Creativity to overflow at fiesta

LOCAL art will be brought to the people, and audiences will be introduced to new creatives at the free Smythesdale Arts and Music Fiesta this Sunday, 6 February.

Visual and performing artists – both locally and internationally recognised – and art-lovers from the Shire’s northern area and broader Ballarat, will unite on the town green, in The Well, Masonic Hall, and old courthouse.

Artists will not only display and perform their work from 10am to 3pm, including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, live music and poetry, but some will run stalls, workshops, and facilitate the painting of collaborative murals.

Linton potter and painter Tameka Hague is keen to share her work at her own Fiesta stall.

“I’ll be offering pottery, made from local clays that I get off my own property or friends’ properties and my paintings,” she said.

“I’m most looking forward to having a bit of an art get-together. We haven’t had one for a really long time, so that will be really nice.”

Festival coordinator, president of GP Arts Inc and ceramicist Barry Wemyss said the aim of the Fiesta is to get artworks, artists’ faces and their names out to more art-lovers, collectors and listeners.

Established creatives from the Golden Plains Arts Inc including printmaker Vida Pearson, painters Stella Clarke and Kate Wise, and sculptors Rosie Grundell and Lyn Dickson will be on site, as well as emerging artists.

Paige Duggan, and The Wünderhorns are some of the musicians booked to perform, and a showcase of local poetry will be hosted by Megan J Riedl, with Craig Coulson, Melissa Watts, and Bronwyn Blaiklock on the bill.

A stallholder in 2021, Ballarat painter Tegan Crosbie will return. Food and refreshments will also be available from a range of vans and stalls.