When I spent Christmas with girlfriends in Triabunna, Tasmania, an hour’s drive from Hobart, the gallery minder told me that they were having a community art exhibition and encouraged me to participate, so I thought why not. I didn’t read the fine print and after paying and submitting my application, I discovered the drop-off and pick-up is in Swansea, Tasmania!!
Various charities and councils put on community art exhibitions to raise money and provide an opportunity for artists to show their works. I didn’t enter any last year because the painting drop-off is usually on a week day and between 10am – 2pm. I’ve had to take a day off from work and use a day of leave to deliver paintings to the exhibition site. This year, conveniently, Monday, Feb 12th was the drop-off day, a public holiday for southern Tasmania. Swansea is about a 2 hour drive from Hobart and is a bit of a holiday spot so why not linger and explore it.
The paintings “Sea Life” and “Royal Treatment” were packed in large terry cloth pouches (I fold over and sew the sides to make environmentally friendly protective frame pouches) and the painting delivery journey for the Glamorgan Spring Bay Art Prize 2018 at the Swansea Town Hall commenced.
Upon arrival, a stretching of the legs was needed and the Loontitetermairrelehoiner Track was a stunning way to rejuvenate the legs. Imagine if this 25 letter name was your surname! They recommend that children should be able to write their names before they start school. You’d have to set up a fairly intensive program of training several months before school started to master this name!
The land in this area is dry and rocky, hence dry rock walls are plentiful. I think they look so awesome. I like the tree trunks in the cemetery photo. They look like people.
I came across these really big gum nuts.
I didn’t have the chance to thoroughly explore the suburbs. I love looking at houses, seeing how people have landscaped their gardens, if they have a vegie patch or not, what decorations they have, equipment, chairs on the porch and so on. Here’s a few of the neighbourhood’s buildings.
The white house has pressed tin window awnings and the other house has dry rock work under their front veranda.
I had dinner at The Bark Mill Tavern and left feeling stuffed like these people deep in conversation under a house veranda on the main street of Swansea.
On the Main Street is the General Store that, like its name designates, sells just about everything. There’s a room that displays their historic relics, one being, an old ledger book with handwritten names and purchase amounts from the mid-1800s.
And on the docks, which is on the other side of the main street, there was a fishing guide. I was surprised that you don’t have to throw back a salmon if it is 25 cm. Twenty-five centimeters seems quite small.
Dolphin Sands Nine Mile Beach is perfect for a stroll at any time of the day or evening.
A random deposit of shells and nature’s sculpture on Nine Mile Beach
A delicious cheese platter made by French Sophie at Milton Vineyard. The olive raspberry jam was delicious, actually it all was. It was superb.
Another winery, the Craigie Knowe vineyard, and then home to deliver three paintings for the 2018 Kingborough Art Prize, Kingston Tasmania. Paintings have to be picked up on the same day for both exhibitions so I’ll have to get a friend to pick up the paintings at Kingston while I drive back to Swansea! or dare I flirt with the idea that somebody may purchase them.
The Glamorgan Spring Bay Art Prize 2018 have 93 entries. The exhibition is open to the public for viewing February 17th and 18th from 10 am – 4 pm at the Swansea Town Hall.
The 2018 Kingborough Art Prize is open to the public 10 am – 4 pm from Thursday February 15th – Sunday February 18th at the Kingston Beach Hall.
Thanks for visiting and take care. 🙂
The Unfurling Artist: journalising creative journeying 