art4place

art4place, Festuri and Sunshine Coast Sister Cities

2011-10-09T18:36:00.002+10:00

art4place was invited by the Festuri multicultural festival organisers and the Sunshine Coast Sister Cities Association to provide a day of community art that had an emphasis on multiculturalism and also the relationship between the Sunshine Coast and sister cities in Japan and China.

The art event was to be carried out from 10-30am-4pm on Saturday 8 October 2011. But that plan went awry slightly when unseasonal morning thunderstorms swept from the west and drench the Sunshine Coast hinterland and Caloundra where the festival was happening. The storms and rain cleared by midday; and with the promise of a fine afternoon art4place artists set up in shade covers by 1pm and created art with children and parents until 4.30pm.

Barry Smith © art4place-SC Sister Cities art station

Children were invited to do a variety of free art inspired by Japan and China including making: Japanese inspired butterfly fans; Japanese and Chinese inspired headbands; dragon puppets; and the decoration of a large parading dragon - attaching scales and painting on and painted decorations. The dragon was created for an event earlier this year but got a real work over by children of all ages this year.

Barry Smith © Fans, puppets and headbands

Barry Smith © Some children were very precise

Barry Smith © Even the little ones got into dragon decoration

Barry Smith © More dragon decoration

Barry Smith © HMMM! Dragon scales?

Barry Smith © HMMM! More dragon scales?

Barry Smith © Exquisite dragon colour palet?

Children could also paint ceramic dragon; but given that the dragons were hand made and fired parents were asked to pay for the unpainted dragons. Almost 30 children painted the ceramic dragons in their own unique colours.

Barry Smith © Biege dragons become exquisitely coloured

Barry Smith © More coloured dragons

The large dragon was paraded through the park twice in the later part of the afternoon. We were only going to do it once but children asked could we do it again; and of course 8 more volunteers went parading, growling and undulating the dragon.

Barry Smith © Dragon carriers at the ready

And the dragon was left behind so it could be used in the Festuri parade on Sunday 9 October.

Barry Smith © Fearsome creature at sunset

Even with the reduced time available about 100 children did one or more activities. The children ranged in ages from 2-12 years of age.

Big thanks to the art4place artists: Christine, Edith-Ann, Carol, Noela, Fiona, Jenny, Kim, Mieke and Barry for their work in preparing for and on the day. Thanks to Festuri for inviting us to share art with children. Thanks to the Sunshine Coast Sister Cities Association for sponsoring the art4place community art event to promote the knowledge of the sister city relationship with Japan and China. And thanks to Fiona for most of the photos used in this post.

Cairns of Hope and Inspiration

2011-09-09T17:32:00.000+10:00

I thought we might share some photos of the the art4place work that went on in Pecan Park as part of the Festival of Walks Maleny party on 20 August 2011. art4place artists Noela, Tracey, Edith-Ann and I worked with Tracey's partner and Fiona M and other visitors to Pecan Park to create Cairns of Hope and Inspiration.

The aim was to create cairns with park visitors, party-goers and walkers out of timber and twigs collected from the edges of the park; and to get people to place messages of hope and inspiration into the cairns. The art was ephemeral in that it would either rot away, be burnt or be redistributed into the edges of the park. Whilst the photos below shows that one of the four cairns was burnt over night the others were still in place.

Barry Smith © Cairn after the fire

I really felt a sense of strength that community artists had given their time to create the installation of cairns.

Barry Smith © Cairn- beginnings

Barry Smith © A vista with cairn

Barry Smith © Tracey's cairn

Barry Smith © Scale of one cairn and majestic trees

And some people did contribute their messages of hope and inspiration - and sent those vibes out - even as they burnt.

Barry Smith © Messages of hope and inspiration

Barry Smith © Global messages

Barry Smith © Cairn with messages of hope and inspiration

Big thanks to Noela, Tracey, Edith-Ann and Fiona M - stars.

Sunshine Coast Council - Sister Cities and Festuri multicultural festival

2011-01-30T19:41:00.000+10:00

Australia Day by the beach was the setting for the Festuri festival after it was washed out back in October. Art4place artists joined with thousands of others for the festival; but were there to create artworks on behalf of the Sunshine Coast Council's Sister Cities Association. The art works celebrated their association with our Chinese Sister city of Jingdezhen and our Friendship city of Xiamen.

The theme was “Dragons” and we did all sorts of art activities, mostly with children, which created dragons of all shapes and sizes.

Children painted and attached scales to a 7m long calico dragon which had a fabulous and colourful head, and then carried it down to and along the beach. It caused quite a stir!

Jim had prepared a dragon on a board and children (and adults) wrote their name on the scale and then painted the scale as well – it was great for big and small kids alike and was a really interactive and colourful piece.

Kim had made dozens of clay dragons that children could paint and either take home; or leave to be washed and recycled and painted over again.

Noela created dragon puppets and headbands to be coloured in, cut and made.

Christine, Barry and Fiona helped out a lot! It was a great celebration and the children learned about sister cities and friendship cities and basically enjoyed making all the different dragons.

art4place at Festuri and Bunya Dreaming January 2011

2011-01-25T09:33:00.001+10:00

A number of art4place artists were to carry out dragon themed artworks at the Festuri event on 10 October 2010 - but that event was washed out by rain and severe winds.

Festuri, a multicultural celebration, is now to take place on 26 January 2011 and 6 art4place artists (Christine, Jim, Noela , Kim, Fiona and Barry) will be carrying out a range of dragon themed art, mainly with children, on behalf of the Sunshine Coast Council's (SCC) Sister Cities Association.

Why dragons - because of the links between SCC and Xiamen and Jingdezhen in China. The art event will run from 1-4pm and will create a temporary sense of place relating to the China sister cities. We will record the day and share some of the highlights on the blog.

Last year art4place (fomerly Artsite) contributed to Bunya Dreaming 2010 by helping with the design of the larger artworks on the Baroon site.

This year Beverly Hand, the coordinator of the Bunya Dreaming Indigenous gathering, has invited art4place to attend the gathering and work with children and their parents to create small ephemeral art pieces. The Bunya Dreaming gathering is set down for 29 January 2011 at Baroon Pocket Dam (9am to 7pm).

Up to 9 art4place artists have indicated they will attend (Edith-Ann, Jim, Kim, Tracey, Rob, Noela, Fiona, Barry and Christine); and, in two shifts, will run an art tent where children etc can create art pieces from sticks, grasses, leaves, Bunya nuts etc gathered from the site. Pieces will be constructed using biodegradable glues, twine and paint. We are not sure what will emerge but in the main the art will focus on four local Indigenous totems: King Parrot, python, Wedge Tail Eagle and goanna. No doubt the Bunya nut and tree will also feature. Pieces created may become part of a temporary installation - creating place that tells a story.

We will record the day and hope to share some of the highlights of the art on this blob.

art4place @ Festuri

2010-10-07T21:04:00.002+10:00

Finishing touches, all done! The paper mache' dragon head is ready for children's workshops...

- 6 artists
- Festuri Multicultural Festival

- children's workshops all ages during 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm
- 'The Stockland Village', Kings Beach, Caloundra

- this coming sunday 10th October

art4place @ Festuri event

2010-10-05T20:51:00.006+10:00

FESTURI - is an annual event held on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. A multicultural celebration of food stalls - free performances - children's activities - workshops - storytelling - community information stalls & displays - parade - roving entertainment.

Among the many activities at Festuri, 6 artists from art4place (Barry Smith, Christine Elcoate, Fiona Dempster, Jim Cox, Noela Mills, Kim Schoenberger) will be conducting interactive children's workshops with a dragon theme, on Sunday 10th October, all ages during 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm.

Activities include; moveable dragon puppet, dragon collage, Colouring dragon scales for pinning onto a long calico train suspended from a paper mache' dragon head.

In progress Christine (above) working on the paper mache dragon head.

Kim adding the finishing touches, reading for paint.

Mouth ready for paper mache and later on will be attached to the head.

Festuri - is staged at 'The Stockland Village', Kings Beach, Caloundra, and is in conjunction with Caloundra Music Festival (9 - 10th Oct).

HT article regarding art4place and MCP

2010-09-14T13:15:00.006+10:00

As indicated in the earlier post art4place artists have been actively involved in the community through the launch of the Maleny Placemaking Art Map and ephemeral art

The following article was published in the September 2010 edition of the Hinterland Times.

art4place participating in community

2010-08-23T17:27:00.008+10:00

artists from art4place were active over the weekend. First there was the launch of the Maleny Placemaking Art Map as part of the Festival of Walks Street Party on Saturday 21 August; and celebration of the fact that many local artists have created the 10 works featured on the Map. All artists who had been involved in the creation of the placemaking art were invited to attend the launch. Many attended the launch; and were recognised in the speeches. Those present included: Janna P, Kirsten C, Craig M, Fiona M, Di C, Edith-Ann M, Fiona D and Barry S.

The launch also provided a good opportunity launch art4place’s new name, logo, signage and information cards.

On Sunday 22 August from 10am to 4pm four art4place artists (Kim S, Fiona D, Noela M and Barry S) created ephemeral and temporary art in the picnic area and on the Birdwing Butterfly Walk at Mary Cairncross Park. What an amazing response from the public.

At least 60 children participated in one of the five possible options (stencilling butterflies and their names, colouring in butterflies for sea of butterflies; making butterflies out of leaves; creating a butterfly covered in tiny butterflies; and gluing swatches of colour onto the big butterfly; 10-15 parents-carers also joined in the art work; and 40-50 adults paused on their walk and asked what all the art was about, who the artists were, and do they do this art anywhere else. Parents reported that their children had a ball – and of course the children were fully into it – ages ranged from about 18 months to 12 years.

The front of big butterfly almost finished with help from the smallest artist (photographed with permission of her parent)

Stencilling in action and a photo of one cluster of butterflies

A finished leaf butterfly

A butterfly of butterflies

A segment of the sea of butterflies

And the big fantasy butterfly in the trees

The Festival of the Walks involvement by art4place in Maleny and Mary Cairncross Park is mirrored by Arts Connect in Montville where an art and heritage map was launched on Sunday 22 August; and artworks created on the Kondalilla Falls walk.

From ArtSite to art4place

2010-08-20T18:46:00.001+10:00

You may be wondering why ArtSite had disappeared off the radar to be replaced by art4place. The short answer is that there were legal issues with the ArtSite name, so we brainstormed to come up with 'art4place' which seems to be a popular choice with most members. As a consequence, we needed a new logo and new publicity material, so last week was spent designing new DL cards and posters to promote our placemaking organisation. This is what we have come up with.

New logo:

DL flyer front:

DL flyer back:

This is what it says:

"art4place is a community based enterprise that promotes, coordinates and manages community placemaking public art ventures in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland of SE Queensland, Australia.

Placemaking art highlights the connections of people to the places in which they live. It creates places that engage people, and gives them a sense of belonging to the community.

art4place works with artists, community groups, businesses and all levels of government to promote existing placemaking art and to create new placemaking art.

Artists, businesses, groups and government agencies are invited to indicate their interest in placemaking by registering with art4place.

Registration is free.

art4place is auspiced by:

Hinterland Business Centre

38a Coral Street

Maleny 4552

Qld, Australia

Contact:

Email: Edith-Ann Murray at info@hinterland.biz

Ph: +61 7 5599 9911

Web: www.art4place.com.au

Blog: http://art4place.blogspot.com"

Poster:

..and this is what is written on the poster:

"Placemaking art highlights the connections of people to the places in which they live. It creates places that engage people, and gives them a sense of belonging to the community. art4place works with artists, community groups, businesses and all levels of government to promote existing placemaking art and to create new placemaking art. Artists, businesses, groups and government agencies are invited to indicate their interest in placemaking art by registering with art4place".

Hopefully you will see the information around town and you can help spread the word. The launch of the placemaking map tomorrow in Cooke Park will help to raise our public profile.

Feedback from members is always welcome.

Art4place artists join in the Festival of the Walks

2010-08-08T19:43:00.007+10:00

Art4place and Arts Connect have made a commitment to be artistically involved in this year's Festival of the Walks (FoW). Arts Connect will coordinate activities in Montville and Kondalilla Falls Park; and art4place will be involved in a number of activities in Maleny and Mary Cairncross Park.

art4place's activities include:
* Saturday 21 August art4place’s Maleny Placemaking Art Map will be launched and distributed as part of the FoW Maleny Street Party starting around 11.30am.
* Sunday 22 August (10am-3pm) ephemeral artworks themed on the Birdwing Butterfly will be created by art4place artists in the picnic area of Mary Cairncross Park and throughout the Birdwing Butterfly Walk adjoining the picnic area.
* Sunday 29 August there will be a 'Show & Tell' at the Mapleton Markets from 7.30am -12.30pm where art4place artists will join Arts Connect artists display the construction of and finished products of Kondalilla and MCP ephemeral artworks with photographic and possibly public participation presentations. The art4place Maleny Placemaking Art Map and Arts Connect Montville Art Trail will also be available.

Ephemeral placemaking art:

On Sunday 22 August art4place artists will be involved in the creation of the following pieces of ephemeral placemaking art:
**** Butterflies from leaves – located near the timber platform and associated screens on Butterfly walk – made from Norfolk Pine and Bleeding Heart fronds and leaves
**** Stenciling Butterflies and Butterfly names (Variety of sizes) - along the path and edge of path and on grass on edge of picnic area – stenciling will be done with fine sand and Talc
**** Butterfly sail – in the trees before the timber platform on the Butterfly walk it will be made from stretch fabric, string and paint
**** The big butterfly – created from glued on coloured paper swatches - adjacent to path between platform and end of the Butterfly walk – it will have a light frame for butterfly and the public will be invited to glue paper squares onto the butterfly to create texture and colour
**** Sea of butterflies – an installation of coloured in butterfly images at the beginning and end of the Butterfly walk

Join in

If you want to be part of creating the ephemeral placemaking art why not come to Mary Cairncross Park between 10am and 3pm on Sunday 22 August - make it a picnic, bring the children - good family and creative fun.

Banff supporting placemaking art

2010-07-11T17:18:00.006+10:00

Recently I was fortunate to visit Banff (Canada) - why fortunate? Small as it was Banff demonstrated that the town values placemaking art. Over a period of about 8 years the town has commissioned five pieces or installations (3 stone and 2 bronze) of public art and placemaking that relates to and tells a story about different aspects of the place.

The Mountain Camp celebrated the pioneer spirit of the place.

But my favourite was four crows on tall granite poles - a reference to the crows that are part of the landscape.

I thought the crow above was both inquisitive and haunting.

And I particularly liked the seat made from old snowboards - not a piece commissioned by the town. But what a placemaking story - connection with the youth, snowboarding and the business it was outside of.

Winton a hive of placemaking-public art

2010-05-19T20:07:00.006+10:00

Recently Fiona and I were fortunate enough to do a road trip to Mackay and Longreach for art purposes. On the way to Longreach we passed through Winton and were impressed with a number of placemaking art pieces including: the Waltzing Matilda story; the Musical fence; and Arno's Wall.

In this post I will share a few photos of the Waltzing Matilda display and will do separate posts on the Musical Fence and Arno's crazy wall.

The Waltzing Matilda place is on a median strip in the main street. The Waltzing Matilda poem originated in Winton so it is really part of that place; and the public art is therefore connected to the community - it creates a sense pof place. The 'art piece' consists of a series of sandstone blocks - about 900mm high and 600mm square. Each block has a verse of Waltzing Matilda and out of the block is some bronze piece that represents the core element of the verse. The photos show the overall place and a few of the blocks. The other thing that amazed us was that this was created with public funds.

Sculpture on the Edge - sculptures reflecting place

2010-05-16T20:55:00.005+10:00

In one sense the Sculpture on the Edge Exhibition advertised in the flyer below is not really placemaking art in the purest sense but in a broader sense it is.

A bunch of Arts Connect and ArtSite artists (about 15 artists in all) are creating sculptural art for places. In the exhibition these art pieces will be in the Lucas Parklands garden and associated rain forest walk; but the art could also be just as well suited to public and community places.

The artists have accepted the challenge to create new works and installations (some ephemeral and some that can be moved to other locations) that reflect the forest and the special features of the forest walk. Many of the works will be comments on aspects of the place and aim to communicate that to visitors.

MELBOURNE

2010-04-23T13:04:00.001+10:00

I have just returned from an exciting and stimulating couple of weeks 'down south'. Melbourne sure is the place for great architectural design and creative civil engineering. A big thumbs up for the forward thinking professionals responsible. The sad part is that Melbournians take their creative built environment for granted and don't marvel at the visual tapestry surrounding them.

I have dozens of pics to post when relevent, but will start with a favourite few.

This fabulous 'structure' is on the new linkway between King Way and the West Gate bridge.

Part of the Federation Square & Ian Potter Gallery complex.

... as seen in the hallway of the fabulous old Nicholson Building, off Cathedral Arcade, 37 Swanston St.,- a precinct for creative, slightly 'grunge' artistic activity - production, exhibition, retail - operates a bit like a co-operative.

A little alley off Degraves Place [the lovely little eatery alleyway]. Don't know what was going on, but the locals had certainly made it 'their place'.

Elemental Labyrinth - Mackay

2010-04-18T17:32:00.006+10:00

Recently Fiona and I travelled to Mackay to check out the Libris Awards for artists' books; and the Mackay Artspace Gallery as well.

Because of my involvement in ArtSite and placemaking more generally I am more and more on the look out for what artists are doing in their communities to tell the stories of community or add new stories to the spaces in the community.

In the grounds just adjacent to the entry to the Mackay Artspace Gallery there is a placemaking piece called The Elemental Labyrinth by Jill Chism. She says the labyrinth with its 8 elements is a metaphor for life.

The first couple of photos show the labyrinth nestled into the grass; and a bit of the detail of the entry and centre.

The photos above show a couple of the 8 elemental words words the artist has worked into the edges of the labyrinth path as it moves from the entry to the centre.

I felt the artist had created a quiet space to sit and be still and peaceful; but it also provides an opportunity to think about what underpins our lives.

...seen on the beach on Bruny Island

2010-03-27T21:30:00.000+10:00

How is this for a lovely piece of ephemeral public art?

My Bruny Island [Tasmania] friends, Sandra and Richard, came across these two on their morning walk. The shadows add a wonderful third element to the composition.

Geelong Foreshore

2010-03-18T13:45:00.000+10:00

The City of Geelong on Corio Bay just west of Melbourne has the most wonderful array of interesting sculptural bollards and installations. You can stroll for kilomoters along the foreshore, enjoying the characters and historical maritime references.

...not a good advertisement for 'placemaking' as such, because there were not a lot of people on the forshore. The day before I took these pics, Geelong had won the Footy grand final, so the whole town was in pubs and cafes celebrating, or else nursing hangovers!!

Noosa 'Floating Land' exhibition, 2009

2010-03-18T13:20:00.000+10:00

This was a fabulous ephemeral exhibition - a really good model for something we could do in Maleny and beyond to complement a festival or event. Finding an 'art work' in a common place setting rather than a gallery makes it more accessible and spontaneous for the public - taking the art to the people rather than the people to the art. We have a writer's festival, a wood expo, the Great walks festival, the list goes on ...lots of opportunities to be creative within a public genre.

Understory - art and people create a place

2010-03-14T21:37:00.005+10:00

The Understory project is really worth a look from the perspective of artists collaborating with community to create truly inspiring art and a sense of place in the natural environment. The few photos included here were taken when Fiona and I visited Understory August 2009.

The Understory website says: "Understory is a nationally unique art in nature experience that everyone can enjoy. Artworks are located along a 1.2km walk trail through pristine native forest. Sculptures, stories, poetry and music explore our relationship with nature and the 'spirit of place'."

"Understory was originally called the Southern Forest Sculpture Walk. It is managed by Southern Forest Arts - a 'not for profit' community cultural organisation.

Over 50 nationally and internationally renowned creative professionals have participated in the project since first established in November 2006. New artworks are added regularly to ensure there is always something fresh for visitors to experience.

Most people spend one hour to one and a half hours walking the trail and listening to a range of five audio tours (including interviews with participating artists, stories poetry and music). There are also audio tours especially for children and youth."

Building community - including fence art

2010-03-07T14:49:00.004+10:00

Whilst we were away for work we came across an article on building community, neighbourhoods and sharehoods in the Sunday Age (21/2/10) pages 4-5 of the domain section. In addition to that content what also caught my eye was the simple placemaking art on the fence - and then I realised it was Gilbert Rochecouste and Amanis Lacheta of Village Well of placemaking fame.

Anyway I thought I'd just post a photo of the piece on Gilbert and Amandis; and also a photo of them and the simple fence art.

It reminded me that placemaking is linked to community building; and that placemaking art can be a simple affair and ephemeral.

How is this for placemaking art?

2010-03-03T20:03:00.006+10:00

Came across this project (Kaikai) and thought just what amazing things can be achieved when artists collaborate.

Also came across Community Arts Network South Australia and in regard to their placemaking project they said that "placemaking projects work on the belief that meaningful interactions can turn spaces we find ourselves in, into places we want to engage with."

Granite and earth - creating a place to pause and wonder

2010-02-28T16:17:00.000+10:00

Located just behind the carpark next to the Maleny library is an installation titled ‘Coracle’, - two granite forms set into ripples of turf. They were commissioned by the Caloundra City Council and created by Peachester artists Hew Chee Fong and his partner L.M.Noonan in the year 2000.

“‘Coracle’ is simultaneously an installation and an earth sculpture. There is a deliberate collusion with its proposed surrounding landscape design. It will provoke or suggest in the mind of the viewer a vignette of a journey. A large, granite boulder is carved to the point that suggests rather than literally stating, that it is a boat. As with any object in water, there is a simulated resistance or wake effect carved into the surrounding grassed area. A question is posed, has this craft come ashore here or is it still plying its way? Another large boulder sits in splendid and compelling isolation. The top of this monolith is polished to provoke a sense of the passage of time and the ceaseless smoothing action of water. The earth surrounding it sculpted to imply yet another reaction caused by an object in water. This is in the form of rings, such as those produced when something such as a stone is dropped into a still or unmoving liquid body.

The installation invites physical interaction, the viewer wants to touch and sit upon the sculptures. The work also invites intellectual interaction. The metaphoric references to the journey are powerful. It could be a simple narrative, it could be concerning the journey each of us is making and it could be an appropriate reference to the journey we make when we begin our quest for knowledge.

The work is designed to both evolve out of its surroundings and devolve or merge back into them. It is not designed to be a memorial or function as an object based sculpture.”

Ephemeral placemaking art at Bunya Dreaming

2010-02-06T15:58:00.000+10:00

Congratulations to Beverley Hand and her supporters in once again staging the Bunya Dreaming celebration at Baroon Pocket Dam on 30 January 2010.

As part of the celebration Beverley and assistants created 4 ephemeral placemaking public art pieces that represented four totems for Aboriginal people from the area – the wedge tail eagle, python, goanna, and king parrot.

The four pieces were located at different parts of the celebration site but all could be seen from the public area on the lake foreshore where most of the celebration activities took place, and all art works were formed, in the main, from materials from the site. The art pieces not only told a story of the people who created it; but also the very creation of the art created energy and a spirit of place for the celebrations.

The dark and brooding wedge tail eagle in flight was about two metres high and three wide and was constructed from a large stump on the lake foreshore and collected branches etc that formed wings, tail and body.

The multicoloured python was about twenty or more metres long and was constructed from grass bound with wool. The massive head was created from grass, sticks, rocks for eyes and a bark or grass tongue.

The goanna was created from bunya branches and leaves.

The one metre king parrot looked down at people passing by. It was created from grass for the body, a palm frond formed the chest, green grass wing ‘feathers’, with flashes of red bottle brush flowers and a bean pod beak.

Beverley Hand kindly gave the OK for ArtSite to do a brief post on the art work. Photos by Barry Smith.

Cows creating place in Maleny

2010-01-27T11:25:00.000+10:00

Over the next little while ArtSite will feature existing placemaking-community art in the SSC Hinterland. We will do this as artists and other community members draw our attention to existing art; and hopefully provide us with a photo or two of the art.

Recently an installation of cows designed and developed by Janna Pameijer was officially opened. The installation is sited on the north eastern side of the bridge as one enters Maleny from Landsborough.

Photos courtesy of Gemma Black.

This installation was 3-4 years in the making from concept to opening. It demonstrates that placemaking art can take time; and requires a lot of patience and persistence. But in the end the long journey has been worth it – the artistic and statement aspects of the piece are top class. Like all placemaking art the installation is much more than beautifully designed and executed metal sculpture of cows –it is also about community, about people who are the backbone of the dairy industry; it is about Maleny as a producer of quality dairy products; it is about the history of the cattle sale yards on the bank of the Obi Obi etc.

Congratulations to Janna and her supporters for achieving such a great outcome; and creating another community piece of public art and talking point.

Art Path

2010-01-07T17:25:00.000+10:00

You may or may not be aware that the Story Path and associated story board at the Hinterland Business Centre was ArtSite's first placemaking art project.

The Jan 2010 Hinterland Times published an article (page 20) on the opening of the path by Councillor Jenny McKay (Sunshine Coast Regional Council).

There is also an article on ArtSite itself (page 23).

New beginnings for placemaking art in waning 2009

2009-12-27T11:50:00.000+10:00

It is strange how new endeavours start! Edith-Ann (E-A) from Maleny Art Supplies is always: on the go; coming up with new ideas and connections between people and ideas; and recycling stuff.

As I indicated earlier this year on my personal blog she had been talking about building a story path as a piece of placemaking art at the Hinterland Business Centre (HBC). Big mistake on my behalf when I offered to help mix cement – and then suddenly I found that I was part of a team (Team Grimus – aka the Dirt Team) designing, recycling and building a path with input from onlookers and other interested community residents. Only Joking E-A (aka Primus Grimus) – I really enjoyed the creative community journey.

Anyway the path got built and opened – but more importantly it led us to ask the questions: Why in a community that has more artists per square kilometre do we not have some system or group that supports the design and development of public-placemaking art? Why was it that in the main the coordination of such endeavours is often handled by businesses or organisations outside our Hinterland community?

Those questions were addressed at a meeting of artists and artist organisations (COMA and ArtsConnect) on 5 November at HBC. At that meeting ArtSite – a community enterprise dedicated to the promotion, design, development, coordination and management of public-placemaking art in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland was born.

In the six weeks from that meeting:
* Over twenty people have registered to be involved in the ArtSite enterprise;
* An ArtSite Management Steering Committee has been formed and met on 5 occasions;
* Sponsorship and business administrative arrangements, including insurance, have been agreed with HBC;
* Website and blog domain names have been acquired and blog and website are under development;
* Operational and business rules have been developed;
* A policy to acquire some initial operating capital via donations from Foundation Supporters has been agreed and is being promoted; and
* Most importantly ArtSite is holding discussions with 5 potential ‘clients’ regarding placemaking projects.

So while ArtSite has been born in the tail end of 2009 it will take bigger placemaking art steps in 2010 by actually being involved in placemaking projects. So watch this space for further developments and inputs from members of the ArtSite MSC (Wendy van der Drift, Gemma Black, Malcolm Holz, Edith-Ann Murray and Barry Smith).

But above all:
* Become a follower to this blog; and/or
* Subscribe to it; and/or
* Become involved an interested ArtSite member; and/or
* Become a Foundation Supporter.