Arts

Local fiddlemaker Martin Scuffins is a creative artist who loves the natural world and finds joy in the expression of life through music and art. He has a passion for fiddle making and a special interest in Norwegian Hardanger fiddles which are fitted with ‘sympathetic’ strings that resonate in harmony with the played strings.

Tickets are now available for Classical Reimagined, where The Queensland Chamber Orchestra (Camerata) will premiere Alexander Voltz’s composition inspired by Emerald ... Central Highlands Regional Council is proud to be partnering on bringing this family fun event to the region with a free show in the Emerald Botanical Gardens from 5.30 pm, Thursday 12 May.

The Victorian Ministry for Agriculture has responded to a community-led petition by confirming that specialty timber from State forests is exempted from the 10 year phase out of native timber harvesting in Victorian public forests contained in the Victorian Forestry Plan ... James Kidman from Otway Tonewoods gave Australian Rural & Regional News some background on the 61-page petition he prepared and the Victorian Minister's confirmation of the exemption.

On ANZAC Day the Harcourt Bowling Club was crowded with people from community radio for the celebration of the sector’s 40th birthday and launch of a new commemorative book, Radio Waves. The Bendigo region’s community radio service began from the Harcourt railway station building on ANZAC Day, 25 April 1982. From those beginnings, it grew to the media force it is today, with four operating stations, PhoenixFM, KLFM, FreshFM and MainFM.

In her new exhibition, Animal as Object, at Tweed Regional Gallery, Deb Mostert explores the paradoxical ‘objectness’ of animals in nature through taxidermy and in culture through the souvenir.

Narrandera Aboriginal fashion designer Lillardia Briggs-Houston has made the cover of the illustrious fashion magazine Vogue Australia due out in early May. The front cover of the May issue featuring Aboriginal models and fashion designs shows model Magnolia in a dress created by Narrandera’s well known local designer.

Richard Malawkin managed to take some stunning photos of the F/A-18F Super Hornet flying over Kyogle on April 25. The jet was fast yet Richard captured an image. Here’s how he did it ...

Kyogle’s Liesl Pederson spends her day at the front of the classroom teaching students at Casino Public School. But she has a dream that goes way beyond the classroom — she wants to sing.

Lynne Mowbray. The last couple of years have proved to be a trying time for anyone attempting to hold an event and organisers of the 117th Maclean Highland Gathering, were keen to make this year’s event, a great one. Maclean Highland Gathering Chief Peter Smith said that they were expecting a particularly good gathering this year and it did not disappoint.

Ryan Enns. There is a collective trauma being lived by Bluesfesters and the result is that nobody believed it was going to happen this year because to believe would be to make yourself vulnerable to another disappointment. Well, it did happen and every minute felt like a miracle and every artist erupted with music and love like they’d been holding it in for three years.

It is clear from the extent of the NSW floods that many of the Con’s students, teachers and other musicians have lost their instruments, with most uninsured, and the Con has worked to quickly explore immediate support options for staff, students and the wider musical community impacted by this crisis. The Con itself has also lost much of its musical equipment and not all is fully covered by insurance.

Pam Dillon. The Tennant Creek RSL had the pleasure of meeting Darwin artist, Kerry Sandhu, when she delivered 250 stubby coolers to the RSL this week.  The stubby coolers come in five unique ANZAC inspired designs and are named after the songs that are embedded in each design.  

Emma Pritchard. A proud Graftonian, and a much-loved country music star with a heart as big as her acoustic guitar, Brooke McClymont has been officially announced as the newest Patron of the Grafton Branch of the United Hospital Auxiliary (GBUHA).

Fast becoming a Cape York icon, Lakeland’s Gateway to the Cape was officially opened on Friday ... Now complete, it boasts comprehensive visitor information, as well as a sculpture park that showcases each community in the region.

After sold-out previews at the Croatian Film Festival in Sydney, a locally filmed documentary –  Countryman  – will make its cinema release with screenings that bring the film back home to where the Australian story began.  Tennant Creek’s Joseph Williams is the co-producer and artist of the doco and he is excited to screen it in town next Wednesday at Nyinkka Nyunyu   from 5.30pm.

Local artists Sally Anderson and Kerry Punton are displaying their beautiful works of art at Harcourt General Store. The theme, contemporary chinoiserie, examines the 17th and 18th-century western style of interior design that represents fanciful European Interpretations of Chinese styles.

Alison Bennett Taylor. Waterways producer/director Nari Lees says everyone has a story to tell about their connection to Denmark’s waterways – the river, the inlet and the sea. She hopes to capture as many of them on film as she can during the still days of autumn. Waterways, Love Stories of Place, will share stories of connection to place through an interactive walk featuring QR codes that link directly to the recordings.

The April school holidays are almost here, and with it brings the return of the Critter Trail on Chapman: an interactive experience for young detectives. Coordinated by the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery (GRAG), the Critter Trail is a series of art pieces along the CBD portion of Chapman Road depicting critters that have ‘borrowed’ art from the City’s Collection.

Congratulations to David Berkman and the team of Rockfest for putting on a great show for the Island this year.

The Hive Narrandera is a hub of creativity, bringing together an art gallery, retail space and opportunities for creative classes ... “I’m new to the area. This is my third year in Narrandera and I have seen so many talented people! My idea was to have an art gallery in the front, because it is such a big space and showcase local, regional and rural NSW art”: Melissa Horrell.

Kirstin Nicholson. The memorial park in King Edward Street has another memorial in the form of a colourful yet poignant mural ... With the theme of compassion to your fellow man, the mural features four Australians who have served over our country’s wartime history, standing in front of a field of poppies.