Open Studios sampler a taste of excitement

WORKS from the town’s newest and most intimate collective art exhibitions were on show at the Old Church on the Hill last Sunday.

Many artists from the Bendigo Open Studios program, scheduled for the Labour Day long weekend, filled the community hall with their work as a sampler of what’s coming up next Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Throughout the event, visitors were treated to demonstrations of pet portraiture, paintings, charcoal drawing, sculpture and watercolour.

Artist Sarah Wallace-Smith said she has loved being a part of Bendigo Open Studios, an initiative launched last year by Ian Dodd.

“There are some fantastic artists here in Bendigo and everyone’s been busy doing their own things so to actually get together and form one giant group of amazing people,” she said.

Wallace-Smith said it will be great to be able to connect with people interested in her work when she opens her View Street studio next week.

“It’s really important, people love to see where the magic happens and how, and ask questions and get excited about it,” she said.

This year’s Open Studios features 34 artists, including watercolourist Terry Jarvis, sculptor Andre Sardone, street artist Mr Dimples and painter Frankie O, who is also the initiative’s secretary.

“We are so excited for so many reasons… it’s just nice to take a breath and share what we’re doing with everybody in Bendigo and surrounds,” Frankie O said.

“It’s about nurturing developing artists and giving them a stage where they can share their work, processes and spaces.”

For the full program, head to bendigoopenstudios.org.