Artists find the wonder in the world

A new and exciting art exhibition over the coming school holidays will feature more than a dozen talented artists from Lorne.

Exhibition director and local Lorne artist Robyn Mackay is spearheading the new Lorne Community Connect (LCC) arts exhibition to help promote the town’s newly formed Community Connect Arts Precinct as a fantastic venue for Surf Coast creatives.

The newly unveiled precinct will provide local artists with a means of showcasing works as well as be a cultural, artistic, and creative space and destination for the community and tourists.

Running for two weeks, What a Wonderful World is inspired by the sentiments and optimism of Louis Armstrong’s 1967 song of the same name.

“We are very excited to get the word out about this new arts precinct as a great venue for artists and creatives to display their work,” Mackay said.

“We have 13 very talented local Surf Coast artists that have responded to ‘What A Wonderful World’ in their own unique way.

“They elicit a sense of beauty, hope and unity, showing us that there are still so many things worth enjoying despite the troubles of the world we live in today.”

Artists to be featured in the exhibition include:
Andrew Allen
Nicola Perkin
Elizabeth Rickey
Lara Bardsley
Lee Powell
Mathew Solly
Jill Giles
Robyn Mackay
Cinnamon Stephens
Rosemary Harris-Arnott
Emma Mitchell
Miriam Hercus
Joel Wolter

Mackay said there would be a wide array of art mediums on display, including sculptural work, ceramic pieces, paintings, prints and wood carvings.

“My purpose with this exhibit is mainly to help give these local artists a chance to get their names out there in the public sphere.

“Particularly with Lorne-based artists, hopefully this exhibition will bring them together a bit, there’s nowhere really for local aspiring artists to really put their work.

“We have terrific art galleries in town like Qdos Arts and In the Skies Art & Music Gallery, but they are catered towards more well-known artists.

“But that’s a major reason why this new arts precinct is in place, to really network and glue together the Lorne artistic community as well.”

The inspiration for the exhibition’s theme stems from a comparative view of what the world was like in the 1960s and today.

Mackay said “What A Wonderful World” was released at a time when global tensions were high.

“The same can be said of the world that we live in today with pandemics, wars, and global warming. There seems to be crisis everywhere.

“Within this context, the sentiments of this song are just as relevant now as they were 56 years ago, they project beauty in a simplistic way, bringing a sense of hope and unity showing us that there are still so many things worth enjoying despite the troubles of the world.

“Take the time to look and see that there is beauty to behold and pleasure to be found in the people and things around you, be they monumental or seemingly inconsequentially small.”

Mackay is one of the artists that will have her work on display and said it was personally super-exciting.

“Obviously, that it really exciting for me, but also the really exciting thing about it is now having a permanent place that the community can access and view other artists’ work.

“There will be workshops on offer for the local community and local artists can host those workshops as well.”

Lorne Community Connect’s new permanent arts precinct is at 2 Otway Street, Lorne.

LCC is run by volunteers and is at the site of the former Lorne Senior Citizens.

The venue recently hosted a successful photographic exhibition as well as the play Shadow of Angels by Anglesea Performing Arts before it went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

What a Wonderful World will have its official opening at Lorne Community Connect on September 15 at 6pm, and will be open daily from 10am-4pm until October 1.

LCC presently offers a successful Artist in Residence program and is seeking creatives to apply to this program. If you are interested, email [email protected]