Art group finding groove again

THE Bendigo Art Society is getting back together, and to celebrate they’re putting on a three-day exhibition at Dudley House.

Titled All Shook Up, the exhibition is a nod to the King of Rock and Roll and the Bendigo Art Gallery’s Elvis: Direct from Graceland retrospective.

Society president Pamela Vine said the group of about 50 artists are excited for their first show since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Getting back to being a group of people who can get together and show our work, that’s really what it’s about,” she said. “It’s sort of a celebration of emerging from COVID.

“We thought we’d follow on the exciting Elvis show with an All Shook Up exhibition, getting back from COVID and enjoying the fun of what we did during the pandemic.”

Like many artists, Vine said she found plenty of time to get back into regular painting over the past two years.

“I’ve painted non-stop, I’ve virtually painted every day,” she said.

“At the start of COVID I just sat and ate, and I thought this is no good. It got me back into painting again and I haven’t stopped.”

The Art Society meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 10am at Mandurang Hall and the meetings feature a different activity each time, with workshops hosted by local artists.

Vine said the group is looking for younger members to join and bring in different forms of creativity.

“There are quite a few people who’ve stuck to their traditional method of art,” she said.

“Some people who are older like to stick to their way of painting they’ve done for years, but we want young people with young ideas to come in.”

The Bendigo Art Society’s All Shook Up exhibition includes a special opening night on Friday, 15 July at 7pm and will run until 17 July. Opening hours are 10am to 4am with admission at $2.