We’re up and painting again! Looking forward to a very busy first few months for the artists - awards, cruise ships, markets and a trip to Perth for Revealed! Time will fly, keep your eyes peeled for all the exciting news and pics on these events!
Six amazing Mandjar Art Award entries - up for sale at the exhibition in the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre now until the 7th of April!
There were two more cruise ships that visited our Port in March and we were there to again to greet the visitors. We sold lots of paintings and had lovely chats with the friendly visitors. Maggie had an amazing chance meeting with a lady whose father used to drive the wool truck to Myroodah Station, Maggie used to catch rides on the back of his truck as a little girl. It was lovely to see the two of them relate with each other about the place where Maggie grew up, the one thing that she always paints about.
We are getting very excited about our trip to Perth for next month’s Revealed! Ann will have a piece on show in the exhibition so if you’re in Perth between April 13th and May 4th go and check it out, it will feature some the best artwork of WA’s emerging Indigenous artists. Put the 13th in your diary for the marketplace as well, we will have a stall there along with all the other art centres - so much fantastic art all in the one place!
I just love this new piece by Maggie Green. A whole new pallet of colours was mixed by mentor artist Helen Ansell at last week’s workshop in an attempt to get Maggie to do something a little different. She took Helen’s instructions well and it resulted in a very beautiful painting.
The artists got back to basics this week and had some fun mixing colours. mentor artist’s Helen and Sara were both up for a four day workshop week and we also had the pleasure of meeting Helen’s son, Cohen who brought a different dynamic to the studio for the week! He was a very good boy and seemed to enjoy watching all his Nanas at work just as much as they loved having him there.
Rememer these two paintings of Irene’s? They were a part of a set of four artworks that she painted for the artist’s first exhibition, ‘Before the Town Got Big’. Well, we said goodbye to them today but we were happy to see them go to their new, loving owner Gail Dodd - WA’s State Program Manager of Tidy Towns - Sustainable Communities.
There was a good crowd that gathered in front of the Visitor Centre on Sunday evening to celebrate the opening of the newly transformed Wedge Street. The Minister for Regional Development and Lands, Hon. Brendan Grylls; and BHP Billiton’s Manager of Indigenous and Community Affairs, Chris Cottier, were there to officially open Wedge Street and spoke about the major project which features the shade canopies (pictured in the background) designed by our very own Ann Sibosado. We had our picture taken at the opening with Minister Brendan Grylls after he chatted with us about some exciting future prospects for the Spinifex Hill Artists.
Check out our new wheels!
Thanks to Lotterywest approving FORM’s application for funding late last year, we received our brand new bus today! We were all so happy with it that we drove it around town just to show it off! We now get to ride in style together every day and we also look forward to more field trips to country.
How serene is this Pilbara landscape painted by new member of the group, Benson Dickerson! You can meet him and the other artists this coming Monday (the 18th) in the Banger’s Bungalow, next to the Courthouse Gallery between 9am and 2pm when the first cruise ship for the year arrives in town. They’ll all have their paint brushes out so you can watch them in action whilst having a chat with them and checking out a selection of their artworks (including this one!) that we’ll have on display for sale.
I thought it was time that you get to know the Spinifex Hill Artists, so from now on I will be featuring an individual artist each month. I think it’s appropriate to start with Ann Sibosado as she has so many recent achievements, including her Cemetery Beach sculptures and being chosen to exhibit at the 2013 Revealed showcase in Perth. Her most recent achievement being the completion of the Wedge Street shade canopies which she designed with the help of Land.Mark.Art. The official opening of Wedge Street is this Sunday at 6pm, feel free to come along, we will all be there to celebrate the completion of the Wedge Street upgrade and Ann’s massive success, see you there!
Monthly Artist Profile -
Ann Sibosado
“I was born in Perth but I have lived here all my life. It was wartime then, 1942, my Mum and Dad went up to Derbyand then we came back here when I was about five.
I’m Ngulama – that’s Roebourne way – but my father’s side came from Mallina Station. When we were kids we went to the station on Christmas holidays. My grandfather was the windmill man who looked after things while the manager was away.
Everyone used to go fishing before the dredging of the channel. There used to be sand bars out there and we used to get all kinds of fish, blue bone or Spanish flag, or we had a swim.
I went to the Presentation ConventSchool –where the BHP building is now on the corner of Wedge and Richardson St. We learnt a lot there – we learnt schooling but we also learnt social skills. When I was 14 I worked at the old District Hospital – it was hard because I was very shy. I also did domestic jobs. Then I got married and had seven children and I now have around 15 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
I’ve been painting for several years now.”
Ann Sibosado
How cute are these little darlings! I think we had just as much fun as the kids did painting at the Len Taplin Out of School Care centre for the end of their school holidays. They now know how to mix their own colours - like the purple on these colourful rainbows painted by a few of the gorgeous girls.
HELLO 2013!
After a very busy year we will be taking a well deserved break after a nice Christmas lunch this Friday, the 14th of December and returning to the studio after the Australia Day public holiday on Tuesday the 29th of January.
We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a happy and successful New Year!
Stuck for ideas for Christmas gifts? We have lots of gorgeous canvas paintings, paper drawings and woven baskets for sale at the Courthouse Gallery (16 Edgar Street, Port Hedland) which would make a very special present from the Pilbara. They range from all different sizes and styles with prices, starting at just $20!
I don’t want to give too much away yet, but the artist’s have just got a start on painting some large carvases for art awards coming up next year. Watch this space… could be some winners here!
