Pssttt...Mission actually accomplished!

Last Wednesday, we picked up twelve paintings from the incredibly talented and prolific Christine Davis. We were congratulating ourselves that we had prepared the Gallery by moving some of our pieces to other walls and having a vague idea as to the task of preparing the Southern Showcase.

As ever, the task we set ourselves was monumental. By Thursday night, we had arranged most of Christine's paintings on our eastern wall. But there were other works all over the Gallery, the art table was a mass of Blu-tac, cloths, and cleaning spray and the Giftshop needed paintings added that had come out of the main Gallery.

Friday and Saturday passed in a blur of guests, sorting, cleaning and rehanging. By Sunday morning, we were feeling very pleased with our efforts. Now all that was left was to write the new catalogues...an absolute breeze! Only took all day. And then I discovered one mistake on the Gallery catalogue as we were placing the numbers. Bollocks.

We finally finished numbering every artwork this afternoon. We still have around thirty-six or thirty-seven artists within the East End Gallery. What I absolutely know is that we have over one hundred and twenty different pieces on the walls, floor, plinths and tables. Wow.

And there is more good news. The East End Gallery will host the judging of the Rural Ambassador for the Central Wheatbelt on Saturday 25 June. Beverley's nominee is Jessica Fleay and we will be cheering her along. There will be up to fifty other candidates, mentors and judges in our Gallery that day. Thank you so much to the Beverley Agricultural Society Inc for this opportunity.

In light of this very important event, we have decided to extend the Southern Showcase until the following day, Sunday 26 June.

Now all our guests have nearly four weeks to view this fantastic exhibition in the East End Gallery.

And here's a sneak preview of the entire Gallery and Giftshop. Again!

A Most Unboring Artists' Group

Thursdays at the East End Gallery are taking on a life of their own. The Artists' Group is in full swing now and has become a juggernaut of friendship and fun. The Artists' Group is not a workshop or a class. There is no designated teacher as such. Just a bunch of different people who are all connected by art. Thursdays have become a chance to set aside time to be creative together.

Kerry, currently the only bloke, seems completely at ease with a mini harem of women. He and Loma are staying at our local caravan park. I've even forgotten where they have come from originally. Kerry is a self-taught painter and all around good guy. He is quite critical of himself as an artist and tends to be totally focused on his work whilst in the Gallery.

Lyn just wants to prove to herself that she is an artistic person (the rest of us know that already). She has produced a beautiful little copy of an abstract Miro painting. Talk about pleased as punch. Last Thursday she brought lunch - an absolutely delicious chicken, sweet potato and capsicum soup with cheesy curried muffins. Disappearing for a couple of hours for an appointment, she returned and joined back in as if she had never been away.

Mitch has only been once as she is painting her house whilst she has willing volunteers. However, she wowed us all with an upsized painting of a corrella that she was wanting to improve. We look forward to having her back when she is ready.

Linda treats Thursdays as her day out. Gleefully and contagiously chatty, she usually brings sandwiches for us all to share. She is working on her sketching at present and was thrilled when Kerry offered a few suggestions when she was becoming disgruntled with her drawing. She hopes to move onto watercolours - something she has been longing to do since she was a girl.

Denese has yet to formally join our merry band as she has been tied up with winter colds and babysitting small granddaughters. She dropped in with three-year-old Hannah, who was very well behaved, enjoyed some morning tea and drew a picture with Nan's help. We look forward to Denese being able to attend in the near future.

Margaret from York is somebody else I am hoping to entice to our Artists' Group. She lives and breathes art - quilting, painting, making soaps and plaster plaques. She ran an impromptu children's painting class for me recently and was in danger of being worshipped by the accompanying mothers, who had a cup of tea and could view the Gallery at their leisure.  And she also is keen on watercolours herself, which would be a bonus for Linda.

As for me, after a hectic weekend, I am delighted to take a breather and slow down for a few days. But, fear not, it will be all systems go for our next group this Thursday from 11 am.

Drop in for a cuppa and view our artists at play.

Linda with a Thursday smile.

Kerry hard at work.

Lyn with her Miro canvas.

Mitch was all concentration.

Kerry, still not entirely satisfied!

And Lyn's Miro.

A Southern Showcase

The Expansion Exhibition has drawn to a close. This has meant a reorganisation of the East End Gallery, new catalogues and a New Event. We were planning a Southern Showcase.

This week has been all about the Gallery. In between antibiotic infusions, doctor's appointments and a quick trip to the Big Smoke, we have been hard at work. We had arranged to drive to Narrogin on Wednesday afternoon to choose and load about a dozen of Christine Davis' paintings.

 Monday and Tuesday involved taking other art pieces down from the eastern wall and moving these to different positions. We also had a good look at those pieces that hadn't attracted much interest, either returning them to the artists or storing them for later in the year. By Tuesday evening, we were reasonably satisfied with our efforts.

Wednesday morning started with yet another visit to Doctor Susie, our fabulous GP in York. She is really taking us in hand, delivering great healthcare and some uncomfortable realities about our ageing bodies. Middle age and beyond is definitely not for the faint-hearted. We don't recommend getting old...

Our spirits were lifted by our trip to Narrogin and catching up with the remarkable Christine Davis. Along with her husband Mark, she runs a picture framing business, along with her full-time roles of art teacher, parent, grandparent and artist.

And she is prolific. Her house bulges with her paintings as does the holiday cottage she and Mark have restored and offer for short-term accommodation. At her recent exhibition during the Dryandra Art, Food and Wine trail, she sold seventeen paintings in one weekend. Her star is definitely on the rise.

We enjoyed afternoon tea and French biscuits with Christine, whilst listening to her latest adventures in Narrogin. She is definitely an international woman of mystery with a very interesting past.

Christine juggles teaching,supporting their two young adult children who still live at home as well as raising their three-year-old grandson with Mark. He also works full-time as a high school teacher, is a father, grandfather and general dogsbody, all whilst exuding an aura of unflappable calm amongst the regular chaos.

After another exceeding happy hour choosing paintings for our showcase, we left Christine to head back to Beverley. We arrived at the Gallery in the dark and cold, unloaded her pieces and went home. Thursday involved another get-together of our Artists' Group, welcoming visitors and sorting out the eastern wall we were using to showcase Christine's paintings.

Needless to say, the project continued to expand rapidly, rather like the universe. Hanging the new paintings led to shifting more, changing the positions of just about everything in the Gallery and Giftshop.  As I sit here, now on Saturday evening, I think we have just about finished the revamp. Only a bit more arranging in the morning. Then I just have to rewrite the catalogues...

After all this work, the East End Gallery is looking refreshed and revitalised. Worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears. Now we can sit back and relax until the Showcase ends on 19 June.

Enjoy this sample of the Southern Showcase, featuring Christine Davis 

"Parlour Seat"

"The Last Light"

"Pastel Bouquet"

"Mister Ebb and Miss Flow"

"Hydrangea Hug"

"Farm Yard Orchard"

Front half of the eastern wall

Rear half of the eastern wall.

Come on Baby, Light my Fire!

And that is precisely what we did. Yesterday afternoon was crunch time. The Fireplace in the East End Gallery had been restored to its former glory. The fire grate was in its place. The firescreen had been installed. All that was left to do was light the fire for the first time.

We have estimated that the fireplace has not been used for at least fifty years, possibly longer. Guests to the Gallery, who know the building, have confirmed that the fireplaces have been derelict for as long as anyone can remember.

The fireplace in Shop 2 was actually covered by plaster. This was Michael's first attempt at uncovering and repairing one. He succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. This fireplace now houses a lovely little tile firebox within its boundaries.

The Gallery fireplace (formerly Shop 4) was a completely different kettle of fish. Crumbling, flaking brickwork and plaster had to be removed by hand. The archway had to be rebuilt. An Oregon  mantlepiece was sanded and fitted above the fireplace. This process took six weeks of daily grind. This was when Michael's renovating sense of humour deserted him. He had had enough.

Somehow, he gritted his teeth and kept working. His reward for the hard slog is a beautifully restored functional fireplace. We knew it would draw when we covered the whole thing in plastic and observed how the fireplace breathed.

Still we had concerns. Would it really function as well as we hoped? Would we fill the Gallery with smoke? Would it heat the Gallery at all?

Along with Ryan, the first fire was lit. He had been an integral part of the firescreen's fabrication so we wanted him there too. Success! After a couple of false starts, the fire very satisfactorily crackled and burst into life. No smoke. And the Gallery gradually warmed. We were joined by Larissa for a glass of champers. Ryan bought a few celebratory beers and Michael, relieved and awed, indulged himself with a couple of glasses of cheap and cheerful vino.

Another Ryan (Phoenix Sheds) wandered in with Lucy. Mark Davis, extraordinary husband of one of our artists, Christine,  dropped by on the off chance we were open. We arranged to go to Narrogin on Wednesday to pick up more paintings for Christine's Showcase in the Gallery (to be launched next week).

By the time we left, the fire was still going. The Gallery had become satisfactorily warm. We were stoked. We were able to shut the doors of the firescreen and just walk away.

Bliss.

Metamorphosis of a Firescreen

The firescreen is in-situ. I am impatiently waiting for the metal artist to return from some male bonding out the back with Gary. As long as he's not having a fag, I can wait. Gives me some time to talk about the firescreen's creation. We have decided not to light the fire as the weather is turning foul again and we need to do home and get washing off the line.

Whenever Michael explains his next project, my lack of spacial awareness prevents me from seeing what he does. I usually smile and say "yes dear" and get on with whatever I'm doing.  Then, as the next piece takes shape, I spend the whole process in a state of awe and wonder.

The design and construction of this firescreen have been new experiences. Michael, having made square and rectangular firescreens previously, departed out of his comfort zone to produce one with a domed top. And as we are now perpetually broke, he had to recycle and fabricate every part himself.

The curved top was the first big challenge. A two person job to bend the steel whilst heating it. Michael asked me to help him with this task. After I fell off my chair laughing at his request, I seriously wondered if I would be any use whatsoever. I wasn't.

My contribution included bending the steel upwards instead of remaining flat. Then, even more scarily, Michael gave me the heat gun. After heating up the actual steel for too long, warping it out of shape, as well as trying to set fire to various sundry objects in the workshop, Michael admitted what I already knew. My fabrication skills were not up to scratch.

The next two days Michael had Ryan's help. Which meant the curved top was resurrected and completed with a minimum of fuss. Then the doors were constructed. Doors, what doors? The only firescreen I'd ever owned consisted of one rectangular piece that moved by being lifted out of the way of the fireplace. I had the first inkling that this was going to be rather more sophisticated.

Then the mesh was laid out, which had to be pop-rivetted to the door frames. Which began with drilling a multitude of holes for the pop rivets to be popped. There was definitely more to this firescreen building that met the eye.

And the hinges. Made by Michael and then welded into position on the edges of the frame. Then he decided to add bolts to the front so the doors could be secured. This was yesterday afternoon's job. Except, Michael temporarily lost his mind and attached the bolts to both doors. Which stymied being able to open the doors. At all.

The issue was rectified today. And the whole screen was painted in black. The finishing touches - drilling attachment points to the fireplace bricks. Fixing the fire screen in place. Admiring the finished product. Taking photos.

Wow...

In The Beginning...there was a Disaster...

then Michael began the Task of Resurrection...

 Some random fat woman in front of the nearly restored fireplace...

And behold, It was finished... 

But wait, there was more. First the fire grate...

The firescreen begins...with the curved top...

and doors...

 Ryan showing off the developing frame...

with recycled mesh and a slight issue with the hinges!

Checking the fit...perfect...

Painted and in place!

The finished product...

with the doors opened to full width.

I decided to show the bandaged (rather than unbandaged!) wound.

DONE!

Still Pinching Myself after Seven Years.

Yesterday, Michael and I celebrated our lives together - our seventh anniversary. Sometimes this feels like a long rollercoaster ride. Conversely, a moment that has passed in the blink of our eyes. The most exciting part of the day was watching "Rake" on the television with the marvellous Richard Roxburgh. With a glass of vino of course.

Thinking back, our relationship hasn't been all beer and skittles. We've had some really tough episodes. Doesn't everybody? But what struck me is the thrill I still feel when I see Michael walk into the room. The way our eyes meet. The way we still touch at every opportunity. The way we hold hands when we're lying in bed. Or curl into each other when we sleep.

I have never felt so loved. My life changed forever that Tuesday evening when some bloke called "Spider52" summoned up the courage to contact "Lunachick" online. His photograph was of him with Ruby. We met for a dog date at Whiteman Park to check the dogs would get on together. Our next date was "supervised" by well-meaning friends who didn't want me burnt by another disastrous affair.

Then there were the obstacles to our fledgling relationship. I was not permitted in Michael's house, even when his children were not on the premises. He would stay over with me three nights a week and we would meet in local parks for a glass of vino and walk with our dogs. Every time we parted, hurt like physical pain.

In that first six months, we were able to escape on a couple of occasions - down to the South West on a work trip and our first Goldfields excursion. I was so in love with Michael and constantly worrying the pressure would get too much for him. Christmas Day we spent apart. Post Christmas I was reminded by several of Michael's friends that I wasn't Joan (Michael's previous wife who had died). That was probably the lowest point for me.

After New Year 2010, Michael's health started deteriorating. In March, he developed his first really debilitating chest infection. During our second trip away in April, he was really struggling with the anxiety that was threatening to overwhelm him. At the beginning of June, his health completely collapsed - mentally and physically. He was suicidal by the time I managed to organise a mental health assessment with my GP. He was ill with another chest infection and his weight plummetted. He was grey and exhausted and lost in a private hell.

So I fought for him. He gradually started improving. I knew we had to get out of the Big Smoke and find a safe haven for him. We sold up and moved to Beverley. Michael hibernated for eighteen months, working on the House that Rocks. Letting go of his family home took another few years. My relief was tangible when the Beechboro house finally sold.

Then the challenge of the Forbes building. Michael fell in love with the derelict dump from the first moment. How could I refuse him? The restoration of the building coincided with Michael's continuing tentative recovery.

And now we are the ecstatic owners of the East End Gallery. As I sit at my desk, I am listening to "Brothers in Arms" being sung by Mark Knopfler. Very appropriate for us. Michael is persevering with a fire screen that is giving him the heebie-jeebies. He has yet another chest infection that is requiring antibiotic infusions to keep him out of hospital. And the Black Dog is never too far from either of our heels.

Yet we are so happy. We have the Three Stooges, Madame Cat and the Pirate Parrott. We have my children whom we share. And a grandkitten. We have our Gallery. We still have the House that Rocks, but we are more than ready for the house to sell, so we can begin building Station Cottage on the block behind the East End Gallery. Home is where we have each other.

Bliss.

Michael May 2009

July 2010 (with Lucky)

September 2010

October 2010

September 2011

January 2012

July 2013

June 2014

May 2015

April 2016

Sofoulis Family Reunion May 2016