Gallery Closing

By now most of you will probably have heard this news, but for those of you who have not, I have made the hard decision to close - for good - the doors of Maleny Artworks Gallery.

There are several factors that have persuaded me to take this action – art sales have been pathetically slow since the financial turndown ( and I believe worse is yet to come – especially with the price of petrol tipped to reach 150 by mid year ), the lease on 50 Maple Street is soon to expire and I'm not sure I want to sign up for another 3 years, my own “emerging” arts practice has pretty much ground to a standstill in recent months and finally, I feel that there are a few more community arts projects that I can contribute to that will have a greater benefit to the overall Maleny arts scene.

It’s never easy to walk away from a project that has been so all consuming, however I feel that now is the right time for me to take this action and February 03 is the date that I take the final walk down the stairs.

I have had wonderful support from so many people – including yourself - over the years and it has been a delight to show off artworks from our talented artists. I am proud for what Maleny Artworks has achieved in a short time but believe that we are now entering into a new cultural era – not all good I’m afraid – that will maybe change the way artists promote and market themselves. We are firmly in the IT era and as artists we are going to have to really embrace the Internet as the primary source of our marketing.

I am certainly not leaving Maleny at this stage, and as I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of work now to do to expand COMA to a wider audience including thinking about our June exhibition. I hope you will continue to support COMA and participate in any up-coming projects that promote Maleny arts.

Thank you for supporting me over the years, and I trust we will continue working together during times to come.

Wabi Sabi Woman

Maleny Arts Retreat presents ...
FEATURE ARTIST for JANUARY is NOELA MILLS



Noela’s work is based on the concept of ‘Wabi Sabi’ – the Zen Buddhist philosophy of finding beauty in the worn, aged, imperfect and incomplete.

She uses a variety of mixed media and surface treatments to create interesting and highly individualised textures.

This exhibition covers a range of genre from total abstraction to intimate detail with each painting conveying a meaning beyond the obvious; sometimes philosophical, sometimes humorous, but always adding something special to the essence of the work.

MEET THE ARTIST – SAT. 23 JANUARY - 5pm

Enjoy a glass of wine and some ‘nibbles’ while Noela explains the concept of ‘Wabi Sabi’ and how it has influenced her work. Wander around the gallery as Noela talks about the techniques she uses in specific works, and how she creates the worn and aged effects.

RECYCLED PAPER MAKING WORKSHOP with NOELA - Sat./ Sun. 30 / 31 January, 2010

Learn how to recycle egg cartons and brown paper bags into fabulous moulded textural papers which can be used in all manners of art projects. Paint, dye, shellac, foil, spray the dry paper to achieve rich and diverse effects.

- 9am – 4pm both days
- $120.00 inc GST per day ... includes workshop, morning/afternoon teas)
... SPECIAL OFFER FOR COMA MEMBERS $100.00 per day ...
- at Maleny Arts Retreat Workshop (downstairs)
Contact the gallery for more details and requirements list.

Maleny Arts Retreat
901 Stanley River Road, Maleny Q 4552
Ph: 07 5499 9801
Email: admin@malenyartsretreat.com.au
www.malenyartsretreat.com.au

Katie Wells

Katie Wells with her painting “Little Bonfire”

COMA member and multi award winning Maleny artist Katie Wells says her art evolves from looking within and from without, from past life experiences, relationships and knowledge, all sifted and brought to the fore in her individual artworks.

There are many decisions and challenges for her along the way and a sense of deep knowing, emotional feelings and intuition come into play when one is engrossed and focused in the creative process.

Katie has recently convened a successful Portrait Workshop with reknowned New Zealand Artist John Badcock of Geraldine for several talented local artists at the Gary Myers Arts Retreat, and last December Katie along with members of the Sunshine Coast Artists Group held an Open Studio Day here on the Blackall Range. The open day was a huge success with each artist ( Jinty Stocking, Susan Bowers & Stephanie McLennan ) having a wonderful response from local and interstate visitors.

Katie is presently working in acrylic medium for a joint exhibition at the Graydon Gallery in Brisbane this coming April and says creation is a personal journey into the unknown and she aspires with passion to share artistic skill with others for their visual pleasure.

A selection of Katie’s paintings can be viewed at Maleny Artworks Gallery in Maple Street during January. Also sharing exhibition space at Artworks during this month are Brian Allison, Wendy Nugent, Gina Davey, Danni Oliver and Noela Mills.

Rainy Maleny

After several months of no rainfall = water rations = 5 weeks of water supply left etc etc ... we now have have had a fortnight of the most wonderful soaking rain filling our tanks and dams and giving our gardens and farms a much needed resuscitation ... and the locals are already complaining of mould on the windows ... do we ever learn !!!

... and in the midst of a downpour - Ipswich artist Laura Phillips arrives at the Gallery with an arm full of her latest paintings - including "My Favourite Thing" ...



Enjoy the rain - especially seeing the tanks overflow ...