The arts community is fostering its own cross-border relations with Tenterfield-based Artists’ Collective Studio inviting the Stanthorpe Pottery Club down for an exhibition in its Rouse Street gallery, opening this Friday night June 22.
Opening night is certainly the place to be with a variety of hot soups on offer (pea-and-ham, pumpkin-and-bacon, chicken-and-sweetcorn and cream-of-vegetables), served with a twist. Patrons get to choose their soup vessel from a range of 30 unique bowls handcrafted by the Stanthorpe potters.
Then 10 or more members of the club will have their non-soup related work on exhibition, including that of well-known Tenterfield potters Janet White and John Donnelly.
Mr Donnelly has a long history as a painter, more recently delving into pottery and forging a reputation for his hand-built colourful pieces. (Arguably an even greater claim to fame was being the answer to one of the questions at Rotary’s recent trivia night.)
“You can always recognise a John Donnelly pot,” Ms White said.
Those who missed out a securing a piece of Ms White’s work at her exhibition last year have a second bite of the cherry with more pieces included in this exhibition.
On display will be animal sculptures, horse-hair raku and saggar works, fine porcelain and practical stoneware pieces.
Also included will be pots created from the club’s oldest member Carmela Pennisi. Now in his 90s, Mr Pennisi was a founding member of the club back in 1971.
The Tenterfield exhibition is a good opportunity to view selections from the 30 member-strong Stanthorpe Pottery Club without travelling to Stanthorpe, where the club gallery is open only for three hours on a Sunday. Anyone interested in exploring their potting potential can come along to talk to club members, or they can contact Janet White on 0400 703 118 for more information.
Adorning the gallery walls will also be the work of artist Judi Pidgeon, who works in watercolour, gouache and mixed media. After entering retirement Ms Pidgeon found an outlet through art, fascinated by the play of light on a scene and the challenge to recreate it realistically.
A selection of her Italian village scenes will be on display, and the Artists’ Collective Studio’s Anni Washington described the works as different from the usual, and very nice.
Everyone’s invited along to the exhibition opening night this Friday from 5.30pm for warm hospitality and hot soup surrounded by unique art. The exhibition then continues on until Sunday, July 22.
The gallery is open Wednesday to Friday from 10am to 4pm, and on weekends from 9am to 3pm.
