What's on

David Starr Photographer

The Kosciusko bushfires of 2003 ravaged the NSW Snowy Mountain region leaving a hauntingly beautiful landscape. Leafless and seemingly lifeless. White trunked trees left abandoned, stripped by the wind, bleached by the sun, stranded in silence. The stark landscape populated by ghosts, a reminder of resilience and impermanence in both the human condition and the natural environment.

The initial bushfire wrought terror and havoc. A shock to all lifeforms. However, the Australian landscape’s ability to recover from the devastation of bushfire is legendary. Recovery takes time, but not all trees survive. Sydney photographer, David Starr, documented the Guthega region a decade later over a period of three years. The exhibition explores the impact of decimation and time on a landscape; the space in between death and life. Stillness. Silence. An uncertain suspension.

Join us for our inaugural Sculpture in the Gardens exhibition and competition. As the centre piece of our Earth Hour event we have invited artists, established and aspiring, to create sculptural works of art where 80% recycled material is used.
Entries are competing for prizes categories including Best Sculpture, People’s choice and best school exhibit.
So come along and be inspired, vote for the people’s choice award, and discover amazing pieces as you enjoy a walk through the Gardens. (Most works will be for sale.)
It will be a night or good food, fascinating art and live music in a beautiful location.

The SHAC, Southern Highlands Artisans Collective, quarterly Makers Market is on this Sunday. The autumn markets are on Sunday, March 8. 9am – 2pm. Along with the 17 artists and artisans in their studios at The SHAC there will be a range of makers of everything from bespoke fashion, home wares, food and of course art and more – hand made products to delight you. The Robertson Mens Shed will be cooking a great brekkie and gourmet sausage sizzle, our local Robertson beer maker will be there to give you the inside on bespoke brewing, heaps to keep you and the family entertained. Also the regular Robertson markets will be on the same day. Come and see the new look Robertson, the arts and food hub of the Highlands!

Thirteen is Lucky for All Things Great Are Small
Yes, same place, over same weekend, but with extended 4 days and hours. And a special opening event on Thursday 30 April from 5.30pm (TBC). Original Watercolour, Gouache, Acrylics, Oils, Pen & Inks, Alcohol Inks, Printmaking (AP, limited ed.), Scratchboard, Pastel, Ceramics (Raku fired), Wooden items, Living Sculptures, jewellery, original artist cards.
ATGAS is 13 this year, with 11 exhibiting artists, and has evolved into a caring teenager !
ATGAS is trying to do something really special this year, so keep watching for details 🙂
Our Raffle, with fabulous prizes, and ‘Donated Artwork’ Wall (one piece from each artist) will be raising much needed funds for local Native Wildlife Rescue Inc. to support the rescue and rehabilitate of our injured and orphaned wildlife. Some animals will need care for over a year, due to the age they were found.
The impact of devastating bushfires to surrounding villages, National Parks and Native Wildlife has been overwhelming.
So, ‘giving back’, to support the endeavours of these ‘great’ volunteers who rescue and nurture our native species, is a very ‘small’ thing that we can do.

Thurs 30 April – Sun 3 May Old Town Hall Library Building Bendooley Street Bowral Southern Highlands
Open 10am – 5pm. Entry free. All welcome! All artworks for sale.
For more details visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllThingsGreatAreSmall

Artists: Gillian Baldock, Anthony Barnett, Lisa Brack, Regina Brewster, Neil Boughton, Ruth Kemp, Patti Jones,
Marjorie Kay, Penny Levett, Carol Thomson, Janet Waterlow

Louisa Chircop is currently showing her exhibition ‘Come Shower with Me’ at The SHAC Gallery. As the title of her exhibition suggests, Chircop not only utilises the idea of the history of women’s activity in the bathroom but also uses the concept of showering to parallel her creative process in an ode to free association and surrealism, similarly the way ideas come to mind in the shower.

A highly awarded artist, and teacher, combined with Chircop’s interest in art history and psychological phenomena, should make for a challenging and highly entertaining artist’s talk.

Please join us at The SHAC Gallery, Saturday, February 29, at 3pm.

The annual Bowral Sculpture Prize always proves to be an interesting collection of works from many very talented artists.

Please join us at the Official Opening on Friday at 6:30pm for drinks and nibbles.
Or drop in Saturday 29th February – 8th March between 10:00am – 4:00pm.

This Prize is sponsored by Dr Tony Emmett.
First Prize: $2,000 Second Prize: $500.

The judge this year will be Campbell Robertson Swann.

Collective Harvest is an exhibition featuring a multidisciplinary collaboration of artists and makers responding to food culture.

For centuries artists and makers have celebrated the importance of all aspects of food production and consumption in their art.

19 artists and makers from The SHAC have collaborated to bring a ‘salon style’ exhibition that references food in all its gloriously varied forms.

Celebrating Clay: Christmas Edition 2019.
Come and celebrate this amazing material called clay transformed into plates, bowls, sculptures, creatures, planters and many more wonderful explorations from our creative minds. Great opportunity to buy handmade Christmas gifts and to enjoy looking at the beautiful things our collective has been up to this year. Party on Saturday the 14th December at 2.30pm. See you then!

The Southern Highlands Quilters’ Guild biennial Quilt and Craft Show is the largest regional quilt show in NSW and there will be more than 150 beautiful quilts and crafts made by our members on display.

The Show is held in the upstairs rooms of the Mittagong RSL Club which has excellent dining, facilities and parking. There will be 14 traders selling everything from fabric, notions and wool to sewing machines. Members will have quilts, crafts and books for sale. For the first time in the Southern Highlands, the internationally acclaimed exhibition Textiles as Art – ‘Transformations’ – Photorealism in Thread by Reece Scannell, will be held concurrently.

Money raised through the raffle of three beautiful quilts will go to support the Southern Highlands Association of Women.

Southern Highlands Printmakers invite you to an exhibition of Artists’ Books which explore and interpret the various meanings inherent in the word “Pulse”.

All books are handmade and the exhibition will showcase a variety of printmaking techniques including: linocuts, etchings, collagraphs, screen-printing, letterpress and woodcuts. Each work functions as a book in some way but may present in an altered form depending on the imagination of the printmaker, choice of materials and interpretation of the theme. The craftsmanship which goes into the presentation of each book, including slip covers, boxes etc. makes them very appealing to the eye and also quite collectable.

Commencing on Sunday 10 November and continuing until Sunday 24 November.Artists of the Round Yard is a diverse group of artists who exhibit on the grounds of Retford Park, in the gallery building, the garden, and the round yard.
Our next exhibition is The Art of Collecting. We’ll join the main house event in November with our own version of this theme, so fitting at the home of the late James Fairfax AC, a great philanthropist and collector of art. 
Each of us will share with you the artist we would love to collect ourselves – the artist who most influences us and inspires us to create. You’ll see painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, jewellery, printmaking and more. 
National Trust gate fees apply for the exhibition which includes Retford Park open garden access. Consider bringing a picnic and spending a relaxing day out. 
Adults: $15 Concession: $10 Family: $35

Floral Art competition and exhibition, including floral design demonstrations and workshops.