Newsletter

Red Rock Regional Theatre and Gallery

Newsletter

Edition 5/17

http://www.redrockarts.com.au 520 Corangamite Lake Road, Cororooke,Victoria.

Cover: Cheryl Kennedy

CrossXPollinatioN 2016,

Entwined@RRRTAG

June 2017 June 2017

2 IN THIS EDITION

Contents:

In This Edition 2

Art Gallery: Reflections in Encaustic 3

Art Gallery News 4

Carolyn Theatre: Spring Season 5

Carolyn Theatre: Return to the Well 6

Focus on Film 7

Red Rock Stories launch 8

Review: The Art of Sport 9

Been and Seen: The Art of Sport 10

Let’s chat: Anthony Albrecht 11

Calendar of Events 12

Around the Community 13

As always, there are plenty of initiatives https://anthonyalbrecht.yapsody.com/event/index/63529

For music lovers, there are two June concerts to enjoy. Anthony Albrecht presents his solo cello performance at the Carolyn Theatre in Bach to the Bush (see page 11) and Return to The Well (page 6) showcases three local groups in Gazjaz, The Runaways and The Hip Replacements for a Sunday afternoon of varied rock, jazz and blues sounds.

May has been a huge month in the art gallery with the showing of The Art of Sport, initiated by committee member Sandy Batten and curated by the gallery committee team. Each month the gallery committee hangs new exhibitions and knowing how to lay out so many unique pieces of work is quite an art in itself. Read more about this exhibition in sports journalist Peter Hanlon’s article on page 9. Coming up in June is the work of Mary McLaren whose creations are sure to delight visitors. Please also note the call to artists due by June 9 for CrossXpollinatioN in July.

During WWII Winston Churchill was asked to cut funding for the arts. He replied, “Then what are we fighting for?” The arts are needed more than ever and RRRTAG particularly wants to acknowledge Regional Arts Victoria (RAV) and Creative Victoria for their support of our successful Autumn Theatre program. For information about the Spring Theatre Season, please see page 5.

And don’t forget, a new Spring Film Society Season is coming up so why not join up.

Film makers, musicians, artists and creatives need viewers and listeners from all the community. Your involvement keeps the wheels of RRRTAG spinning so we hope to see you soon!

For me to be able to get up and say something

through my music that words couldn’t say taught me that you can serve a higher purpose and do

something for people that is priceless and unique.

The story behind the creation of Red Rock

resonated for me. It is probably the ideal place for

my performances – Anthony Albrecht

ART GALLERY 3

June ‘Reflections in Encaustic’ a solo exhibition of works by Mary McLaren Mary McLaren is an American artist living locally in the Otways who specialises in using a wax painting technique called encaustic - an ancient method dating back to the Greeks using molten beeswax to create vibrant and luminous surfaces. Mary rejects a current art culture of disposable art that is consumed quickly and can be reproduced easily and believes all works are best enjoyed in their original format. Her aim is to use bold line and colour to draw a viewer in closer and then entice with intricate detail and texture. Small secret drawings and sometimes messages are imbedded in the wax. The paintings are meant to capture a viewer’s attention for an extended period of time. Mary does not wish to explain her work upfront, but wishes to connect with the viewer intimately by letting them bring their own personal meaning to the image. The viewer is invited to fill their imagination with what the painting could mean to them by not giving too much information about individual pieces.

Come along to the exhibition opening and support this talented local artist!

July Flight @ RRRTAG will showcase creative 2 and 3D artworks from both established and emerging artists using or referencing Textiles and/or Fibre to explore the theme ‘Flight’. Artists are invited to submit artworks using a range of art practices including textiles, fibre, painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics, glass, print-making, photography or video work to address the theme. Award categories include The Scissor Award for Excellence and People's Choice Award.

ENTRIES CLOSE: Friday, 9th June 2017, at 5pm

Artists working in textile & fibre are invited to submit a 3 dimensional artwork for exhibition in Flight @ COPACC. Entries are open to all artists working in fibre and

textiles. Artists are encouraged to CrossXpollinate and collaborate on a work of art. Award categories include Non-Acquisitive, Encouragement and People's Choice.

All artwork will be on display from the July 1 - 23, 2017.

ENTRIES CLOSE: Thursday 1st June 2017, at 5pm

August con.ceit’17 $7,500 acquisitive prize 2 additional non-acquisitive prizes

Artists are invited to interpret the theme con.ceit in any medium of 2D format. Work is required to have been produced between August 2016 and August 2017.

con.ceit – ‘a concept; that which is conceived, imagined or formed in the mind, an idea, thought, image, a personal opinion’.

ENTRIES CLOSE: Friday, 16th June, at 5pm

Visit www.redrockarts.com.au for details on all exhibitions, entry forms and terms & conditions of entry. For further enquiries email us at redrockexhibitions@gmail.com

4 ART GALLERY NEWS

CAROLYN THEATRE 5

Tickets: $130 from trybooking.com/PPMK

6 CAROLYN THEATRE

Screenings Autumn Season 2017

FOCUS ON FILM 7

Find out more about joining at:

www.redrockarts.com.au

June 21/22 Dheepan Dheepan is a Sri Lankan Tamil warrior who flees to France and ends up working as a caretaker outside Paris.

1h 55 min Crime Drama

2015 MA15+ France/Tamil

Films start at 7.30pm

Join us in another fabulous season of film, fun and fellowship at the Red Rock Film Society Spring Season 2017

Want to Become a Member? Online: email your name, address and phone number along with your preferred film night (Wednesday or Thursday) to redrockfilmsociety@gmail.com and deposit membership fee into the Film Society account

BSB: 633 000 Account Number: 145 740 866

In Person: Complete application details and pay cash at film screenings on 21/22 June

or at:

Rhodes Veterinary Clinic 74 Gellibrand Street Colac 3250

Membership is limited by the theatre capacity to 72 people for each night.

Screenings are available to members only with a limited number of places for ‘guests’ at each screening.

Guest attendance or change of screening night must be pre-arranged by emailing Cheryl Creighton (President) at least

24hrs before the screening at redrockfilmsociety@gmail.com

July 19/20 – SELMA August 16/17 – THE ASSASSIN September 20/21 - THE RED VIOLIN October 18/19 – UMRIKA November 15/16 – THE FENCER

Members can borrow DVDs of previous seasons’ films at:

Rhodes Veterinary Clinic 74 Gellibrand Street Colac 3250

8 RED ROCK STORIES

For the last three years a small group consisting of members of the Red Rock District Progress Association and the Colac & District Family History Group have worked on a project to record more than 40 oral histories of the district. These oral recordings and the website were launched at RRRTAG on May 10. Here are some words from Helene Bell’s opening speech at the event.

It was lovely to hear people actually sharing the stories. When I first came to the area, I heard a little blurb about the district. I was just fascinated by how far back, not only the story goes, but that there are people here who can tell that story, and so Merrill came up one day and said, “You know you could get a grant to do this”. Well, little did I know!!! (laughter).

It’s been a wonderful journey. We’ve heard what it was like for the interviewers to do the stories, for us who were involved and I wonder if people who are part of the project could just quickly put your hands up... come on Garry, Rosemary… So as you can see there’s quite a team of us. Thank you so much, you’ve been an amazing group to work with. On behalf of the Red Rock Progress Association that initiated this

project, and the Family History Group of Colac who spurred us on, and gave us the professional backing, one person that I’d really like to single out, although he’ll probably shrink, is Bob Baillie who has provided the most professional CDs. He’s taken these stories, and turned them into a wonderful product which will now be able to be shared with generations to come. He has spent hours and is so particular. So a very special thank you.

It has been a privilege, we have all felt that, to hear what you’ve got to say about the district. I knew it had a story, I didn’t dream it had this story. It’s been great. We’re launching the website today. The website gives us tantalising, beautiful little snippets of your story…every story and there are 45, or is it 46? We started off doing 22, and even now people are saying, “You should have got…” There are still stories out there and I apologise but please don’t feel you’ve been missed out, we just couldn’t fit any more. So, how do we access this? You simply go onto google (and ask your grandchildren to do it for you) and put in Red Rock Stories and that should bring up this page on your computer:

http://redrock.colacfamilyhistory.org.au

REVIEW: The Art of Sport Exhibition 9

Bob Utber has long been intrigued by the relationship between sport and art, a fascination that convinced him our distant forebears were arguably more attuned to the harmony between these two expressive pursuits than we are today.

“In ancient days you always saw images – on rocks, on marble, on wood – of people playing games,” Utber says. “It was something I was very conscious of that we didn’t seem to have as much. Putting on these exhibitions is an effort to try and show that sport and art can exist together, and really relate.”

The Art of Sport, which graced the RRRTAG through May, followed Utber’s The Art of Football which aired in his hometown of Mildura last year. Bob encounters artists whose passion for sport as subject matter – Australian football in particular – leaves him determined to give sports lovers the opportunity to return the favour.

The many who took the opportunity to view The Art of Sport at RRRTAG were captivated by the work of indigenous artist Nathan Patterson, who launched the exhibition alongside Utber, and who has an enduring connection with the venue having held his first solo exhibition at RRRTAG. Patterson, who designed the Geelong jumper for this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round, honoured the exhibition with his homage to Marngrook, the Aboriginal game that spawned Australian Rules.

It graced the gallery alongside the moment-in-time etchings of Jim Pavlidis, Kate Birrell’s colourful, almost child-like works of a Footscray family heading off to the football, Kathleen Harkins’ poignant female footballer in felt, a timely celebration of the long overdue recognition of the contribution women can make to the game, not just outside the boundary.

Football is Utber’s great love, and as the grandfather of Geelong’s Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield he could almost find himself in Susan Sutton’s works of Geelong footy fans. Yet he saw

something for everyone in the non-football artwork, such as Sutton’s bright depiction of swimmers bounding out of the water at Lorne’s Pier To Pub. “All of these people of all shapes and sizes doing something they love …” Utber noted, an observation that speaks to sport and art at all levels.

Returning to football, the presence of printmaker Naomi Le Get’s striking images of Adam Goodes and Bob Murphy struck a particular chord with one group of visitors. Murphy was given a heightened understanding last year of the notion of “the tortured artist” when his Western Bulldogs won their first premiership in 62 years, while he watched helplessly from the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury.

Travelling with friends to South Australia’s Coonawarra region, his parents John and Monica dropped in to RRRTAG. “Loved the happy footballer!” Monica Murphy said, warmed by the transformative power of art and sport.

Peter Hanlon

RRRTAG is thrilled to have journalist Peter

Hanlon’s thoughts on the exhibition. Thank you,

Peter! And special thanks to Bob Utber for

sharing his knowledge and passion with RRRTAG.

10 BEEN AND SEEN – The Art of Sport

Paul Hodgson and Peter MItchell

Nathan Patterson and his daughter in front of his artwork Marngrook

Susan Sutton’s Blue and White Fever

Susan Sutton’s Ocean Swim Kathleen Harkins’ AFLW

Kate Birrell’s, Family with Two Kids, Footscray Station

LET’S CHAT: Anthony Albrecht 11

Your tour is called “Bach to the Bush”. So why is a world-class cellist bringing his music to us?

I love rural and regional Australia; it’s so beautiful. Venues like Red Rock are the reason I’m undertaking this tour. I just love connecting with local community arts institutions. It is such a pleasurable performing experience. My ideal audience is 50 to 100. Playing in a concert hall is fun but most of the time you never end up feeling that you’ve made friends with the audience afterwards. The real sense of gratitude and real genuine enjoyment that people in rural areas have when you organise a concert is much more touching and inspiring.

There are very few examples of young up-and-coming performers undertaking these types of tours, but my tour could be a blueprint for others to tap into these existing arrangements.

What makes the cello such an engaging solo instrument?

The cello was a bass instrument, but in the 17th century some radical players in Bologna realised it could also be an amazing solo instrument; melodic and capable of a great range of sounds; with resonances to the human voice. It has the capability to tap into people’s innermost secret feelings and thoughts; allow them to lose themselves in thought and take them away from the worries of the world for just a little while or, if they want, to digest the world a little better via sweet harmony. This is particularly true of Bach’s Suites for Solo Cello. Cellists are fortunate to have them. They are always a work in progress. You learn something every time you play them. You keep going on the journey through your whole life. It is very much a privilege for me to perform these pieces. It is an easy choice to select them but you know you are in for a challenge.

Why Bach? What is special about his work?

Bach brings a beautiful source of associations. It takes people immediately into a profound and sincere artistic place. They know what they will experience will be beautiful, spiritual and even healthy. It is like choosing to pursue wellness when you choose to attend a Bach concert. You know you are not just going to be entertained. You know something is going to happen inside. My studies at Juilliard attempted to explore inside the sound world that the composer was familiar with. Bach knew a cello with gut strings, no spike at the bottom and baroque bow that curves outwards. Incorporating all this in the performance makes for a much different experience. It must be played with sincerity.

What I also like to do is give the music context. My concerts take people back in time, drawing a picture of the social, cultural and historical context and explaining some of the decisions that Bach would take, for example, in choosing the key and instrument. They are guided into a realm of ideas which makes listening more enjoyable and interesting. Performing these pieces must be a challenge? Now that I’m teaching younger people to interpret them, I am aware there’s so much you absorb over the years that helps you play this music. It’s not just musical and technical knowledge. The soul is better at deciphering mysteries and pouring itself into the music. I do feel Bach has always resonated with me. I played the Prelude of the Second suite in D minor at the funeral of a close friend when I was 16. For me to be able to get up and say something through my music that words couldn’t say taught me that you can serve a higher purpose and do something for people that is priceless and unique. The story behind the creation of Red Rock resonated for me. It is probably the ideal place for my performances. For find more about Anthony’s work visit his website please see: http://www.anthonyalbrecht.com/ Peter Cakebread spoke to Anthony on 19th May

12 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AROUND THE COMMUNITY 13

RURAL LIBERTIES WILL BE LAUNCHED BY RICHARD RIORDAN MP ON 6PM, FRIDAY JUNE 16 AT TPB (THE PLACE TO BE) 27 MURRAY STREET, COLAC 3250 RSVP SALES@COWLICK.COM.AU

14 AROUND THE COMMUNITY

Please contact Suzanne Frydman at newsletter@redrockarts.com.au with any queries, ideas and

feedback. Deadline for items in the July edition – July 14. Thank you for your ongoing support.

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