Cheers for all the support shown for the 4-part Art Sparks pilot series, helping to build Ballarat into the dynamic and amazing arts centre it ought to be!
May Program:
WELCOME TO ART SPARKS #4, curated by Tinderbox Radio with Ballarat Arts Alive and supported by the City of Ballarat; Featuring art spaces of Camp St, and the work of local artists across artforms.
From 6pm: Take a wander through Alfred Deakin Place and Backspace Gallery, and see University of Ballarat students in action. Thanks to the wonderful:
- Michelle Turnbull – music
- Mona Micua – movement
- Gina Gould-Hardwick – sculpture
- Meredith Greenwood – painting
- Kylie Lidgerwood – drawing
The mural at the back of Alfred Deakin Place is by Ballarat-based artist Marley Smith, featuring a platypus that holds significance to the local Indigenous area.
You will then be led down to B1 Gallery for 6.30. Entry is $10 in cash or $15 if you’ve booked in a plate of delicious Share Africa food.
In B1 Gallery peruse visual works, visit Alice Dennis’ creative badge making, and
warm up with a tea or coffee.
Between 7 and 9pm enjoy performances from Cam Ross, Paige Duggan and Tegan Lang, and delight in the tastes of Share Africa.
Then join us upstairs at Haida for more fabulous local work from video artists Erin McCuskey, Timothy C Ryan and Ruby Pilven. Bar will be open serving drinks.
Enjoy your evening, look out for BAA committee members to chat to, and please fill in a short survey to help us gather info for ongoing events and projects.
We also have the fabulous Michelle Dunn Photography documenting the event for us tonight. http://michelledunn.com.au
Tonight’s Feature Artists:
Aldona Kmiec was born in Poland and has lived and worked around the world. She is a freelance photographic artist, shooting assignments for local and international clients. She is particularly inspired by travel photography as is displayed tonight. Since moving to Australia she has become fascinated with the Australian landscape and its light and colour, recently shown as part of an exhibition at the Ballarat Gold Museum.
Alice Dennis is a graduate of the University of Ballarat Bachelor of Visual Arts (Fine Arts). She makes beautiful things, is a teacher and is also a rockin’ bass player in local band the Redans. Enjoy her creative badges tonight.
Bren Luke was born and raised in Ballarat. He studied Fine Art at Ballarat University majoring in painting and printmaking and graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Over the past decade, Bren has been predominantly drawing using pen and ink whilst developing his nuanced, detailed “crosshatch” drawing technique.
http://brenluke.blogspot.com.au/
Cam Ross is a musician, visual artist and art teacher. He plays under the moniker Dishpan Fingers and released the album Flicker and Swirl in 2010. Enjoy his songs tonight as well as a sculptural work ‘On Your Own Boy.’
Natalie Rodreguez makes handcrafted designer jewellery, taking raw materials and making them into unique pieces of wearable artworks. She has been inspired by growing up on a southern island of the Philippines, living in a remote jungle village amongst a culture of treasured woven beaded garments and jewellery. www.eneljai.com
Paige Duggan is a musician, visual artist, and refugee and human rights advocate. She graduated from a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Fine Arts) in 2006 and has had several solo, duo and group exhibitions over the years in Ballarat and Melbourne, Most recently she exhibited at Red Brick in October 2011 with her show ‘Truth and Tales.’ Her singer-songwriting career of the last decade has seen her writing over 50 songs and singing in festivals and venues across the region. Performing her originals, jazz and contemporary songs regularly locally as well as singing in The Sweet Mona’s and Naz Avaz choirs; Paige’s personal style channels the females jazz greats, has soulful undertones and the essence of contemporary folk ballads.
Tegan Lang started her dance training in rural NSW – she studied Modern Dance as well as Tap under an international dance syllabus before moving to Melbourne to complete a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts in Dance. She has since performed extensively in works, festivals and parties around the traps. Currently based in Ballarat she can be found making arty stuff happen for individuals and communities in her local government role as well as teaching Miss Daisy Amazing’s weekly Go-Go class right here in B1.
Haida Video Artists
from 9pm
Erin McCuskey is a filmmaker, media artist and general layabout. She is the creative director at Yum Studio where she has forged a strong reputation delivering innovative and unique multimedia projects, particularly with communities at disadvantage. Her short films and installations have screened at Flickerfest, Gertrude St Projection Fest, Ballarat International Foto Biennale, and her work has received numerous awards. More at yumstudio.com.au
Ruby Pilven is a Ballarat-Melbourne artist, fascinated by juxtapositions of multiple art forms and material relationships, Ruby’s artworks encompass not only two-dimensional prints but also three-dimensional sculptures, refined porcelain jewellery and video. Ruby’s body of work incorporates her passion for the print medium and her extensive practical skills with porcelain. Tonight enjoy her video work ‘Micro Boundaries’.
Timothy C. Ryan is a graduate of the acting program at the University of Ballarat and is currently studying his honours in creative arts/theatre. His work focuses on the body’s movements being its own language through performance, video and costuming.
A huge Thank You to all involved in these 4 pilot Art Sparks events including venue owners Dona Pentland, Linda Franklin, Merle Hathaway, Stephany Panhuysen and Trevor Williams, Tony @ Haida, Share Africa and feature artists:
- Lily Parker
- Nathan Curnow
- Amie Brulee
- Gordon Monro
- Anne Langdon
- Yasmin Cole
- Janette Wotherspoon
- Al Wunder
- David Farnsworth
- Stephanie Patterson
- Weave Length
- Singers of the Black Book
- Karl Schenk
- Ros Lawson
- Cam Ross
- Aldona Kmiec
- Tegan Lang
- Paige Duggan
- Bren Luke
- Alice Dennis
- Natalie Rodreguez
- Erin McCuskey
- Timothy C Ryan
- Ruby Pilven
- Michelle Turnbull
- Mona Micua
- Gina Gould-Hardwick
- Meredith Greenwood
- Kylie Lidgerwood
Plus specially designed Art Sparks postcards by Effie Williams, Linda Franklin, Abbie Matthews and Julian Potter, and thanks to Deborah Klein, Yum Studio & all the hard work of the BAA events team. Big love to you all from me, Amy T x
