WORDS FROM OUR CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Welcome to the Gardiner Street Arts Collective’s monthly column. I realised that some of you may be wondering who, what and why the Collective exists – your first stop to learn more is our website (predictably www.gardinerstreetartscollective.com.au). Why the arts? Why be creative? Why provide a community arts hub? Well, put simply in the words of Madhu Raghavendra “art is non-essential until it is not”. Basically, this translates to art sometimes being taken for granted, until creative outlets are no longer available, and the wheels start to fall off. As the Covid pandemic has proven, art is essential to our well-being, our mental health and our sense of human connection. Creating leads to a ripple effect in a community – creating leads to critical thinking; to acting outside preordained boundaries, calms our spirit, helps communicate in a non-verbal medium. Creating sparks joy. Like a drop in the ocean, like the flap of a butterfly wing, art can help a community feel whole.
GSAC is completely run by volunteers, the generosity of donors and from income generated by creatives utilising our space. You are always welcome at GSAC, at any time. We cannot wait to welcome you to GSAC on December 17 for our official opening celebration – keep on eye on this column and on our social media for more news about this event.
Keep on creating!
Ny x
ARTS HAPPENINGS
Wowsers! What a month at GSAC – we’ve had art workshops, Kep Gabi’s week-long celebration of our local Yued people, dance, music and jam sessions.
Renowned local artist, Lyle Wright, shared her watercolour skills in an afternoon workshop and the results have shown more than a little hidden talent here in Moora. Brinley Porter’s watercolour of a hen was stunningly captivating – each little detail captured in her beautiful brushstrokes.
Now onto our much-anticipated Kep Gabi exhibition opening. Oh. My. Goodness. The stories, the conversations, the memories. Community Art Network (CAN) has spent over twelve months collecting stories of local Yued elders and Friday night saw the launch of the book, podcast and exhibition here at your community Arts Collective. An incredible Welcome to Country put guests in a head space of acknowledging the long history of aboriginal people in Moora, and the ‘open mike’ approach to story-telling meant an evening filled with lived history. What a treat!
