THE WILD WEST - Queenstown Heritage and Arts Festival 2012

Last weekend I went to Queenstown for the 2012 Heritage and Arts Festival. 

This year is the centenary of Tasmania's worst mine disaster. Forty two miners lost their lives when a pump house fire in the North Lyell copper mine filled the shafts with toxic carbon monoxide. More than fifty men were trapped a thousand feet underground for more than a hundred days before they could be rescued, and there are many tales of tragedy and heroism to be commemorated.

The first event I attended was the unveiling of a memorial plaque to Albert Gadd. He was one of the lucky ones able to get to the surface when the mine filled with toxic fumes. Then he turned round again and went back down in vain attempts to rescue his workmates.

Crowd at the unveiling; a typical Queenstown day. Why did I leave my umbrella at home?

Tim interviews members of the Gadd family for the ABC

The only transport to and from Queenstown in 1912 was by rail. Experts and rescue equipment, including emergency breathing apparatus, were rushed from Strahan and Burnie by train, some having first to come by steamship from Melbourne. This weekend the West Coast Wilderness Railway was busy re-enacting events and taking visitors to Rinadeena for Devonshire Tea.  

On Friday morning the train took a specially reconstructed funeral car to the cemetery for a memorial service. This stone marks the mass grave of the forty two miners who died.

On Friday evening stallholders set up bain-maries under the wide verandahs in Orr St and the huge marquee covering the street was packed with happy diners. Later, after a very moving lantern parade down Orr St to the station, bands performed.

The Hobart-based Grass Roots Trade Union Choir cheered everyone up with an enthusiastic performance accompanied as required by piano accordion, harmonica and guitar played by choir members and ending with a good, rousing version of Solidarity – The Union Makes Us Strong, with the audience joining in the chorus.

There really wasn't enough light to photograph the
Grass Roots Trade Union Choir, but I tried anyway.

They were followed by Alma de Vida, a Flamenco/jazz group, and I have been told a very prominent politician was seen dancing with some of the artists exhibiting in the festival. Of course, this is only hearsay and should not under any circumstances be repeated.

Saturday evening was far more refined, with everyone getting all tarted up in their formal attire for the Festival Gala Evening at the Queenstown Memorial Hall. As an impoverished artist, I do not own formal attire and baulked at the ticket price so have to rely on the word of somebody who did attend and said it was great fun. There was an art auction, and one or two people sobered up next morning to find themselves owning a fine painting they hadn't intended buying. Not that I mind, one hastened to assure me – it's lovely. Just didn't mean to . . .

Mt Lyell Heritage Centre

You'd have to try very, very hard not to find something to do, see or hear over the weekend.

There were extensive exhibitions of historic photographs, at the local library – sorry, Community Hub – more photographs, artefacts and movie footage at the railway station, and art installations among the desks and mining memorabilia at the Mt Lyell Heritage Centre and in the old West Coast District Hospital.

 Helicopter rides, underground mine tours and visits to historic sites were on offer. Children of all ages enjoyed free movies in the marvelous art deco Paragon Theatre and a student circus while art-lovers crammed exhibition openings at LARQ (Landscape Art Research Queenstown) and Art Frontier galleries. IHOS opera performed in an old transport warehouse; folk singers performed at a sawmill, books and a new Memorial Park project were launched, and so it went on.

Things were beginning to wind down by Sunday, but the street market still drew a crowd.

On Monday morning it was all over. Queenstown reverted overnight to a sleepy, shabby, damp mining town as the last of the artists, performers and visitors packed up and went home. But, by golly, the little community put on a damned good show! I'll be back.

You can find out about some of the art I saw here: http://www.writeresponse.blogspot.com.au/2012_10_14_archive.html.

How to become a successful artist

It takes time to write a blog piece - even one as brief as this. It takes thought and planning and rewriting. It also takes time to think of two or three interesting Tweets, to find a couple of images to add to Pinterest, to compose an amusing status update and find one or two items to share on Facebook, to refine a LinkedIn profile and finally to catch up with conversations on various art-related web forums, having done enough research to sound Knowledgeable about the subject at hand.

nice photo, no matter how irrelevant, to break up all that text

Who would do all this every day? Well, I have just attended yet another well-intentioned session of Advice for Artists, and this is the recommended optimum use of Social Media to raise one's profile, establish a brand and generally promote oneself and one's artwork.

"After all," the presenter exclaimed, "it's no use being the greatest artist in the world if nobody knows about you."

"Fine" I said, never having learned to keep my mouth shut, "but nobody spending that much time on line is going to become the world's greatest artist." Everyone agreed that artists juggling several part-time casual jobs, their art practice and general housekeeping and family commitments don't have a lot of time to spare, and who can afford to hire a full-time media/publicity person? The usual advice (although not, this time, from this particular very sympathetic presenter) is to set aside an hour a day for Promotion, which sounds sensible.

photo I took on the way to the presentation, so almost relevant

Unfortunately, artists don't work like that.

Contrary to popular belief, an artist doesn't suddenly have a flash of inspiration and rush into their studio in a flurry of activity, to emerge a couple of hours later with a masterpiece before heading off to the pub for the afternoon. Ideas take time to develop. They are mulled over, considered, reconsidered. There are sketches, drawings, perhaps trial runs as thoughts are refined and/or rejected.

Half-formed ideas churn about there in the back of the mind while the artist is working on other paintings or in a mundane job or at family gatherings, and minutes, or hours, or weeks or occasionally years later, some minor event or new insight provides the final fragment that makes it worth turning one of them into a painting or a story or a piece of music.

In my case, I spend hours in the studio getting the pictures down on canvas and rethinking them, sometimes to the point of turning them into something else altogether, but that's just work. The hard part of the job, the serious thinking, happens outside the studio. Even when an artwork appears to have required only a short time in terms of physical activity, it may have taken months to create and years of experimentation and practice to develop the skills to realise the idea.

Running a successful marketing campaign requires clever and creative ideas and strategies; the only-one-hour-a-day spent in front of the computer is the result of several hours of thought, all of which distracts from the main task at hand - making art. For the artist, every moment of quiet, creative thought is precious.

How can one reconcile spending enough mental energy to run an effective business with the need to devote their entire effort to the innovation, exploration and intellectual activity required to produce the best possible artwork?

I asked the nice presenter after her talk. She said "I don't know. That's why I'm not an artist."

One of the effective uses of social media is the inclusion of images, so here's a photo I took on my way home. I can't credit the artist as I haven't the foggiest idea who it was.

Professional Development sessions at CAST by Kim Godwin, Project Manager with NAVA (National Assn for the Visual Arts) 
More information: http://www.visualarts.net.au/advicecentre/nava-advice

Making History - Lions in Armour

Last weekend I watched history being made at Wynyard. For the first time ever open combat swordsmanship and a jousting competition were organised right here in Tasmania. Chain mail, longbows, mediaeval ladies and jousting knights on horseback, they were all there to delight onlookers. Sort of history making history, in a way.

These are all definitely part of European history, but what are they doing on the other side of the world - in Wynyard, of all places?

 There has been a growing interest in things Mediaeval, most recently encouraged by computer games and the entertainment industry busily mining the past for inspiration to feed our romantic fantasies.

For a few people simply watching wouldn't do. They learned enough metal-working skill to put together a crude suit of armour, scoured antique markets for ancient weapons, hunted up manuals of swordsmanship in the depths of libraries, and gathered after work to practise. More people saw what fun it was and joined in. Skills improved. Modern Mediaevalism was established.

Some groups are pretty much interested in combat and not much else, but many others embrace an entire philosophy drawn from the more attractive ideals of earlier societies. Complex rules of chivalric behaviour are drawn up. Social and cultural skills are highly regarded, with needlework, music, recitation, cookery, calligraphy and dancing actively encouraged besides the more obvious warlike crafts required to construct weapons and armour and beat the living daylights out of an opponent.

Since the mid-twentieth century such groups have proliferated, and no matter which historical period you fancy it is probably possible to find enough like-minded fanatics to form a lively organisation. You can even buy off-the-shelf armour, weapons and garb if you lack the time and skill to make your own.

There are several such groups in Tasmania. One of the more recent to arrive  is The Sovereign Military Order of the Knights Templar.

The Sovereign Military Order of the Knights Templar

Based in Burnie, the Dragon Order is a family-focused organisation devoted to supporting local charities and helping underprivileged and disenfranchised young people in the local community. To this end, the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights Templar runs structured courses for children on various aspects of mediaeval European life and history such as swordsmanship, costume and clothing, chivalry, the Crusades, knights and castles, and they operate a Historical Western Martial Arts Swordsmanship School where anybody who is interested can come along for instruction in organised mayhem.

Last weekend they organised a Mediaeval Fair at the Lions Club Park in Wynyard, and here are some of the things I saw.

Everyone can try their hand at drawing a bow – archery tips from the experts

Blunted arrows were once used for shooting birds roosting in the
eaves of steeples; now they bring down dangling targets

Some mediaeval entertainment

Junior knights get  basic training

Dancing girls are essential

demonstration by some of the Dragon Order

Chain mail and swordsmanship are OK, but this has to be about as cool as it gets: the knight in shining armour astride his spirited black stallion.

What it's all about – full tilt against a heavily armed opponent.

 At a 21st Century tournament inflatable “castles” provide colour and amusement

Accolades for the victor . . .

but plenty of enthusiasm for the runners-up, too

It was all just a bit too much

For more information about the Dragon Order:

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sovereign-Military-Order-of-the-Knights-Templar-Tasmania/269266813142551?sk=info

For more information about the horses:

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Noble-Shadow-Friesian-and-Andalusian-Horse-StudWarlanders/194594647225421

Keeping Art Under Control

Three small boys are discussing the colours in a large stencilled and sprayed painting, taking turns photographing each other in front of it. They have been out with the spray cans themselves and one still has a paper mask hanging round his neck. We are surrounded by huge, spray-painted images by graffiti artists Aedan Howlett, Hiiragi, Jacob Leary, Jamin, Phibs and Tom O'Hearn, but we are not in an alley between grimy concrete walls. We are in the super-respectable tastefully restored Barn at Rosny where the artists have spent the last week creating six mural-sized paintings for StArt, the Clarence City Council's annual Festival of Street Art.

 Outside in the sunshine there is a free barbecue, face painting and live music; visitors make badges, stencil designs on calico shopping bags and try their hand at spray-painting and reverse graffiti (drawing into the grime on detatched car doors).

Self expression - but only under strictly controlled conditions  

A group of Yarn Bombers helps children make big, colourful pompoms, hanging the results from the bare branches of a winter tree. With Council support the guerilla knitters were able to afford far more, and more colourful, wools than usual, and handrails and bollards along the street sport eye-catching stripes.

Designs by three digital artists have been printed up billboard size and mounted on the walls of the shopping centre. School children's drawings and paintings compete with commercial displays in shop windows.

On Monday it will all be gone; the only artwork to distract shoppers and commuters will be the usual advertising signs.

The Clarence City Council runs an art gallery and arranges cultural events at the Rosny Historical Site, holds an annual art exhibition, organises various music festivals, and deserves applause for these activities. But far from encouraging and celebrating Street Art, the StArt Festival is devoted to removing all but authorised art from the streets. Notices inform us of the thousands of dollars the Clarence Council has to waste each year on graffiti removal, suggesting it could be better spent on events such as this. Well, hear hear, say I.

How about funding for public art? I don't mean the sort of "art projects" attempting to "beautify" public toilet blocks and similar terminally ugly constructions, which are hardly a compliment for the artists involved.

Public toilet - Rosny sports ground

Anyone practising their art anywhere else in public soon sees it scrubbed out but what if, instead of spending all these thousands of dollars a year on removing graffiti the Council spent a lesser amount on rewarding street artists who created something really interesting?

Why is our society so afraid of Art we lock it away out of sight in museums and galleries and theatres and concert halls, only letting it out for occasional festivals and under strictly controlled conditions?

Why not turn all those bland cream and grey walls around Rosny shopping centre into a blaze of colour that advertises nothing more than enthusiasm and energy? Print up the digital art on  permanent sheeting; leave the yarn on handrails to weather away as nature intends. Let's have some fun!

The painting the three small boys admire so much features the latest symbol of Free Expression vs Official Oppression – three balaclava-covered female faces. Ironic that this image rouses so much interest at an event devoted to teaching children to become respectable, conforming members of a society where Art and Self Expression are restricted to consenting adults, hidden safely behind closed doors.

All for Pussy and Pussy for All; artwork by Jamin at Rosny barn

I wrote this review for Write Response (http://www.writeresponse.blogspot.com.au/), who didn't need quite so many photographs. After I wrote it, I decided to see how our really boring shopping area could be improved. Here are the results. It's a pretty rough Photoshop job, but it was fun. I know which versions I prefer.

Unwinding in the Suburbs; digital image by Stephen Hudson
Rosny Park shopping centre carpark 

My improvement - and make it permanent!

shopping centre - Bligh St., Rosny Park

with the addition of "graffiti" based on works by unknown artists.
(thoroughly distorted photographs of paintings
on the walls of the toilet block  at the sports ground)

Dream Home with fluffy clouds and three unicorns

House hunting? Here it is - a wonderful houseboat complete with four rooms, a blue light in case of emergencies, food hut, TV with all the stations and a free phone. It's moored on a beautiful site where the water is always still and it will only cost you $4,000 (ono).

House Boat by Hayley Warn, Lauderdale Primary School 

Ever wished you might see something like this in the window of your local Real Estate agency? Today I did see this very notice beside advertisements for many, many more equally delightful and attractive residences with robot servants, chocolate-filled swimming pools, secret rooms, pet flaps in every door, unicorns, cupcakes and zombies to choose from as standard fittings.

 Rainbow Home by Holly Denman

 Haunted Mansion by Kyle Glinada, Lauderdale Primary School 

Alas, it had to be too good to be true.

As part of StArt, the Clarence Council's annual Festival of Street Art, three realtors handed their windows over to primary school children to showcase their dream homes. They printed up notices with the "vendor" description below an image of the property and displayed them very seriously in place of their usual Sunny Acres and First Home Buyers' Specials.

These are only a few of dozens of gorgeous Dream Homes advertised in Bligh Street at Rosny Park this weekend. It's worth dropping down for a look before everthing reverts to Mundane on Monday morning.

Fire House by Tyran Brent Jetson

 Hi-tech Home by Ryan Boscoe, Howrah Primary School

 Haunted House by Austin Hurst, Lauderdale Primary School 

 Black Hole by Ben Grandfield, Howrah Primary School  

There really should be more of this sort of thing.