December Update

Christmas Get Together for Volunteers, 5.30pm, Monday 18th December

Come along and meet other artists and volunteers, bring a plate to share and celebrate all we have achieved in our first two months!

Thanks to all the artists, supporters, volunteers and buyers who attended our official opening at 38 Bank Street and the launch of our first exhibition at Glyph Gallery and Creative Space. It was a lively affair with over one hundred visitors, a welcome to country, an opening by the mayor and a thoughtful speech from Eda Ritchie. Special thanks to Kay O'Connell for catering and Conlan's for running the bar. Jill Edwards, Paul and Sian Burman were kept busy recording sales and it was wonderful to see so many local artists in attendance. All artworks will remain on display until the close of the exhibition at the end of January. All artworks are to be collected prior to Sunday 4th February. Sold artworks will be collected by the buyers or artists will arrange delivery by negotiation with the buyer. Unsold works should also be collected by 4th December.

Congratulations to Marjorie and Mike Raetz, who sold all of their entries. Marjorie has never exhibited before and never sold an artwork, so she is off to an excellent start!

"In Blue" a summer exhibition by Jill Edwards at 70 Model Lane

Pop-Up Gallery at Botanical Studios, 25 Brown St, Allansford.

Marion Gorr, artist and owner of "Beautiful Silks", a supplier to felters, dyers, stitchers and other textile artists, has opened her home studio gallery over summer. She is open between 10am and 3pm until the end of January, by appointment. Contact her via the "Beautiful Silks" Facebook page.

"Nature, Red in Tooth and Claw", a printmaking exhibition by Britt Gow.

If you haven't been to "Charlies on East" lately, pop in over the summer holidays and see hand-pulled linocuts and collagraphs. The exhibition finishes at the end of January. Britt will also be running printmaking workshops during term 1 and 2. You can contact her at brittgow@gmail.com.

Photographer, Shop Committee Members and Exhibitors needed!

If you have skills and knowledge you would like to share, or simply enthusiasm and the willingness to learn, we have several volunteer roles that need to be filled. A photographer who can take images of new artwork as it goes on display in the shop, arrange photos of artists at work and be available to take photos at events, is required. Our marketing and social media requires great images to represent our artists in the best manner possible and attract visitors to the gallery. Contact info@swmakers.com.au

Secondly, we are looking for one or two more people to join the shop curatorial team, appraising and displaying artworks, labelling and entering stock, amongst other duties. Currently there are three in the team, but just to spread the load across a couple more helpers would be great. Contact the shop team at shop@swmakers.com.au

Although we have already had several enquiries, we would like to fill the 2024 calendar with one exhibition each month. If you know anyone who is interested in a solo or group exhibition, contact the exhibition team at exhibitions@swmakers.com.au

December Newsletter

Official Opening of Glyph Gallery and Creative Space

Today is the last day that we are accepting entries for the "Tidelines - where elements meet" exhibition, so make sure you submit your entries here. Remember to put 7.00pm Thursday 14th in your busy December calendar for the launch of the art exhibition. There will also be some brief formalities to officially open our new community creative space. There will be finger food available and drinks to purchase. Please submit your online RSVP here.

We have had over 70 entries to the exhibition, so expect a diverse and interesting show with lots of new paintings, drawings, prints, textiles, sculpture and more. The exhibition runs until 28th January, so there is plenty of time to come and have a look, if you can't make it to the opening event.

New Members and Artists

Welcome to all our new members that have joined in the past few weeks - thank you for your interest and support. We have a few new artists in the retail gallery, including Craig Goodman who creates remarkable metal sculptures. Peta Adamson is a painter and printmaker who has completed a large-scale landscape in linocut and some smaller acrylic paintings inspired by the Australian outback. Olivia Gardner is a jeweller working with sterling silver to create unique rings, earrings and necklaces. We have plenty more beautiful, one-of-a-kind gifts to choose for yourself or others, including glass earrings and paperweights, textile pot-holders and tea-towels, notebooks, socks and more.

Gallery volunteers

Roger Bellchamber and Tim Matthews have constructed and painted a large number of display plinths for the gallery, which will be used for exhibiting 3D works, including glass, ceramics, stone and wood sculptures. They have been beautifully made and we are very grateful for all the skilled work that has gone into making these.

More volunteers needed

We are looking for more volunteers for specific roles. Someone with great communication skills is required to co-ordinate the roster for the gallery. Now that the system has been set up (thanks to Susan and Sarah), it just needs someone (or a couple of people) to maintain a regular calendar with people staffing the gallery each day. If volunteers find their own replacements when they are unable to attend, it should be an easy task.

We also require more members for the shop curatorial team. Sian and Paul have done a brilliant job while Freya and Rob have been away, but it would be marvellous to have a few more capable people with a flair for display. Please contact shop@swmakers.com.au.

Christmas get together for shop volunteers

If you are on the roster as a shop volunteer, you are invited to attend the gallery at 5.30pm on Monday 18th December for a get together to celebrate the festive season and two months of opening! Please bring a plate to share, with drinks provided.

Life Drawing on Tuesday 5th December

Brush up your drawing skills with our Life Drawing class. Relaxed, untutored and congenial gathering with a live model. Please register here to attend between 7.00pm and 8.30pm. $20 for members and $30 for non-members, which includes the cost of model and refreshments.

Studios to rent and Exhibition space available

If you are interested in renting a space at Glyph Gallery and Creative Space, short or longer term, please contact us at exhibitions@swmakers.com.au. We are also compiling the exhibitions calendar for next year, so if you need to lock in some dates to work towards, use the same email contact.

November Update

Official Gallery Opening and Launch of the Tidelines Exhibition

If you would like to attend the gallery opening and launch of our first exhibition at Glyph Gallery and Creative Space on Thursday 14th December (7.00 - 9.00pm), please go to the Events page on our website (https://www.swmakers.com.au/activities) and fill in the RSVP.

If you are an artist who would like to submit your artwork for this group exhibition, please fill in the form on the Art Entries page: https://www.swmakers.com.au/art-entries . Entries close on Friday 1st December, so labelling and catalouging can occur. Artworks must be delivered between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 10th or Monday 11th December.

Seeking Shop Volunteers

Enthusiastic volunteers wanted to join Sian, Robert and Freya on the Glyph Gallery Shop curatorial team. You will help to maintain the shop’s fabulous display by entering stock details into “Square”, printing labels, checking paperwork, and putting art work out. You will be trained and supported as you find your way as part of the team. At the moment we are putting in 2 hours a week but hope to streamline this to 2 hours a month. Thankyou.

Life Drawing

Our next Life Drawing session will be on Tuesday, 5 December at 7pm. Please bring all your own materials and $30 per person to cover the cost of the model and includes refreshments.

Call out for Exhibitors

If you know someone looking for a lovely, light-filled space with a professional hanging system for their next art exhibition, please contact the exhibitions team at exhibition@swmakers.com.au

for further information. The expression of interest and application form is also in the "File Share" section of the website, under "Memberships" (for members only).