We can't believe what we have done. The East End Gallery will open officially for 2026 this Thursday 12 February between 11am - 5pm.
Plus this Saturday evening - Valentine's Day - we are having a very soft and casual Sundowner, between 5.30pm - 8,30pm. We have no desire to deprive the pubs attracting their clientele, so the door will be shut, firmly if necessary at 8.30.
One
of my favourite, albeit sadly departed singers, Mister David Bowie,
wrote about "Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes" and the East End Gallery has certainly
undergone a fabulous revamp that began just after Christmas 2025.
Many thanks must go to Sue Martin and Rebecca Buglass for getting the
ball rolling by emptying the main Gallery of all the artworks and
furniture and undercoating the entire floor. This arduous and very
smelly labour laid the essential groundwork for Michael and our newly
acquired 'Slave-driver' Mister Kim Brennan to spring into action.
Kim arrived into our lives at the very time Michael needed a motivator
"par excellence". He and Michael were kindred spirits from the outset.
Their thought processes were synchronised. They worked hard together as a
team, anticipating what, when and how tasks needed to be tackled.
Michael knew he wanted to renovate our Gallery and Studio space, but
without Kim, this outcome would have been unachievable.
Together, they have been unstoppable. They covered every tech screw head
on the floor of the Gallery. They minimised the joins of the chipboard
sheets. They painted the floor with diligence and care. Kim filled and
sanded every crack and hole in the walls of both the Gallery what has
become our Studio space. They worked to fill the missing cement on the
uninspiring floor of Shop 3 and then painted that floor. The walls also
received attention. Many thanks to Jodie Edom Nolf for supplying both
floor and wall paint to us free of charge.
The results are astonishing. The Gallery is cool, clean, bright and
slick. The Studio space mixes industrial edge with a colour explosion.
In a matter of six weeks, the tired and dated has been replaced by light
and vibrancy.
And we have also returned to basics. Our philosophy has always been to
'Support Wheatbelt Artists'. Yes, we still have a few artists in the
Gallery from outside the Wheatbelt, but their connection to us is so
strong and so valuable, we would be mad to let them go...
Rebecca Buglass has moved on and we wish her well. Marion Luck has
suffered from ill-health and is not attending her space at present. We
shall update her return or otherwise as we are informed.
Sue Martin is still our Number One Volunteer Front-of-House when I am
not available. She will also be in charge of the East End Gallery when
we leave for the North West in June. We know that we can go away and
leave the Gallery in Sue's very capable hands and knowing that, we are
eternally grateful to her.
Our other major initiative is to offer Studio space with optional
accommodation. We have the amazing artist Narelle Higson arriving on 26
February until 9 March. Her oil pastels are exquisite and have to be
seen to be believed. Narelle (known by us as 'the Scribbler') is running
an oil pastels "wildflowers" workshop on 1 March. As of a few days ago,
she only had a couple of places remaining...
The inexhaustible and multi-talented Ros Newick arrives on 1 April until
9 April. Her planned programme would fell a lesser artist. She will be
creating in the Studio space, running a collage workshop and having a
stall on our Easter Saturday markets. All in eight days...!
We are offering Studio space at $220 a week. Minimum stay is one week,
two weeks preferred if possible. Optional self catering accommodation
in our beautiful Guest Suite is available in March and May at only an
additional $30 per week.
There is NO VOLUNTEERING required by those undertaking Residencies. Your
time is your own. If a Residency artist does receive a query regarding
the East End Gallery, that query and person needs to be directed
immediately to me or Sue. The two spaces are designed to be separate
with the Residency artists having their own entry. The only communal
space is our informal tea/coffee and eating area.
Studio space, without accommodation, is available in June, July, August,
September, October and November 2026. The closing date for this year's
East End Gallery's Residencies is strictly 10 March. If we do not have
sufficient artists signed up for 2026 Residencies by then, we shall be
renting out the Studio space to other non-artisan businesses.
The bottom line is that we need more capital.
We operate completely by word-of-mouth and social media so we are asking
you all - friends, guests and supporters - to come into the East End
Gallery and gift yourself a wonderful and original artwork or for that
special somebody.
We look forward to meeting you very soon. If you are coming on Saturday evening, please bring a plate and a bottle to share.
Here is a photographic journey of the East End Gallery's glorious transformation.
Michael vacuuming the floor after sanding...again...again and again!
