BLUE KING - Warp Magazine

24 Arts Arts 25
TASmANIAN HERITAGE
FESTIvAL
AN EXCITING ARRAY OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ACROSS
THE STATE ARE ON OFFER DURING MAY FROM THE
FESTIVAL THAT AIMS TO BE THE LARGEST CELEBRATION OF
TASMANIA’S CULTURAL HERITAGE.
From May 1 – 31, the Tasmanian Heritage Festival
2011 theme is “From lamingtons to lasers
– our agricultural heritage”, and has attracted
a variety of organisations to participate, including
historical societies, libraries, schools,
museums and government departments as
well as representatives from the private and
corporate sectors.
highlights this year include:
Thylacine: Tasmanian Tiger Exhibition at the
Wilderness Gallery, Cradle Mountain, telling
the story of the thylacine and the human interaction
that led to its extinction. The viewer can
experience a life size thylacine skeleton, enter
a Trappers Hut and listen to stories of trappers
and snarers, view footage of the last tiger, as
well as witnessing a rare Tasmanian Tiger
Buggy Rug made of 8 Tasmanian tiger skins.
Yarns; Art Work in Silk: A display of four large
wall hangings depicting Meander Valley agricultural
heritage at the Great Western Tiers
Visitor Centre in Deloraine.
IMAGE: NATIONAL TRUST TASMANIA
Tasmanian Wood Design: The Collection of
Contemporary Wooden Objects is housed in
the Design Centre in Launceston, a stunning
contemporary building recently listed in the top
1000 contemporary buildings of the world.
The Fire and the Passion: A wood-fired pottery
exhibition by artists Ian Jones and Moraig
Mckenna, who have used traditional methods
of wood as the fuel for the kiln and making
functional pottery with a kick wheel and hand
forming techniques. On display at the Artisan
Gallery, Robigana.
Plus an exciting menu of activities, programs
and events open to all Tasmanians and visitors
for the duration of May.
More information: www.nationaltrusttas.org.
au/heritagefestival.htm
ALISON MCCRINDLE
Lift by Jim Maidment & chris atkinson
pRIzED SCULpTURE By
THE BAy
BENCHMARKING BIRCHS BAY SCULPTURE PRIZE IS A
UNIQUE GALLERY EXPERIENCE THAT SUPPORTS AND
PROMOTES LOCAL ARTISTS.
Five Bob at Birchs Bay is a property that
supports an eclectic business mix, debunking
the idea that commercial farming is finished in
the south Channel.
For ten months of the year, the farm supplies
Dutch iris to mainland cut flower markets,
while the native food enterprise Diemen
Pepper exports Tasmania’s only native spice to
markets in Europe and North America.
Six years ago, proprietor Chris Read also
opened Fleurtys Café and Essential Oil
Distillery, following the farmers’ dictum that
diversity is strength.
As Fleurtys Event Co-ordinator, I hatched the
idea of a sculpture trail during my pre-work
walks around the trails. I developed the project
as part of the café operation, and with Chris’
enthusiastic support have taken it onwards
and upwards.
The first sculpture trail in 2006 introduced the
idea of sculpted seating installations, dotted
around the trail, to encourage café visitors to
wander the paths, while providing them plenty
of rest stops.
The prize was dubbed Benchmarking Birchs
Bay and although since then the theme has
become more generalised, the name has
stuck, and on Good Friday this year, the sixth
Benchmarkng Birchs Bay Sculpture Prize
opens with the most exciting and diverse
collection yet.
Viewing this year’s 25 entrants could take
a whole day, or you might just power walk
around in twenty minutes, although then you’ll
need to come back again before the trail closes
at the end of June.
The pieces are installed on a 1.5 kilometre long
trail, with spectacular mountain and channel
views. It’s a unique gallery experience.
Apart from the simple joy of developing work
for presentation in a wonderful outdoor gallery,
the artists have the added encouragement of
awards provided by Kingston council mayor
Graham Bury, a Fleurtys’ prize, by acquisition,
and the People’s Choice Award, determined by
the visitors themselves.
Obviously there is also the opportunity to sell
work – in 2010 half the entries were sold by the
end of the exhibition, which provides a great
boost to working artists.
We would like to extend our thanks to Graham
Bury and the Kingborough Council, The
Tasmanian government, Southern Cross
Television, Rabobank and Heron’s Rise
Vineyard for their support and sponsorship
without whom it would be difficult for the event
to proceed.
WENDY EDWARDS
www.fleurtys.com.au
Benchmarking Birchs Bay Sculpture Prize
Good Friday until the end of June 2011
10am to 5pm
Entry by gold coin donation
Bed of Roses by anna Williams
EntriEs closE 17 JunE
Chief Judge: Kirsty Grant
For enquiries contact John Ancher
P (03) 6221 4215
E artprize@hutchins.tas.edu.au
www.hutchins.tas.edu.au
An initiative of the Hutchins Foundation Ltd.
warpmagazine.com.au warpmagazine.com.au
HUTC4967_RJ
hutchins Art Prize, an acquisitive award for
works on paper, is upon Australasian’s once
again for its twelfth year running. 2009 saw
a prize pool of AU $18,000 and the winning
artists Milan Milojevic of Tasmania .
Hutchins Art Prize has bec.ome a highly
recognised and leading award within
Australia since its beginnings in 1997.
Starting out as an annual award it recently
changed format to biennial in 2007 allowing
IMAGES: WENDY EDWARDS
for a reater money prize on offer. A panel
of 5 judges select 60 works which are then
exhibited at The Long Gallery in Salamanca
during 18-30th of October 2011.
The award is open to established and
emerging (including tertiary level) artists
across Australasia.
For more information visit
www.hutchins.tas.edu.au/hutchins-art-prize/