Tuesday 25 June 2019

2011 to 2019 -- Eight years down the Track

Well, what an amazing thing.
I'm trying to start a blog for Gaye Evans Gallery and the internet has opened a blog that I was working on in 2011 as part of a community group of artists sharing a storefront in Norfolk Island.
If this works - and why shouldn't it - I've just been saved hours and hours of work.
Let's see if this posts, people!

Sunday 29 May 2011

Friends that are new...

Saturday is my rostered day on at Soul. The Gaye Evans Gallery resides inside the walls of Soul and shares room with nine others. Saturday has become a rather special day for me with word of mouth invites going out to people to call in and say Hi. Most of us on this tiny Island are flat out 24/7 so to have a whole day where I'm placed and must remain, is a bonus. One visitor last Saturday was Elizabeth Nowell. She was (im)patiently waiting for the plane to fly in, bringing her husband Rob. I later watched them drive past and she looked very happy. I'm writing about Elizabeth because she is always incredibly positive and encouraging. And also, I've been trying to follow her on her blog and I think I've succeeded! Hah. And is it true that the last post you published was in DECEMBER! Get on with it girl. I haven't any new pictures to upload which is pretty shameful but I've had a great idea. Yep. Another one. I'm going to cruise around Norfolk, taking photos of the things that have inspired me to paint and maybe, upload a photo of the painting also, so you can compare the two. Hmm. That's a whole new thought.

Thursday 26 May 2011

Soul Art Gallery Opening

Artists Co-op Gallery and Gift Shop

Last Friday night was full of activity here on Norfolk Island. Not only was it the last night of the tremendously successful Country Music Festival, but it was also the much anticipated opening of Norfolk Island’s newest art gallery ‘Soul’.

Soul was formed to offer public exposure for many of the fine artists in Norfolk Island and to serve our customers in their search for a broad range of locally made, high quality gifts and collectables.

At 5 o’clock sharp, the first guests came through the door and over the next 3 to 4 hours, the gallery was full to overflowing as some stopped in for a quick look around, and others stayed longer, drank champagne and chatted whilst wandering through the art-filled rooms.

Much genuine and heart-warming support from locals, visitors and local artists from other island galleries was given to all of the Soul artists over the course of the evening and some great sales were made. Soul is already a successful venture.

The opening night was a triumphant affair and a fabulous launch for this positive new enterprise that has already greatly spruced up the top end of town. Now, when tourists arrive on Norfolk Island and are taken through town for the first time, they see a pretty building bursting with art – a wonderful first impression.

The gallery is managed by each member of the co-operative on rotating days so that each day there is a featured artist – one day there is weaving, the next printing, or painting and the list goes on. With such a variety of glass jewellery, acrylic and oil paintings bursting with colour and themes, effervescent lino and block print artworks, printed fabrics and tapa, traditional Bounty hats and weaving there is certainly something for everyone.

All of the artists would like to thank those who have already come through Soul’s doors and all those wonderful salan who came and supported the opening.

Sunday 22 May 2011

Once upon a time there was a card rack...

...on the other side of the room from Pauline's wall. Looks spectacular now that Lou has done some further decorating. I sincerely miss the fact that I didn't get a photo of her up on the ladder but sometimes one has to forgo one's pleasures in light of one's own security! Check out one of the two card stands she got for us. This whole thing has been such FUN!

Busy, busy little bees

Ada standing in Cristina Rose's room. We call it the fairy room. I don't know if Cristina does, but we do!

Visit our gallery in Norfolk Island

Let me take you for a little stroll, whilst I point out some of our people.

Ada has spent many hours with us here at night whilst we paint, hammer, and hang pictures. Ada's eye, which is so much younger than ours, has been fantastic for pointing out where things should go.


This is Maeve and Beck's wall. Maeve paints beautiful oil paintings of Norfolk's scenery and history while Beck makes jewellry from our shells and plaits and weaves hats from the local flax or mu-uu. David Evans, master woodcarver, has a child's rocking horse on display in the background.


Pauline Reynolds is a fabric artist and her cloth is shown here with her husband George's designs printed. A further picture of the foyer shown from another angle, follows on with one of my paintings of a large white hibiscus on a red and maroon background. Norfolk pine frame completes the setting.