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Extreme for more than Ten Days...

When the environment is pushed to its limits – bushfire, flood, snow and the most untouched pristine wilderness, we experience intense joy, fear and sorrow.

In the tradition of masters such as Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis, the extreme artists have pushed their own limits to give voice to the broken, the forgotten, the fragile, the ravaged and the muted.

Extreme means something different to us all but I have noticed with interest the extraordinary lengths and drive from photographers to document a moment or capture a feeling. While early photography was male dominated, over the last 15 years there has been an increase in women taking to remote areas across Tasmania and bringing a different eye, discussion and focus.



Peak flood by Rick Eaves

This exhibition includes work from a number of accomplished Tasmanian photographers who are constantly pushing themselves to the limit to capture the extremes in their environment and to bring distant struggles into sharp focus. Alongside these sit the important photographs by Peter Dombrovskis. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience how the photographer merges with the environment and what inspires them.

TIME ON THE MOUNTAIN

The Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery is a very exciting project and I hope to share it with you as we go along. In the meantime, here's a bit of catch up from December and a last chance to see Jon Kudelka's work in the gallery.

CURATOR BLOG…

December was a huge month for the Wilderness Gallery with eight new rooms set up with exhibitions by Arwen Dyer, Barry Smith, Jon Kudelka and Wendy Edwards.

It also saw the first residency undertaken by the much loved cartoonist and author, Jon Kudelka. Jon spent two weeks working on his new book about Cradle Mountain, producing new work for his current exhibition Kudelka in the Wild and even had time to design and paint an amazing mural in one of the children’s galleries.

With access to a working space, a gallery and the bush surrounding the property Jon worked all hours, chatting to visitors and cycling throughout Cradle to observe the wildlife and visitors.

‘I'm best known as a political cartoonist for the Australian and the Hobart Mercury, so this is a bit of a departure for me. Cradle Mountain is a very special place so I was pleased to be offered an artist's residency here.

The painting of cradle mountain under stars was from a time I managed to get to Dove Lake on a clear still night. The number of stars is not an exaggeration!’

The residencies have been introduced as part of the new direction for the Wilderness Gallery which will also include Tasmanian films, an annual exhibition program, workshops, a sculpture garden and a room dedicated to the Tasmanian Tiger.

Artists are applying for residencies to undertake new work and immerse themselves into this unique environment. Working in a range of mediums, artists from both within and outside Tasmania will have the opportunity to exhibit new work, engage with visitors and explore the mountain region.

Jon Kudelka also used the residency to practice Pyrography on wood, or "poker work or wood burning as its also known. Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or leather by burning a design on the surface with a heated metallic point.

“It seemed an appropriate way to draw some of the wildlife you see around this area. It's a very organic way of working and I like the way the grain of the wood becomes part of the picture. It feels a bit like the way the plants and animals here are party of the landscape.”

Jon’s work will be on display until the end of March and more details are available at kudelka.com.au.

Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery Call Out

After months of research, discussion, consultation and planning we are about to kick off the redevelopment of the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery. 

Stillness at Dusk by Arwen Dyer

It is a huge project that will include the expansion from photography into all art forms and will encourage artists working in all mediums to play with the idea of Environment, Wilderness & Place.

This will enable artists to reflect on their relationship with the places around them, whether they are urban, suburban, rural or wilderness.

It's an exciting time and we have a wonderful team on board who are developing installations, creating environments, preparing rooms and helping to get our ducks in a row.

We look forward to unveiling the changes as the project unfolds.

In the meantime, if you are interested in being part of an exhibition at the gallery please get in touch at K.Eastley@cradlemountainhotel.com.au or call 0439 262 344

http://www.cradlemountainhotel.com.au/wilderness_gallery_expressions_of_interest

Marketing the Heart

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Recently I was invited to speak at a gathering of organisations working in the community sector. They were a mix of both conventional businesses and not for profits. The challenge wasn't in the mix, but in the unspoken assumption that there is no place for conventional marketing practices in a sector that is all about supporting people.

But just like a Tom Holloway play, a Dean Stevenson concert or an Elizabeth Barsham exhibition, the not for profit and community sector needs their story to be told. And that is what good marketing is about.

When I set up my business Kylie Eastley Consultancy seven years ago, it was in response to yet another performance I had been to, where the play was fantastic, the actors convincing,  but the audience was abysmal. This repeated experience inspired the foundation thought to my business, which was...

'If you or someone else is willing to put their time, resources, money, energy and passion into creating something, then doesn't it deserve the best chance of success.' (KEastley 2009)

And success can mean lots of things. It might be a packed audience at a show, contented customers who return to access your business or it could be an amazing experience or service that you deliver to a client. 

Producer Course in Tasmania

Salamanca Arts Centre is offering the SPACE Producer's Course in partnership with the Institute for Project Management and supported by Skills Tasmania, this exciting course is perfect for those wishing to enter the creative sector or practitioners who wish to be recognised and build on existing skills.

The course will include a bootcamp and year long classes which will include both practical elements and theory. I have been so pleased to be part of developing the components of the course and look forward to delivering it to our first intake of students.

More course information

Changes to Australia's Arts Funding

The recent inquiry into the changes to arts funding that has seen millions pulled from the Australia Council for the Arts and the proposed establishment of a National Program for Excellence in the Arts (NPEA), attracted more than 2 600 submissions from across the country. It was a fantastic response...this was mine, and to view others click here.

At the recent public hearing held in Melbourne, accomplished contemporary artist, David Pledger very eloquently outlined the problem with the newly proposed NPEA. Well, worth watching this Video of David Pledger 

 

David Pledger speaking at the Melbourne public inquiry

I am writing this submission in response to the funding changes to the Australia Council for the Arts and the proposal to establish a National Program for Excellence in the Arts.

My response is based on more than 20 years working with community, the arts, government and business in Tasmania. It stems from my first hand experience as a producer, arts manager, writer and coach; having worked with Big hART Inc, Tasmanian Regional Arts, Tasmanian Writers Centre, Tasmanian International Arts Festival (Ten Days on the Island), Screen Tasmania, the University of Tasmania and currently curate the Tasmanian Portraiture Prize among other projects. I have worked with artists and companies to deliver art projects, build organizational capacity and also explored alternative models, such as social enterprise. This research has identified the importance of supporting the creative development of art content in the state and that in fact arts sector investment reaps much greater return than most other industries.