Gallery’s Sizzling Summer Party

THE Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery will host a Sizzling Summer party to welcome in the new season with art, music, food and an auction.

To set the scene, two exhibitions will be opened in the early evening of Wednesday, November 19.

In the Bainger Gallery will be the work of Limestone Coast artists on the theme of Summertime.

All works interpret what summer means to the artist – seascapes and bright colours will be featured and all works are for sale.

A Sizzling Summer colouring competition for the district’s children has been attracting early entries.

This will be in two age groups – Reception to Year 2 and Year 3 to 6.

Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at the party and entry forms can be obtained from the gallery or by downloading from the gallery website – naracoorteartgallery.com.au

In the main gallery, photographer Heather Petty’s work entitled Long Exposure of Memory which features the beauty of ruins of houses near her birthplace of Wudinna on Eyre Peninsula, will be on show.

For seven years, Heather returned to Wudinna to document the abandoned homes of people she knew.

Her camera captured landscapes through window frames, old floorboards, clothing and artwork left behind which reveal the passage of time and the stories embedded in semi-forgotten places.

Her exhibition will be opened by Penola artist Anne Johnson and Heather will speak about her work.

The Sizzling Summer auction will see four artworks sold which feature summer motifs – a watercolour by well known Australian bird artist Jeremy Boot named Silver Gulls and a pastel of seagulls called Seagull Conference.

Two mosaics round out the catalogue – a wall hanging or table top by Naracoorte artist Lisa Caon of a mermaid, The Scottish Siren and a very popular mosaic Buxom Babe named Sylvie by artist Robyn Schinckel.

Auction Catalogues are available from the gallery and there will be a preview on Sunday. November 16, from 10am to 12noon.

The auction proceeds will fund restoration of artworks in the gallery’s collection.

To get everyone in a summery mood students of Stringybach Music in Naracoorte will provide guitar music and a sausage sizzle, with a small charge, will be available from 6pm.