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Presidents Report
Last month I opened the newsletter welcoming everybody to a new BVAC. Little did I know
that the new BVAC meant a closed BVAC.
We decided to provisionally close the Hub until May 31 and make a call then based on the
current health situation and Government recommendations on June 1. It certainly looks like we may be in
lockdown even then, but who knows. This “beast” is ever moving and evolving. Like lots of other activities
and events, acceptance of what you had hoped for in 2020 needs to be re-evaluated.
Many shows and exhibitions were planned but in most likelihood they will never get off the ground this
year. While this is very annoying, it is unavoidable and the only way to get through this is think to yourself,
the year is a write off, anything we get back is a bonus.
Hopefully, the Scattered Arts 2020 Arts and Craft Competition, which luckily isn’t until September, will still
be going ahead and I think we presume it is until advised otherwise. Those of you who are planning on
entering should still be working on your submissions just in case it does. If not, you’ve got a great piece for
another day or to be kept under wraps until next year.
I paid a visit to check out the lift installation progress. It looks great and I posted a couple of photos on the
Facebook page. It was a bit hard to take good ones due to the fence keeping people away, but it does
give you a good idea of what it will look like once finished. We are also getting toilets upstairs which will
modernize the interior quite a bit.
We are due to have our AGM next month but due to the exceptional circumstances we are facing, the Of-
fice of Fair Trading has granted a six month extension to bodies who cannot meet to facilitate the AGM, us
being one of them. This means we have a little more time before committee positions are vacated and
nominations taken for new (or returning) members. I will point out again that we do need someone to nom-
inate for President and will require a new Secretary as well. If you do think you are the type of person who
can fit into one of these roles then have a think and let me know. President is a great role and not as time
consuming or demanding as you may think. We have a great set-up in BVAC which effectively runs itself
due to the foundations laid down over the past 6 or 7 years. Its more about holding the reigns and steer-
ing, rather than pushing the cart along.
In these very stressful and testing times, please stay safe, listen to what messages are being given and
take care of your loved ones. This will pass in time and we will be back in action and we are doing every-
thing we can to make sure BVAC is in a healthy position once the green light is given to resume normal
duties.
Until next time, stay creative and take care.
Peter.
BVAConnex April 2020: Issue 85
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While We’ve been Practising Self Isolation…
Ever since Brisbane Visual Arts Community took possession of The Hub in 2013, we have been
trying to improve access to the building for our members who are elderly or have a disability.
From our first meeting in our wonderful building, the committee of BVAC discussed this exhaust-
ively. BVAC’s then Treasurer and now Building Manager, Sandra Evans, diligently applied for
grant after grant—sometimes a couple at a time—but the cost of providing an access ramp or lift
was prohibitive.
But it seems that the Brisbane City Council was listening. Since December 2019, they have been
busy upgrading the driveway and the gate, providing disabled parking areas, before finally taking
on the installation of a lift and upstairs as well as downstairs toilets.
President Peter Rayson visited The
Hub this week to check progress and
this is what he found.
A huge awning has been added to
the front of the building to house the
lift. BVAC will be responsible for all
costs in the maintenance and upkeep
of the lift. The uneven stairs have
been removed and have been re-
placed by a new staircase. The con-
crete slab should address any water
run off issues downstairs.
Thank you to the groups who agreed to vacate their upstairs rooms so that the new toilets could
be installed. They will be housed in new rooms constructed downstairs. Our new look Hub will
now be a “des res” (desirable residence for the uninitiated). Although there will be added costs in
running the building, it will be accessible for many more of our members.
When we emerge from the shut down caused by COVID19, we can look forward to even more
member groups making use of these fabulous premises.
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Cancelled
On the 24th of March the Australian Government implemented restrictions relating to the opera-
tion of non-essential businesses during the novel Corona virus pandemic.
As a result of these changes, many art events have had to be cancelled and galleries closed from
midnight 25th March until further notice.
Brisbane Visual Arts Community headquarters at The Hub, 140 Weller Road will be closed
until 31st May 2020. We will be reviewing this decision and will keep you updated on when the
building will reopen for general use.
The BVAC monthly meeting scheduled for April 9 will not be held. The next BVAC meeting will
be on 14 May at 9.30 am at the Hub unless otherwise advised. This is also the BVAC AGM.
Please consider if you could help BVAC maintain services by nominating for the General Com-
mittee or the BVAC Pop-Up Committee.
BVAC Arts & Craft Studio Sale is cancelled. The Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha have
cancelled all bookings until 31 August as a precautionary measure to help slow the spread of
coronavirus.
The Art West Community Gallery outlets in Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre and One Table
Café, Kenmore have temporarily closed. Members are invited to leave their artworks hanging in
either of the spaces for the period of closure. However, should anyone wish to remove their art
please contact the President Steve Norris to make a mutually convenient time to do so. All entry
fees that have been received to date will be refunded. The future re-opening of the gallery and
café will be in line with Government advice and recommendations.
Western Suburbs Clayworkers advises that the Sherwood Neighbourhood Centre has can-
celled all group activities at the Centre until further notice. Therefore the Pottery Studio is una-
vailable for use.
The Royal Queensland Art Society has advised that the Petrie Terrace Gallery will be closed
until further notice.
This year there will be no EKKA either, so all the wonderful art and craft competitions associated
with the show have gone too.
Hopefully these are all just temporary measures, and if we all take care and follow the advice of
the authorities, this crisis will be over very soon.
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Brisbane Portrait Prize
No doubt you are all sick of the COVID-19 update messages (we are too) … but in a rapidly
changing world, we wanted to take a moment to update you on where things stand with the Bris-
bane Portrait Prize.
Continuing the 2020 prize
After many discussions the competition committee is proud to confirm the Brisbane Portrait Prize
will continue in 2020.
Now, more than ever, we need artists. We need them to help us understand the world, celebrate
our heroes, and to broaden our thinking.
Changes to entry requirements
It will be easier to enter the prize. Taking into consideration the Federal Government's social dis-
tancing requirements, all 2020 entries will not be required to have a live sitting to enter the prize.
Finalists exhibition
At this stage, we are also still hopeful that it will be safe to hold a Finalists Exhibition. However, if
this is not the case, we will look to display the Finalists' artworks digitally.
Supporting the Brisbane Portrait Prize
The Brisbane Portrait Prize committee acknowledges that these are certainly trying times for
many people. However, if you are in a position to invest in the future of the Brisbane Portrait Prize,
we encourage you to support us with a tax-deductible donation.
Full donation details can be found at https://www.brisbaneportraitprize.org/donate
A final thought
The Brisbane Portrait Prize committee will continue to work with artists and the public to encour-
age digital dialogue and engagement around the arts, portraiture, and the sitters. All are worth cel-
ebrating. Especially now.
If you have any ideas, questions or wish to contribute to the evolution of the 2020 Brisbane Por-
trait Prize, please drop us a email at [email protected]
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BVAC Committee Contacts
President
Peter Rayson
WATERCOLOUR SOC. QLD
Secretary
Helen Trochoulias
Treasurer
Lena Tisdall
RESTITCH UPCYCLING STUDIO
Building Co-ordinator
Sandra Evans
APAT
Newsletter
Judy Hamilton
Art West Community Gallery
Pop-Up Shop Co-ordinator
BVAC Committee
Anna-Margot Collins [email protected]
Q. ENAMELLERS GUILD
Wendy Goode [email protected]
SCATTERED ARTS
Sandra Pearce [email protected]
P’MAKERS/ ARTISTS QLD
MIGALOO PRESS
Jenny Jorgensen colin.jorgensen@ bigpond.com
Q, BOOKBINDERS GUILD
Shirley McCormick
LCAQ
Conceptual Prompt: New Nine Muses Needed
Although inspiration and creativity are essential to artists, you
might be amused to find that none (NONE!) of the muses of
Greek mythology has anything to do with visual arts of any kind.
There's one for Dance, Comedy, Tragedy, History, Astronomy,
Music, Epic Poetry, Love Poetry, and Hymns. [Terpsichore, Tha-
lia, Melpomene, Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Urania, Erato, and Poly-
hymnia, to save our trivia lovers a trip to Wikipedia].
Who should our muses be now? Can you come up with sketches/
photos/paintings of a new nine for our visual culture and time?
Bonus points for whimsical but trenchant naming. Share yours to
your Instagram or Facebook feed, tag us @theartleague, and use
the hashtag #createsomethingmore.
What does your studio look like?
Traditionally speaking, the studio is a place of production, where paint-
ers, sculptors, photographers, video artists, writers and performers ply
their crafts.
But the artist studio is much more than just a place for making. It is
both a laboratory for ideas – where visions become reality – and a
space to experiment – where mistakes and failures are important steps
in the artist’s process.
The studio is an extension of the artist’s personality. We can learn a lot
about an artist by the space they work in. I’m not sure that I want any-
one to learn about me by my work space. It is characterised by its unti-
diness—but—I know where everything I want is.
I bought my house for the studio space under-
neath. It’s lovely in summer but a bit cold in winter.
My work table—I work mostly in hand-built ceram-
ics—has a canvas cover topped by a sheet of fibre
cement board. My bucket of tools sits on one end
with various tools that are always in use spread
over the surface. The photo on the left shows what
it looks like this morning. I’m
in the process of finishing
off a couple of animal fig-
ures before their first firing.
It is a great private space for creating. I don’t
have to clean everything away until I have fin-
ished. I have room to stand back and view my
pieces from a distance as well. The biggest
problem is the lighting which is not good. While
it is a good little space, I do suffer from studio
envy.
My favourite artist’s studio would have to be that of Margaret Olley that
is lovingly recreated at the Tweed Regional Gallery. How about sharing
what you like (dislike) about your studio space.
