Artists on show at Open Studios

WHEN Studio Meraki’s Ian Dodd moved from New South Wales to Bendigo, the stone and wood sculptor was keen to connect with his new neighbourhood’s artistic community.

That drive has sparked the first-ever Bendigo Open Studios weekend, where he and 29 other artists will open their workspaces to curious art-lovers, taking tours, sharing their creations, and expanding their network.

Event promoter Wendy Collishaw said the program is set for Saturday 6 to Monday, 8 March, has been boosted by a Bendigo Community Recovery Grant, and will showcase diverse artists, works and practices.

“The artists work on everything you can possibly think of; exquisite high-quality silver jewellery, metal sculpture, delicate lamp work, glass beading, through to knife-making, watercolour and oil paintings, pottery, mixed media, and printmaking,” she said.

Dodd, a retired signwriter, will open his converted garage studio and “makeshift gallery.” Also a painter, drawer, pyrographer and pellet artist, he will present his pieces alongside his wife’s patchwork.

“The whole idea is to meet people, other artists, and see what the town is like for the arts. We hope to expand the event in years to come,” he said.

“The name of my studio, Meraki, is an old Celtic term, which means to leave something of yourself within your work.

“It’s always fun to sit in there, have interested people come in and talk about the work, and how you go about making it. Art should disturb the comfortable, and comfort the disturbed.”

Register your interest in attending at bendigoopenstudios.org to be supplied a map of the citywide studio locations, which include Bendigo Pottery and Valentine’s Antique Gallery. Profiles of each artist are also online.

Ms Collishaw said the event is “essential” at this moment, not just for artists, but for broader Bendigo industries.

“We’re promoting into venues who are desperate. Events have been cancelled and they have nowhere to send people. Arts events all have a flow-on effect into the restaurants and accommodation venues,” she said.

“For a lot of artists, their work is their bread and butter, and they haven’t been able to sell their works during COVID, so an event like this is important for those whose livelihood is their art.

“We can’t let COVID beat us, we have to get arts back up and running. Give the arts a chance, because the events we put on need to be supported to be worthwhile.”