercurial and tender.”
Kellie O’Dempsey
“a visual collision of line and energy.”
Michelle Dawson
“Michelle the artist is as Michelle the person, gentle, concerned, amusing.”
James Cruickshank
By emoting every mark he makes, be it with frustration, doubt, passion or pure joy, James constantly reminds us of the vulnerability, excitement and struggle of what we do.
The simple truth and affection of their responses perhaps best illustrates why they work so well together and why Rene Bolten sums up what The Drawing Group means to him by saying ‘wish it was Wednesday.”
For further information visit ; www.retrospectgalleries.com
Tags: retrospect gallery
DR SKETCHYS BURLESQUE LIFE-DRAWING is back for another epic night of Exotic glamour, sexy figure-sketching, sultry performances, music, prizes, food and foolishness on TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20. This month DrSketchys theme is STARS , ICONS AND LEGENDS, so get in character ,gather your entourage and flounce along to the BYRON BAY BREWERY BUDDAH BAR.
Glittering in the limelight will be one of Queenslands most exciting and popular new burlesque stars, MISS ALYSSA KITT aka THE QUEEN OF CURVES, bringing her spectacular brand of classic bump-n-grind and old-world beauty to the Sketchys catwalk. Alyssa will entice our eager artists into her world of bohaemian fantasy with her cheeky charisma and jaw dropping costumes. Hang onto your fedoras and gird your loins!
Supporting Alyssa is the stunning and elegant MISS BLUE VELVET. Miss Velvet will be adding her grace and sensuality to a night dripping in the outrageous decadence of Old Hollywood and the Icons of pop culture.
Adding to the glamour and excitement as MC will be the ever-gorgeous MISS MAE WILDE, Dont miss her in one of her rarely seen incarnations of retro-allure!
Everybody is welcome, whether drawing or not. Grab your best retro showbiz attire, shanghai a bunch of friends, pour a martini or three and be there for another classic DrSketchys. ENTRY IS $15 , and doors open at 6.00pm. The session runs from 6.30pm to 9.30pm and its an over 18s event. Artists should bring their own non-messy art materials.
Buddah Bar, Byron Bay Brewery
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20
6.30pm to 9.30pm (doors open at 6.00pm)
ENTRY IS $15
Tags: dr sketchy
WITH SPECIAL GUEST MIKE NOGA
Mullum Civic Hall Thursday 8th September
These two talented men will be performing songs from Sunset Studies to Glimjack
Glenn Richards and Dan Luscombe have been great friends and collaborators for many years, ever since meeting backstage at the first of The Church’s famed “Last Ever” gigs having supported in their respective outfits at the time, Augie March and The Black-Eyed Susans. They’ve toured in support of each other in these bands and with Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males and The Drones, two other great, defining Australian acts.
Late last year they finally recorded a full length album together after many late nights talking about it, with Chris Richards, Ben Bourke and Mike Noga, in a cold warehouse in the outer Melbourne suburb of Fairfield. Delivering the raw, ambitious, destined to be cult album, Glimjack.
Of late the pair have been spotted playing shows in venues as disparate as a Perth lawn bowls club and the Mona gallery opening in Berriedale, Hobart. Audiences have been loving their shows and their improvisational and inspired delivery.
Having accidentally hit on a formula for rehearsing which amounts to just not rehearsing, they play whatever they feel like, or whatever the crowd asks for (within reason) from the very large catalogue of Augie March and GR solo releases.
Audience interaction is frequent and the wit is alternately razor sharp and dull as a young Liberal comedy revue, but at all times entertaining ! Like free verse, this is tennis without a net.
In a time when even the most indie of indie acts has a schtick and a walk through, these two talented men bravely, perhaps naively, take the stage armed only with strings and ivories, seasoned voices, candour, and quite a lot of those pesky old things called songs.
Tix: $18 (+bf) pre / $22 door
www.kupromotions.oztix.com.au. Byron Music, Barebones, Mullum Books
Doors: 7pm / Show: 7.30pm
Food By Food For Life
& Special Guest Paul Greene
Friday 26 August Bangalow A&I Hall
Grammy Award & W.C Handy Award Winner is doing a Solo Austraia Tour this year !
The Cosmic American Love Child Of Howlin’ Wolf and Link Wray!!! Known as a “musician’s musician”, Alvin Youngblood Hart’s praises have been sung by everyone from legendary songsmith Bob Dylan to Brit guitar gods Eric Clapton & Mick Taylor. A giant of modern blues-rock, the Mississippi native has won a WC Handy Award, a Grammy and two Living Blues awards.
His albums, full of guitar-driven numbers regularly go top 10, win critics awards and expand his legion of fans. Since his 1996 debut recording, the all-acoustic ‘Big Mama’s Door,’ Hart has carried his musical message the world over. His 1998 release, ‘Territory’, a rousing tribute to all forms of American music, received the Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll Award for Best Blues Album (and it wasn’t even a Blues album!). In the summer of ’99 Hart teamed with producer Jim Dickinson to begin recording ‘Start With The Soul’. The record would be hailed as a new breed Southern Rock classic & Alvin’s return to the “sacred garage”. It was chosen in the New York Times top 10 releases of 2000 as well as the BBC’s Blues Record Of the Year.
2005 saw the release of the self produced ‘Motivational Speaker’, a rock guitar free for all paying homage to fallen & missing rockers like Phil Lynott and Sly Stone. In 2006 he took some time out to work on the soundtrack to the Craig Brewer film ‘Black Snake Moan’ by serving as a guitar tutor to star Samuel L. Jackson and recording a duet with the film’s female lead. In the fall of that year Hart joined Austin dynamo Ruthie Foster and rock n roll legend Bo Diddley for a 2 month coast to coast US tour.
The summer of 2007 saw Alvin hit the big screen as a juke joint musician in the Denzel Washington directed film, ‘The Great Debators’.
Hart continues to tour the globe and this winter, Australia will get the opportunity to witness up close and personal the immense talents of a man whose music stretches the limits of modern blues…
Tix: Pre $35 / $40 at door
Doors: 7pm / 8pm
www.oztix.com.au, Byron Music, Barebones Bangalow, Mullum Books, All Music & Vision Ballina & Lismore..
Food By Coffee Oasis
Monkey Mountain Road Tour Aug/Sept 2011
Friday 19 August – Great Northern, w- Dolphins + Pirates Alive
Celebrating the release of their new studio album, ‘Monkey Mountain Road’, produced by Burke Reid and out now thru MAKEyourself Records, The Bungalows are ready to let the good times flow on a 14 date east coast tour throughout August and September. Bringing a positive energy and good vibrations the ‘Monkey Mountain Road Tour’ will provide audiences with a first real insight into what is the bands finest recording to date. Indeed, ‘Monkey Mountain Road’ may just be the right remedy for fans looking for something with more soul and less spin, so get along to a show because chances are an evening with The Bungalows is just what you’ve been waiting for, even if you don’t know it yet.
THE BUNGALOWS
new studio album
MONKEY MOUNTAIN ROAD
For further information, visit; www.thebungalows.net
This is a ‘Shout Out’ post thanking the regions active websites who have helped distribute our latest video.
It can be difficult for overlapping to businesses to work together (impossible for some) – so please show your support to the following (thanks guys);
- www.byronbay.org
- www.byron-bay.net.au
- www.byronstyle.com.au
- summerland-nsw.com
- www.therealbyronbay.com.au
Tags: byron bay internet
Thanks David – have a look at Fridays images : 2011 Byron Bay Writers’ Festival : Friday
Bob Carr
Rhonda Ayliffe
Two more days of the Writers’ Festival to enjoy, visit www.byronbaywritersfestival.com.au for further information.
Byron Bay Writers’ Festival
As you would all know the festival starts Friday. I’ve got a couple early meetings – then I’ll be there. PLUS Local photographer David Young, who shot some great images of the 2010 Byron Bay Writers’ Festival will be sending us images of this years festival daily!
Also, Friday night at 6pm Kelly Sullivan has her opening as ‘Artist of the Month’ at Retrospect Gallery at 52 Jonson St Byron Bay.
Saturday, as well as day 2 of the Byron Bay Writers’ Festival, is Vacancy Art Show at 17 Banksia Drive Arts and Industry Estate Byron Bay; “teas and cakes throughout the day films and music through the night”
Byron Bay Writers’ Festival Artist in Residence Rhonda Ayliffe is undertaking an ambitious multi-faceted project that encompasses ephemeral installation, bookbinding, photography, conversation and real time mobile publishing of her work and words at the dedicated blog: i-feel-the-passion.blogspot.com.
Festival Director Candida Baker says Ayliffe’s work is not limited to the festival site, as some surprised residents and visitors have already discovered. “On Monday morning Rhonda set up a ‘blink and you miss it’ installation at the Byron Bay lighthouse and has subsequently set up equally brief ephemeral book-based installations on local beaches and in town,” says Baker. “On Thursday Rhonda will be completing an ephemeral sculpture onsite with the assistance of local school children and during the festival, visitors will discover evolving ephemeral works around the site.”
Ayliffe is an internationally renowned book artist and has been a regular finalist in the local SCU book art award. “On festival days, visitors may notice her quietly hand-binding an amazing book structure,” says Baker. “As a part of her arts practice, Rhonda encourages conversation and interaction, so she’s keen to talk about the history and possible futures of the book with all visitors”
Ayliffe encourages everyone to come and visit her on site. “And if you miss anything, or want to experience the festival through the eyes of its artist in residence, then you can visit the blog,” says Ayliffe.
To purchase Festival or event tickets or to view the full Festival program visit www.byronbaywritersfestival.com.au or call 1300 368 552.
Ground was broken this week for the creation of the World Peace Stupa at Crystal Castle. A stupa is a sacred monument built by Tibetan Buddhists to represent universal divinity. Intricate and beautiful, every part of the design is endowed with special significance. Inside is a treasury filled with sacred objects and at the heart of the structure is the Tree of Life, a wooden pole covered with thousands of mantras written in gold.
The World Peace Stupa is a Kalachakra stupa, a rare type with an unusual spherical body. Created to protect against negative energies using symbolism from the Kalachakra Tantra it restores balance to the Earth in times of war, conflict and environmental destruction. It will be the first of its kind to be
constructed in the southern hemisphere and only the 7th in the world.
“This Stupa is very important for Byron Bay, the whole of Australia and for world peace.” says Gen Lama Thupten Phuntsok, the Gyuto Monk Elder who is guiding its construction. Blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (as well as the Byron Shire Council who have approved its DA), the structure has been engineered to last a thousand years. The project is being managed by local Alok Eggenberger of ExpanDesign and built by local Chris Brown of Domeshells Australia.
Since May last year, Nepalese craftsmen have been hand beating the 54 brass prayer wheels that will surround the stupa. Over the past six months, at the Gyuto Monastery in India, monks have been chanting mantras and hand rolling an incredible half a ton of prayers destined for the monument.
Involvement of the local community is an essential part of creating a stupa as this is one of the sources of its power. The whole project is now estimated to cost around $200,000. The Crystal Castle has already committed substantial support to the project as has the local community. The next $30,000 raised will be matched by both locals Christopher and Lynda Dean and also the Crystal Castle thus growing it to $90,000.
Four Byron Shire residents, Robert Dhiraj, Sarvo, Gagan Smith and Melonie Zyla, have just returned from a grueling 21 day expedition to Tibet. They crossed a 5,000 metre pass before trekking around Mount Kailash to collect sacred water for inclusion in the stupa’s treasury. Mt Kailash is the most
revered mountain for a number of faiths including Tibetan Buddhism and it is considered highly auspicious to have water from its snows.
The Gyuto Monks will be returning to Crystal Castle from 13th – 21st August to continue preparations and there will be more opportunities for people to be involved. The emphasis will be on painting and writing mantras on the Tree of Life. The tree to be used for the Tree of Life was found, blessed and felled in a dawn ceremony in May during the monks’ previous visit. The much maligned camphor laurel was chosen for its durability, strength and long lasting protective scent qualities ideal for its purpose in the stupa. The monks will also be accepting relevant items to be placed in the stupa treasury.
“What an incredible community effort so far. After nearly two years of planning the World Peace Stupa project is now really underway” said Crystal Castle’s Managing Dreamer Naren King.
For details of how you can be involved visit www.crystalcastle.com.au/peace-project/
Tags: world peace