Arts

The Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre will present a new exhibition titled In the Glow of Green by leading Australian glass artist Clare Belfrage from Friday 4  August 2023. Exclusive to the Tweed Regional Gallery, the exhibition is the outcome of Belfrage having undertaken a two-week residency at  the Gallery’s on-site studio, the Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence Studio.

A collaboration between renowned street artist Austin ‘Nitsua’ and Lawrence Public School students has produced a spectacular mural on the local water tower that tells the story of the magical eternal flow of the Clarence River winding its way through the valley to the ocean ... “Originally the ideas for the design came from the kids at the school and I incorporated their words into the finished design”: Austin ‘Nitsua’.

Held as part of the annual Laidley Spring Festival, Bee Happy Day is a free family-friendly event that showcases the magic of bees and the important role they play in our ecosystem ... One of the highlights of the morning will be a special theatrical performance called A Bee Story, featuring artists from Brisbane’s Cluster Arts.

“I was really interested in wood fired kilns so I needed space and wood - lots of it.   WA’s Great Southern region was the ideal place and I was drawn to the area’s beautiful landscape. I was, and still am,   inspired by it and I believe the energy of the landscape permeates through me and comes out in what I create”: Jonathon Hook.

Holly Throsby was a musician, singer, songwriter way before she was an author. She’d released five solo albums, toured extensively and been nominated for several ARIA awards before she shifted from writing song lyrics to writing story sentences ... Australian Rural and Regional News contributor, Serena Kirby spoke to Holly recently about her latest novel, Clarke, the writing process and asked about advice for would-be novelists.

In the 1980s, Iconic Australian synth-pop band Real Life earned widespread recognition and international success with their 1983 chart-topping synth-pop single 'Send Me an Angel'. And next Saturday 5 August, you have the chance to hear them perform live as part of the Goldfields Gothic Festival.

Narrandera film director Tim Hills and his crew of 47 are working hard to bring together their second lot of filming for ‘When the house is empty'... "We’ve got about eight to 12 weeks to really get the next winter shoot sorted out because its outside and you can’t fake it… it’s just better to still shoot in the real seasons": Narrandera film director Tim Hills.

With Year 12 students soon to begin their university applications, we thought we’d take a look at the success of one of Kerang’s former students, Glenn Thomas ... is a graphic designer in Melbourne, and he shared his graphic design journey with us, proving that kids from the country can chase and realise their dreams.

From the dance studio to the great outdoors, ballerina Ms Valerie Tereshchenko has proven it’s never too late to try something new. Studying, performing and mastering the art of ballet for 25 years, the Ukraine-born ballerina took on a new challenge by studying a  Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management  with the help of  Charles Sturt University’s online study options.

First-time author, Michael Thomas, never set out to write historical fiction; he was planning to write his memoirs. Michael was born and raised in WA’s northern town of Carnarvon. It’s a tough, remote part of the world and Michael grew up moving through regional WA as the son of an outback shearer ... Michael and Serena Kirby spoke about character voice, language, the adding of female story elements to balance the book and the importance of telling some of lesser known parts of Western Australia’s history.

Vibrant murals on water assets in Gosnells and Armadale were unveiled by Water Minister Simone McGurk, who also celebrated the successful partnerships between Water Corporation, local artists and school groups ... "Through the Splash of Colour program, we've worked with local community groups to transform more than 60 water assets across Western Australia into something they can be proud of, adding real value to our streets and suburbs": Water Minister Simone McGurk.

Shane Smith. This is my 5th and latest book on the military history of Naracoorte. The book is titled Findlaters Men. Consisting of 319 pages, over 20 photos and full nominal roll, it covers the formation of the Naracoorte Half Squadron South Australian Mounted Rifles 1900/12.

The Australian rock legends will take the stage for Passion of the Pilbara alongside a great line-up of events including the Culinary Showcase hosted by MasterChef’s Andrea Puglisi. Passion of the Pilbara (POP) is returning to Onslow on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 August with Jebediah, events and activities, live entertainment, food trucks and more for all ages to enjoy.  

After "putting it on the back burner" a number of times local author, Kim Winter, is about to release her first novel. The life of the main character in ‘Cedar’ has been shaped by various experiences that have influenced his character and outlook.

Denmark Senior High School students have woven rugs from discarded fabrics to be stitched together in a vast dot replica painting to fill mining craters in the Goldfields. Denmark woman Vivienne Robertson created the Reclaim the Void project in collaboration with Ngalia cultural custodian Kado Muir.

During Jumpers & Jazz in July – Allora is turning on its own display and everyone is welcome to join in the fun ... The Allora Museum will take you back in time with a beautiful collection of bridal wear from 1890’s to 1960’s ... Allora Arts & Craft Ladies ... Look around Allora - take the fascinating Town Tour ...

An unstoppable student duo from Cunnamulla State School has achieved a resounding victory for their community and culture, securing 1st place at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aspirations Programs (ASTIAP) Queensland State Finals ... Charli Pender, 16 and Heidi Jones, 15 ... collaborated on a painting representing the equity and excellence of First Nations’ students. The deadly award-winning artwork will now feature on the competition shirts next year.

The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) celebrated its 14th edition over the weekend with many highlights, most notably, two sell-out fashion performances of Woven ... The purpose of CIAF’s annual and iconic fashion performance is to promote Queensland’s contemporary Indigenous design, diversity, and inclusion while also empowering Indigenous youth through the representation of who they are and where they come from.

The Map of William is the first book by West Australian writer Michael Thomas and it’s certainly a darn good read. It is also not the book that Michael set out to write but I’m sure glad he did ... Set in 1909, The Map of William is a gripping and fast-paced tale of 15-year-old William Watson, his father and a band of colourful companions as they undertake an expedition through WA’s north-west to map water sources.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles unveiled concept designs for the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre’s $10 million transformation in Tennant Creek yesterday. The investment is part of the Territory Labor Government’s Arts Trail initiative, which aims to make the Northern Territory a world-class tourist and cultural destination.

Couleur Parfumerie is indeed the perfect title for Michelle Kennedy’s first solo exhibition which opened last week at Toowoomba’s Feather and Lawry Gallery. The works are unapologetically vibrant and joyous, unbottling a fearless feminine energy.

The author of a book about a young girl growing up beside the Murray River during The Great Depression is coming to Corryong to talk about her work. Cathy Hope’s book ‘Murray River Girl’ is a true story about Roma, the daughter of a swagman and shearer’s cook, who lived in a makeshift tent beside the river until she was eleven years old.