Q and A with Michelle Ball

This July, I am thrilled to welcome a new artist, Michelle Ball, to The Corner Store Gallery. Just four short weeks ago, I extended an invitation to artists for a last-minute exhibition, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Michelle Ball’s artwork stood out with its exquisite beauty, and I knew it would be a perfect addition to our exhibition calendar.

Michelle is a talented still life and landscape painter from the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Her surroundings of bushland and water clearly serve as a rich source of inspiration for her work. Her paintings capture the serene and vibrant essence of her environment, bringing a unique perspective to our gallery. We are confident that visitors will be as enchanted by her work as we are, and we look forward to showcasing her work Flora 24 at the gallery this July 3rd to 13th.

Michelle will be taking up residency in the gallery from Saturday the 6th of July until the close of the exhibition. Make sure you pop in and visit her while she creates new work in our beautiful space.

Guest Curator Christine Robson from Ross Hill Wines

We are back with another guest curation from our wonderful June wine sponsors Christine Robson of Ross Hill Wines. Ross Hill has a wonderful Cellar Door experience, I recently visited with my girlfriends last month and we had a fantastic time and purchased a bunch of delicious local wine! I highly recommend you pop out there next time you’re in Orange and take advantage of the beautiful space and friendly staff. They’re open 7 days a week for tastings, they have lots of different experiences on offer so head to their website to book your personalised trip today.

Studio Visit with Daniel Rivers

Daniel Rivers first showcased his work at The Corner Store Gallery in 2022 as a finalist for Inside This Box. I've been a fan of his style ever since and was thrilled when he agreed to hold his first solo exhibition with us this year.

Daniel possesses a unique talent for composition and colour. Using soft pastels, his landscapes and suburban scenes exude an ethereal quality. His eye for portraying light over the course of a day or throughout the seasons is magnificent.

I recently visited Daniel in his sun-drenched home in Thirroul just before he packed up and moved to the Newcastle area. Under Sandstone Skies is Daniel’s first solo exhibition, showcasing his deep affection for the landscape surrounding Thirroul on the South Coast. It is an ode to the scenery that has surrounded his home for the past seven years.

Guest Curator Michelle Stivens from Heifer Station Wines

Michelle Stivens, one of our sponsors from Heifer Station Wines, has chosen 5 of her favourite artworks from our collection for her Guest Curation. Each piece reflects Michelle's personal taste and aesthetic while offering a unique visitor’s perspective on our wonderful variety of artworks.

Q and A with Georgia Bragg

We caught up with one of our brand new artists Georgia Bragg before Heart Place, a new group exhibition with Colleen Southwell, Skye Bragg and Maggie Mackellar. Four artists with a shared history of common ground explore connection to place, the concept of feeling at one with a landscape, and the ways these bring them together.

Heart Place is on exhibition from May 22nd through to June 2nd. Online sales launch at 8pm May 21st. We’ll be hosting an informal “meet the artists” Q & A with Graziher Editor Victoria Carey on Saturday May 25th at 2pm, followed by afternoon tea and drinks sponsored by Heifer Station Wines. We’d love to see you there!

Studio Visit with Skye Bragg

Skye Bragg is a silversmith based in Peak Hill and is exhibiting as part of our new group exhibition Heart Place opening this Wednesday. Skye’s work is heavily inspired by nature and in particular the Australia bush. Immaculate silver gum nuts and leaves sit amongst the real thing in tiny cubed shelves in Skye’s studio. Skye is a collector of beautiful things, in particular dried leaves, pieces of bark, seed pods and gum nuts etc. These treasures are dotted through out the studio and provide endless inspiration. Scribbly gum bark is mimicked and emulated in silver using a rolling press. Many different techniques are used to create intricate representations of nature.

Q and A with Colleen Southwell

We caught up with one of our all-time favourite artists Colleen Southwell before Heart Place, a new group exhibition with Skye Bragg, Georgia Bragg and Maggie Mackellar. Four artists with a shared history of common ground explore connection to place, the concept of feeling at one with a landscape, and the ways these bring us together.

Heart Place is on exhibition from May 22nd through to June 2nd. Online sales launch at 8pm May 21st. We’ll be hosting an informal “meet the artists” Q & A with Graziher Editor Victoria Carey on Saturday May 25th at 2pm, followed by afternoon tea and drinks sponsored by Heifer Station Wines. We’d love to see you there!

Studio Visit with Pippita Bennett

Pippita Bennet is a wonderfully clever textile and fibre artist based in the Blue Mountains in NSW. Pippita has exhibited work with us over the past couple of years as part of group exhibitions and art prizes we’ve held at The Corner Store Gallery. I was immediately drawn to Pippita’s work due to it’s uniqueness, attention to detail and quality of work.

Pippita uses vintage and plant-dyed textiles with thrifted threads to create immaculate, stitched landscapes and other scenery. The colours and patterns are stunning along with the textures created by the different fabrics and fibres used. The incredible amount of work that goes into these pieces is evident, Pippita finds the process very therapeutic and finds herself with needle in hand most of the day.

Studio Visit with Amanda Holman

Local painter Amanda Holman has been consistently exhibiting with The Corner Store Gallery for a number of years now. We first discovered Amanda through one of our many group exhibition opportunities, as we do many of our fabulous artists. From one entry comes many, and her popularity has grown exponentially during this time resulting in Amanda’s first solo exhibition Beyond 4 Walls opening this April at The Corner Store Gallery.

Amanda Holman is a truly lovely and warm person, as well as a wonderful artist in her own right. Her quiet and beautiful depictions of the Australian landscape begin with field trips and drives across this beautiful country we call home. Sometimes painted within the landscape, sometimes painted form photographs back in her home studio. Amanda’s studio is the stuff of dreams, located on the ground floor of her home, accessible via a courtyard from the street. It’s here I first played eyes upon the new body of work for Beyond 4 Walls. Take a look and find out more about Amanda’s practice.

Bula'bula Arts Visits The Corner Store Gallery

Last weekend we were incredibly privileged to have some wonderful artists from Bula’bula Arts visit us here at The Corner Store Gallery, all the way from central Arnhem Land, Ramingining NT. Director of Bula’bula Arts Mel George accompanied Janice, Kathy and Jeanette to see their exhibition DILTJIPUY, RETJAPUY GA RANGIPUY (it comes from the bush) which is on display until Saturday March 9th. Mel is incredibly knowledgeable about the Yulnu culture and arts practices and we were also lucky enough to see a weaving demonstration on the Sunday morning.

Winner Of Inside This Box Art Prize 2024 Ynja Bjornsson

I am absolutely thrilled to announce the winner of our 2024 Inside This Box Art Prize Ynja Bjornsson for her work Net One Purl Two. This is the first time I’ve ever come across Ynja’s work and I was instantly mesmerised. Choosing a winner from 98 incredible artworks is obviously extremely difficult and I agonised over the decision for days. But in the end I took the advice I always give my clients, go with your first gut instinct. This is the work I just kept coming back to, It has stuck in my mind and for all the right reasons. It’s unusual, unique, great skill has been shown and the title is catchy and funny. I’m always on the lookout for new and unique artworks and this year, Ynja’s work was absolutely it. Congratulations Ynja on this magnificent work and a huge thank you to our generous sponsors Rowlee Wines who are giving away $1000 cash to Ynja.

art prizeMadeline Young17 February 2024inside this box, art rize, winner, Ynja bjornsson Comment

Guest Curator Holly Goodman

ello and welcome to our last Guest Curation for 2023! Today we have collaborated with regional powerhouse Holly Goodman, Founder of the Talent Stable and Peter Bill fashion label (she’s a busy girl).

A mother of three with a passion for the land, Holly is an entrepreneur and rural and regional advocate. Born and raised on beef cattle properties, Holly knew she would continue with a country lifestyle. She wants her own children to grow up in the space that she did.

In 2021 Holly started her own clothing label Peter Bill. One for little boys after having two boys herself. This expanded into girl’s and women's pieces. With a love for detail, art and fashion, her aim is to create clothing that is unique yet comfortable. In 2023 she worked on an artist collaboration incorporating exclusive prints to linen pieces. This is something she loves seeing come to life and is interested in connecting with artists in the future. The power of art and fashion is incredible, and it's really something special.[

Guest CurationMadeline Young17 December 2023The Corner Store Galleryguest curator, holly goodman, curation, exhibitionComment