Kingsley Marks - Alexandrina Council - SA.Gov.au

Vol III — Issue 1 January 2011ALEXALEXANDRINA arts and cultural development• Ph: (08) 8555 7289 • Fax: (08) 8555 3603• Web: www.alexandrina.sa.gov.auThis issue’s featured artistKingsley Marks … Fine Marksalso …Watsons Gap ProjectCongratulations to …Café Poet ResidencySCRAC Exhibitions — January and February

Welcome to a belated edition of ALEXARTS… worth waiting for as arts and cultural activity has grown exponentially inrecent months in our region. Perfect then that the next Regional Centre ofCulture will be Goolwa.Some of you may be familiar withwhat that is after experiencing PtAugusta as the inaugural Centre ofCulture program two years ago andMurray Bridge as the Regional Centreof Culture in 2010. Many of youwould understandably be scratchingyour heads. For more informationon both of those and an example ofwhat the year of culture meant to bothof those regional centres visit www.re-imagines.com.au and www.ripplesmurraybridge.com Based onthe European capital of Culture wherea city is designated by the EuropeanUnion for twelve months to have aninjection of arts and cultural activitiesthat have the ability to generateconsiderable cultural, social andeconomic benefit to the host region.For our region initially it means therefurbishment of Centenary Hall into a twenty first century performancespace complete with retractable tieredseating, a bigger stage, professionallighting and sound system. An excitingprospect for local theatre groupsand schools not to mention eageraudiences. The gallery space withinSignal Point will be completed readyto house some engaging exhibitionsthat come with the year of Cultureprogram.Got the Rolls RoyceLindy DowningArts and cultural activities galore.Community art projects pairingcommunity groups with artists tocreate works that neither of themmay have thought of without theopportunity for a unique collaboration.Exhibitions, performances etc broughtto Goolwa for audiences on thesouthern the Fleurieu to enjoy-righton their doorstep.Not only … but also …The National Regional ArtsConference is held in regional Australiaevery two years, this year it wasLaunceston Tasmania. The conferencebrings together arts workers, artistsand a host of presenters and keynotespeakers national and internationalexploring themes relevant and vital tocommunities in regional and remoteAustralia.The last one held in South Australiawas Regional Arts; a changinglandscape in 1998 and I’m pleased tolet you know that in 2012 Goolwawill host the next one. Approximately1000 delegates will descend on Goolwafor four days of ideas and creativity …clearly 2012 is set to be a benchmarkyear for arts and culture on thesouthern Fleurieu … keep you postedBest wishes,Leah GraceArts and Cultural Development OfficerAlexandrina Counciland no driver’s license?Lindy Downing’s recently renovatedstudio offers a creative ambient spacefor photography lovers to learn about theirequipment and push boundaries with theirart making. Lindy will teach you how to useyour camera effectively and also learn howto augment and enhance your images usingphoto shop elements.For more informationon weekly session times and termsphone Lindy on 0420 867 730 ideagenerationworkshopwith Margie HooperTuesday 8 February 2011, 10 am – 4 pmSouth Coast Regional Arts Centre, Goolwa.This workshop is an informal one-dayexploration of ways to generate ideasfor future paintings/drawings. It is not aworkshop about technique or about theproduction of a finished work. It is aboutprocess. The workshop will endeavour tosearch for hidden elements in everydayobjects and enhance the journey towardspersonal expression.Participants will be encouraged to use theirimagination to generate imagery and bysharing ideas will find new ways of lookingat the visual world.Materials needed are:H Sketchbook/notebook, pen/pencil and/orlarger paper and charcoal if preferredH A small 3D object(animal vegetable or mineral)H Reproduction of a favourite masterworkBring your own lunch.Tea and coffee provided.Price: $20 Concession: $15Maximum of 10 participantsBookings 8555 7289 orleah.grace@alexandrina.sa.gov.auFramed Art Posters for Sale …From Howard Arkley to David Hockney,professionally framed …For queries or to view phone 8555 7289

Kingsley MarksKingsley Marks earliest memoriesare of an interest in drawing. After alengthy career teaching in secondaryschools, running workshops aroundAustralia and the USA art schools,exhibiting his drawings, paintingsand ceramics it is to drawing that hehas returned.Currently residing in Victor HarborKingsley initially trained in paintingand drawing, teaching in secondaryschools, he was the first art teacher atMt Barker.In talking with him for a few hoursone gets the impression that a balancewas found between satiating his ownthirst for knowledge, whilst passingwhat he had learned on to his students,of which there were many. He recallsthe opportunity to work with talentedand enthusiastic studentswas a highlight of his careerin this field. Kingsley hasa fascinating collection ofceramics gifted to him byformer students some ofwhom are South Australia’sbest known ceramicists.Becoming interested inpottery before it becamethe established art form itis today was the catalystthat took Kingsley to artschool at the ExhibitionFine MarksBuilding, North Tce and thenStanley Street (Nth AdelaideSchool of Art) as it was then.Kingsley had a sense thatceramics was to becomemuch bigger even beforea degree course wasoffered in SouthAustralia. He hasreceived grants totravel and studyceramics furtherin Mexico theU.S and Canada,enjoying theinfluences on hiswork from othercultures and comparing folk pottery tothat made in tertiary institutions.After teaching in secondary schools fora number of years Kingsley attendeda very rudimentary pottery class onenight a week in what was the iconicJohn Martins building in Adelaide.Limited as the experience was it ledhim to teaching pottery for twentyyears, an occupation he loved. He sightsthe opportunity to work with talentedand enthusiastic students as a highlightof his career in this field.A philosophical approach to makingceramics Kingsley believes in theimportance of a strong and competenttechnical ability and the constantquestioning of “the material and itsunique properties for solving particularproblems”.Pencil drawing — Kingsley MarksNot content however to be recognisedfor his technical ability he also says“the future depends on dynamicapproaches, not simply the repetitionand perfection of technical skills”The combination of engaging content,thirst for learning and a respect forthe skill required for whichever artform is practised is evident once againin the drawings Kingsley is currentlyproducing. Thoughtful, finely renderedpencil drawings, observations from histravels mainly around South Australia.Kingsley’s drawings will be on displayin the ‘holding cell’ of the South CoastRegional Arts Centre during the 2011Wooden Boat Festival. Congratulations!GoolwaH … for winning the bid to beRegional Centre of Culture in 2012and hosting the 2012 nationalregional arts conference in Octoberof the same year.Michael BryantH Goolwa artist Michael Bryant’ssolo exhibition Points of Contacthas been selected to tour regionalSouth Australia over the next twoyears by Country Arts SA. Michaelhas also been shortlisted for theKilgour Prize at the NewcastleRegion Gallery. The Prizeencourages innovative figurativepainting by Australian artists.Suzy RexH Clayton Bay resident Suzy Rex wasrecently awarded the outstandingcontribution volunteer award fromRegional Arts Australia. Presentedto her by His Excellency MichaelBryce AM, AE at the official dinnerfor Junction 2010 national regionalarts conference in Launceston.Cheryl Anne BrownH Goolwa painter Cheryl won the oneday painting competition as partof the Fleurieu Art Prize at VictorHarbor.Carol CoventryH Murray Bridge Rotary Arts Showwinner — $5,000 1st Prize!

Café Poet ResidencyAfter the Salt on the Tongue Poetry Festival left town inApril they gifted Goolwa with a poet in residence. TheAustralian Poetry Centre places poets in cafes where theyact as ambassadors for their art form and create new work.Local writer Michelle Murray has been spending Tuesdaysand Fridays writing and meeting with locals who have aninterest in poetry. Gerald Kay proprietor of Cafelicious,pictured with Michelle says “it is important to support artsat a grass roots level. The residency has only contributedpositives to the café ambience”From Michelle…. I’ve been sitting at my favourite spot on the veranda atCafelicious since about July, Tuesdays and Fridays writingpoetry and drinking coffee that is graciously delivered tome without fail by the fabulous staff at Cafelicious.When I started I had big dreams about how marvellousmy final product would be: a grand cabaret style showwith bright lights and a huge cast all flouncing about insome dream venue in Goolwa. I even had a title: ‘TheBlack Wedding Dress’. But the process and the long darkwinter have been humbling.My main focus now is to get the first draft of the work outand when I finally reach the end, to spend the rest of mytime pulling the entire work into some kind of performancefor March next year and perhaps into a publishable format.You see, I don’t have a series of poems so much as anepic, heroic journey. I am following the principles of JosephCampbell’s ‘The Heroes Journey’ (which Star Wars wasbased on), with the hero as the archetypal orphan during thetimes of the Australian frontier. It is grand, it is mythic, it is anocean of symbolism and metaphor.It has been an incredibly productive writing period for me andthe residency has helped me mature as a writer. I expect thefinal performance will be a simple affair, allowing the words todo their work.And one of the pieces written during her residency …BirthI climbed to the highest branch of the tallest tree by the waterholeI called out ‘mother, come get me’But she didn’t hearI sat for a long time in that treeSwaying a little in the breezeThe sun fell slowly through the skyAnd for all the distance I could seeThere was no-one coming to get meWhen the sky became pinks and shy of greenAnd a chill rose up from the desert floorI began to despair at my hast to be bornPerhaps on the way my mother was waylaidOr fell to her deathOr perhaps she forgotMy fingers grasped the extremities of the branchMy feet fluttered in mid air likeRestless leaves and there I stayedDaring not to make myself comfortableFor fear of letting go and loosing myselfTo the ebb and flow of dust and thingsThat blow from west to eastBut I did sob, silently at firstJust a heaving of the chest, just a breathIn and out, but as time progressed it turned to soundTouching my chest and resounding like a pickle jar drumAll within suspensionSomewhere between death and birthUntil a wail poured forthThat cascaded then slowedA song of sadness because I was aloneMisjudged my entry — now with nowhere to goNot to my mother nor back to the waterholeAnd from the sounds came words of sortsThat tried to articulate my conundrumIn the dark silence of the landscapeIf not my mother then a mother willSurely hear a child in a tree topIn need to belong is allNow that I am set freeTill in the dark I fellTo sleepAnd the tree did swallow meInto her empty cavitiesTo host a spirit of treesWith bugs and birds and snakes and spidersI curled into a knotted junctionAnd fingered her smooth notionI can beThat is simple enoughMy mistake was to believeThat I would be something other than a treeMichelle Murray 2010Michelle MurrayCafelicious proprietor — Gerald Kay

Sam EvansAerosol art project at Watsons GapAdam WrightMayor Kym McHughDarren HartBradLeah GraceJake HerbetAnja HalsteadThe underpass at Watsons Gap has been transformedfrom grey cement in to an outdoor art gallery for peoplewalking or using the bike track to enjoy.An innovative partnership between Alexandrina Council and the BeyondToday housing development managers has provided an opportunity for someyoung aspiring artists. The tunnel was offered as a canvas to some talentedyoung aerosol artists with facilitation from Sam Evans and Victor Harborartist Darren Hart.Working with the themeof ecological sustainabilitythe group spent severaldays developing a conceptand design before paintingthe tunnel for five days.Go for a stroll and see the onlyart work of its kind in the area …

Exhibitions — South Coast Regional Arts CentreJanuary — Once and ThenOnce … and Then, an exhibitiondedicated to the Murray, opened at theSouth Coast Regional Arts Centre onFriday 7th January 2011.It brings together the combined voicesof artists from the Coorong, LakesAlexandrina and Albert and the Riverland. Fuelled by love of place, theartworks were all created in response tothe ever-increasing stresses overtaking theartists’ surrounds in recent years.Each responded in their own way,from expressing beauty on the vergeof disappearing or utilising the river’sbounty in woven forms, to powerfulenvironmental statements, political satire,quirky transformation of farm flotsam,to visions of apocalyptic futures andmapping the effect on the innerpsyche.Together, the artworks tell the river’sstory, once our magnificent RiverMurray and its Lakes and Coorongwere lush and bountiful. Then lookwhat happened. Inexorably, as theriver began to have more and morewater taken from it, ultimately morethan it had to give, a slow declineset in. Almost un-noticed at first,it relentlessly gathered pace untilthe drought brought things to ahead. The result was the criticallydegraded state we have faced untilonly a few months ago.Liz Yelland a river storyFebruary — Ways of Seeing Kevin Tremellen & Nicole PascalLocal photographer Kevin Tremellen has teamed up with Goolwa artistNicole Pascal to present February’s exhibition Ways of Seeing.Kevin is a traveller whose recent trip to Peruhas yielded some beautiful portraits and stunningpanoramic landscapes as well as local photographsfrom along the river.Nicolle’s strength isin her drawing andwith her favouredmedium of pastelspresents her firstexhibition. Locallandscapes, rich andtimeless, still livesand figurative work,confident markmaking and rich colours has produced a beautifulbody of work for her debut exhibition.Robyn Andrews with her woven creationSinging for WellbeingEveryone has a voice.If you just want to sing, this group is foryou. Vocal chords are muscles; they needexercise to become stronger.With guidance from Mary Laslett andsafety in numbers this is a gentle and funway to find your voice.Individuals $10 Con $8 Couples $15The timeless and uplifting act of singingthrough all cultures unites people. Thisgroup is based on Singing for HealthVictoria Learn short, positive songs withrounds or harmonies for fun covering manymusical styles and cultures Laughter ispermitted! For more information phoneMary on 8536 6180 or 0428 593 874arts groups on the move …With the growth in membership of thedrawing, painting and digital imaging groupswho meet at the Old Goolwa Police Stationa larger and more suitable venue has beensought and found.The Scout Hall facing the river at the end ofLiverpool Road will be home to these groups.A’ house warming ‘was held on January 11.For more information phone vice president ofFriends of the Old Goolwa Police Station JanetTapping on 8555 3826Friends of the OGPS – Caroline MargaretWays of Seeing will be opened by GrahamPankhurst on February 3 at 5.30 pm. & Janet Tapping