Sunday, April 13, 2014

Skin Gallery Summer Group Show - Hon. Heidi Victoria, Minister for the Arts

Arts Access Victoria was enormously proud that the following SRS Studios participating artist's works were selected for the curated Skin Gallery Summer Group Show, which was opened by the Hon. Heidi Victoria, Minister for the Arts:

  • Rebecca Bish
  • Stefano Conti
  • Nita Trevor
  • David Smyth
  • Vanessa (Kane) Manning
  • Troy Lewthwaite
  • Valma Lewthwaite
  • JP (John) Penna
  • Catherine Lim
  • Glenn Court
  • Theo Psathas
  • Jim (Dimittrious) Mouhtsis
Hon. Heidi Victoria, Minister for the Arts with SRS Studios participating artist Stefano Conti and his work.

The Hon. Heidi Victoria, Minister for the Arts giving an opening speech for the Skin Gallery Summer Group Show

SRS Studio participating artists at the launch of the Skin Gallery Summer Group Show: (from left to right) David Smyth, JP (John) Penna, Jim Mouhtsis, Lead Artist Rachael Walker, Aliey Ball and Valma Lewthwaite.
Artworks by JP (John) Penna, David Smyth, Vanessa (Kane) Manning and Glenn Court

Monday, March 24, 2014

Edwards Lodge and Northern Terrace SRS Studios at the Darebin Community & Kite Festival, with Nebula

JP (John Penna), Aliey Ball and Richard Graves at the Darebin Community & Kite Festival. Photo credit Darebin City Council. 
Arts Access Victoria took Nubula, the fully accessible mobile art space, to the 2014 Darebin Community & Kite Festival, part of the True North Festival. Nebula where it was utilised as a workshop space for participants of Edwards Lodge and Northern Terrace SRS Studios to work with guest artist, Mark Cuthbertson, to create a giant kite. 

About Nebula
Nebula was designed for people with disability who want to access the arts in an environment that was built for them.  With this at the forefront of our programming, Arts Access Victoria delivers events that are inclusive for both visitors and performers with disability in the unique space of Nebula.

About the SRS Studios
Supported Residential Services (SRS) offer accommodation to men and women living with mental health issues, physical/intellectual disability, acquired brain injury or drug/alcohol dependency. Our SRS Studios provide an opportunity for people from residential services to engage with art making in a professional studio environment with high quality materials and industry level tutelage and advice.

About Guest Artist Mark Cuthbertson
Artworks & Practice
“My current practice is exploring metaphors of colonisation & domestication within a broad national context,
Experimenting with a verity of constructed forms & large scale controlled inflated environments,
Drawing relationship and direction between the work & the given installation site.
Exploring ways to reinvent domestic & industrial materials in the development & direction of new works,
Endeavouring to deliver a sense of encounter and dialogue with the audience, the site & the broader thematic of the work.”

Edwards Lodge SRS participating artists, David Weston and Gus Cattapan at Darebin Community & Kite Festival. Sunday 23rd March 2014. Photo credit Paul Dunn.
Nebula at Darebin Community & Kite Festival. Sunday 23rd March 2014. Photo credit Paul Dunn.
Northern Terrace SRS participating artist, JP (John Penna) hard at work sewing the kite with Arts Access Victoria's Arts Developemnt Officer, Aliey Ball, at Darebin Community & Kite Festival. Sunday 23rd March 2014. Photo credit Paul Dunn.
Northern Terrace SRS participating artist, Valma
 hard at work sewing the kite with Arts Access Victoria's Arts Developemnt Officer, Aliey Ball, at Darebin Community & Kite Festival. Sunday 23rd March 2014. Photo credit Paul Dunn.
Edwards Lodge SRS Studio participating artist, Richard Graves, creating the kite tail.
Left to right: Guest Artist Mark Cuthbertson, David Weston, Aliey Ball and Richard Graves, putting the finishing touches on the kite. 
Edwards Lodge SRS Studio participating artist, Richard Graves, launching the kite.
Edwards Lodge SRS Studio participating artist, Robin Pierson, rejoicing when the kite took off into the sky!

Northern Terrace SRS Studio participating artist, JP (John Penna), steering the kite with great skill and precision.

Up she goes!

Flying high!
"I didn't want to do anything at first, but once I got into it I really loved it. I really loved doing those foam prints. Mine came out good." Robyn Pierson

"It was grouse doing the portraits. That was amazing that time." Richard Graves

"I enjoyed myself and I would like to do it again. It reminded me of the good old days when we would fly kites."  Gus Cattopan 

"It was very enjoyable. I really liked doing the portraits because it was something different. It was good to try something different for a change. And the food was nice too."   Royce Clover

"One thing I really enjoyed which has nothing to do with painting was sewing. It was the first time I used a sewing machine.  That I felt was really terrific." Robyn Pierson

"We should have a festival each week." Royce Clover

"I enjoyed it because I was doing something. Doing printmaking was reasonably successful. I felt really good about my print." John Penna

"Nice people to talk to. It was good." Valma Lewthwaite

"It was good. I enjoyed it. I meet some different people. It was different because I've never made a kite before. And nice lunch." Troy Lewthwaite

"I was sewing material to make the kite. I learnt how to do it.  It was good using the sewing machine. It was good." Valma Lewthwaite

"I need assistance, then I feel like I'm doing something. It was really good flying the kite they made." John Penna


"When is the next festival going to be?" Toufic

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Sydney Road Street Part, Brunswick Music Festival 2014

Above:  Artstop SRS Open Studio participant Giovanni Dimase was MC for Nebula at the Sydney Road Street Party, seen here with Rebecca Barnard and her son Harry O'Marra in the background.

On Sunday 2nd March 2014 Arts Access Victoria brought Nebula, the fully accessible mobile art space to the Sydney Road Street party. Nebula became one of seven stages and hosted a banquet of talented performers, including Artstop SRS Open Studio participants Stefano Conti (pictured below) and Giovanni Dimase (above), Rebecca Barnard and her son Harry O'Marra, Heidi Everett and Phil Heuzenroeder, Rudely Interrupted and The Night Before Tomorrow. 
It was a wonderful day with big crowds and a full filled atmosphere. 

Stefano Conti reciting his powerful poetry.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

The Fluid Ink Project 2011 - from the archives!

The Fluid Ink Project is the culmination of work created by Artstop 21, as they underwent a series of intensive weekly workshops in 2011, spanning 10 months under the artistic direction of acclaimed local visual artist Elyss McCleary and award winning sculpture artist Aliey Ball who have curated this exhibition. Collaborating artists to The Fluid Ink Project include sound artist and musician Claire Deak, media artist Leonie Van Eyk and animator Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman.

The Fluid Ink Project conveys over twenty intimate, powerful narratives as told through sculpture, stop motion animation and sound installation. From sculpted rabbits rabid with myxomatosis to paper birds that unfold across a stop motion animation landscape - each artwork allows the viewer to peer into the artists' own history, ideas and imagination.

This exhibition is an opportunity for the artists of Artstop 21 to be recognised within their local area as emerging contemporary artists with new found networks. 

Artstop 21 is an Arts Access Victoria project, funded by Australia Council for the Arts, Arts Victoria and the Department of Human Services. Artstop 21 workshops have been hosted by The Olive Way, a community drop in centre managed by Brunswick Uniting Church. Artstop 21 is sponsored by Metlink, who have supported the emerging artists travel to and from Artstop 21 workshops via tram travel. Artstop 21 are proudly supported by Health and Community Care, Department of Health.



Thursday, February 20, 2014

Play Me, I'm Yours, Artstop SRS Open Studio - January 2014

Above: Artstop SRS Open Studio participant, Rebecca Bish, playing an original musical piece on Arts Access Victoria's Satellite Program's hand painted piano, at the Arts Centre Melbourne forecourt. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.
Above: Artstop SRS Open Studio participants, staff and friends performing for Play Me I'm Yours, Arts Centre Melbourne forecourt with Vanessa Chapple and Rose Urtler. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.
Above: Artstop SRS Open Studio participants Robbie Weir and Giovanni Di Mase, performing on the Koori Tiddas, had painted piano at the Curve Bar Garden, Arts Centre Melbourne, as part of Play Me I'm Yours. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.

SRS Studios at the 2013 Melton Djerriwarrh Festival

Above: Artstop, Melton Willows and Meadow Brook SRS Studios participants and staff, outside Nebula, Arts Access Victoria's fully accessible, mobile art space, at the 2013 Melton Djerriwarrh Festival (Ephemeral Public Art Commission), November 6th 2013. Photo credit: Paul Dunn

Please watch the short film below, which documents the day!

Above: Artstop SRS Open Studio participants, Stefano Conte and Giovanni Di Mase, during their poetry and spoken word performances. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.
Above: The general public were invited to participate in a printmaking workshop and make two prints, one to take home and the other was used to adorn Nebula and create an exhibition, which grew throughout the duration of the festival. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.