our gallery window display
latest news
Members are entitled to display their works in the gallery front window for a 2 week period
Our featured artist for this fortnight is our beloved, talented, long time member, Wendy Grahame.
Her works showcase her skills and diversity and a consummate love of the Australian landscape.
Buy your favourite artwork online from our gallery
Our online art gallery is up and running.
Buy works from Dugong's most talented artists, right from the comfort of your lounge chair.
Fantastic value, delivered to your door
Select online gallery shop from the main menu or click here
More works will be added regularly, so check back often.
our mission
Provide a focal point for the fostering of creative activities for all members of the community, and to further develop artistic awareness of both visual and performing arts.
Promote local talent by providing a creative base and tourist facility of local significance.
Engage in activities intended to develop the practice of arts and crafts in the community.
To be the most progressive Arts Society in the Lower Hunter Region through participation, promotion, support and management.
our committee
President
Carrie Williams 0438 611 677
Vice President
Cynthia Denning 0422 847 599
Secretary
Greg Mudie 0407 953 928
Assistant Secretary
Cheryl Lavender 0421 136 933
Treasurer
Ruth Dircks 0448 950 255
Membership Secretary
Marilyn Rudak 0416 435 651
Minutes Secretary
Michelle Nickerson 0429476779
Curator
Carrie Williams 0438 611 677
Gallery on Dowling is hosting a workshop by Anne-Maree Hunter who is a Newcastle based artist.
The workshop is about making sculptural books. and is on Thursday 18th November.
Details are below, if you are interested in enrolling.
MAKE:
One page concertina book and variations
A concertina with pop ups
Piano hinge binding with hard covers
WHEN:
Thursday 18th November ,2021 10 am to 4 pm
COST:
$150 – and a material kit for $15 to purchased on the day
WHERE:
Gallery on Dowling – 120 Dowling Street, Dungog
BOOK: Contact – Helene Leane at Gallery on Dowling
0403 733 776
More info: www.heleneleane.com
Information about tutor Anne-Maree Hunter: www.psyclonicstudios.com.au
PSYCLONICSTUDIOS.COM.AU
Anne-Maree Hunter | Psyclonic Studios
Anne-Maree Hunter comes from a printmaking background, specialising in Lithography, Intaglio, Artists’ Books & Objects. Her creative style is eclectic and a ...
A WORKSHOP THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
WELCOME
John O’Brien, the new Executive Director of Arts Upper Hunter
John O’Brien, the brand-new Executive Director of Arts Upper Hunter, brings an intriguing slate of skills to the job, with a background in music, film, TV, improvisation, museums, travel writing and community groups.
Arts Upper Hunter (AUH) is one of 14 Regional Arts Development Organisations across the state. It’s a key community group for local creative people and organisations; AUH provides, supports and promotes opportunities for those involved in the creative industries across the Shires of Dungog, Muswellbrook, Singleton and Upper Hunter.
“Creativity and the arts have been crucial to my life,” says John, “so it’s wonderful to be able to sing the praises of this industry and help strengthen the network round here and build support for others.”
John’s background is eclectic, from editing labels in the Powerhouse Museum and London’s Natural History Museum to making short films, writing episodes for TV shows and creating TV series, to a more recent shift into music and live performance. “There’ve been some leftfield highlights along the way, such as driving around Estonia rewriting a guidebook to the country. And some fantastic experiences in this very region, mentoring drama students in Singleton or Aberdeen, for example. I know what it’s like to connect with your local community, how hungry people are to be offered the chance to access new skills, and how buzzy it is to be learning or teaching those skills!”
For five years, John was co-coordinator of Dungog Community College. “In community education it’s all about finding out what’s needed, matching it to what’s possible and seeing if you can put a course or event together, whether that’s A Day In The Roses or a Certificate in Aged Care. It’s the same principle with the creative industries - trying to match needs with opportunities, hopes with happenings.”
John’s musical life includes playing the vibraphone and Pianica for trio Fancy and duo The De Factos. Most recently, he has been a founding member of the Performing Artists of Dungog non-profit community group, which is trying to nurture a live performance culture in that Shire. “We made a great start, but we are a bit snookered by Corona Virus, at the moment,” he confesses.
But if there’s a renewed energy in many parts of the bush, it’s partly a positive side-effect to the otherwise dark effects of Covid. Tourists and tree-changers are coming to the country in unprecedented numbers. Benefits are being reaped. There’s an energy around, according to the Chair of Arts Upper Hunter, Ivan Skaines. “This is a great time to be promoting the arts and creative industries. One example: shops and galleries opening in main streets, which can be good for the economy, for local artists and for visitors wanting things to do.”
opening hours
Monday to Sunday
11 am to 3 pm
266 Dowling St Dungog
NOTE.
As of Thursday 9 September, the gallery has re-opened after Covid-19 lockdown was lifted
our meetings
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at the gallery commencing at 10.30am
Come along and be part of the decision making of our Society
Next Meeting Tuesday 21 September has been cancelled due to Covid -19.
Should restrictions be eased in time we will hold the next meeting on Tuesday 19 October
2021 DUNGOG ARTS SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBITION
POSTPONED
The committee of the Dungog Arts Society regretfully announces the Annual Art Exhibition set down for October 1 to 10 has been postponed.
Due to the uncertainty of the spread of Covid-19 and the associated lockdowns, it became untenable to plan towards a safe exhibition.
Our committee will do all in its power to hold the exhibition some time in the future when the threats from Covid-19 have sufficiently subsided.
We thank the patience of our sponsors and the artists who had eagerly awaited to display their works.
Carstairs Prize
The Carstairs Prize aims to support socially engaged art projects that embrace participatory and collaborative experiences, bring participants into active dialogue with the artist(s) in order to involve audiences beyond the art community.
The prize is intended to contribute to artwork production costs to assist the successful applicant(s) to develop and present new work.
In recognition of the severe limitations in place due to physical distancing and the challenges this poses, we welcome proposals that consider the digital and virtual space as a valid and essential arena for collaborative artistic endeavour. Proposals may, but are not required to, explore collaborative arts practice in a time of pandemic and physical distancing.
Named after the Carstairs, the prize drew its name from an intriguing and eccentric blend of writers, poets, painters, pianists, and illustrators who immigrated to Australia from Fife, Scotland in the 19th century.
Funding Available: One individual or group will be awarded $10,000 + GST
Important Dates: Closes 25:59 AEST Sunday 17 October 2021
Carstairs Prize 2021 Terms and Conditions PDF (109.6 KB)
Carstairs Prize 2021 Terms and Conditions Word Document (55.1 KB)
Hunter Valley Art Fair
Dungog Artists, do you want to display and hopefully sell your artworks?
There are still stalls available for the upcoming art fairs in June and October, across both long weekends in the heart of the Hunter Valley Vineyards.
Click on the link below for full details
Monday Drawing Classes
Postponed due to COVID-19
Drawing classes are held in our gallery on Monday evenings from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Cost is $5 per person per session.
Youths are free
ISOLATION ART
Our gallery has now opened but our members have still been busy creating new works during this COVID-19 pandemic.
See their work at the new isolation art page and read how they are coping cooped up at home.
We are still accepting works.
For more information and how to contribute go here
GALLERY TEMPORARILY
CLOSED
Friday 7th August 2021 for the foreseeable future due to Covid-19.
To keep in touch, we have created online sales on this website.
Click on shop at the gallery from the main menu or click here.
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Generous Donation form IGA Dungog
Dungog Arts Society was thrilled to be the recipient of a cheque for $798 from Lovey's IGA as part of their Community Chest program.
Our society is grateful for the support of IGA. As a member of a close community, we can only exist with the support of local businesses.
Lovey's IGA generous donation will add to the prizemoney bank for our Annual Art Exhibition in October 2021.
Again, thank you James and your crew.
4798
An interesting read about art in Covid times, forwarded by Philippa Graham of Sculpture on the Farm
Covid Proof Art Projects: Getting It Done
Join us for Part Two of our deep dive into Adaptation, a completely online collaborative artwork GAS implemented during the last lockdown. Last time we discussed setting up a Covid-proof art project, now how do you execute it?
We share the successes and challenges and many practical tips from what we learned in running an online creative project with four regional centres and 100 regional creatives. The articles focuses on using Covid as an opportunity to pivot and innovate. We think projects like Adaptation are just the beginning!
If you missed Part One of our exploration into Adaptation, you can read it here.
REPORT - FIGURE DRAWING WORKSHOP
SATURDAY 23RD JANUARY 2021
Co-facilitator Donna Woodlands has furnished this report for the very successful workshop.
This workshop was led by Wendy Graham, assisted by Jan Samson and Donna Woodlands
It was wonderfully enabled by Wendy’s granddaughter, Annie, who has a background in dance.
She was very patient, generous and strong in her poses and was a lovely subject for us to draw. Thankyou so much Annie.
12 people managed to find spaces around the room, though a couple had challenging back views . Apologies for that.
Thanks Toby for arranging the venue with air conditioning. We needed it, and it is a great space to use.
The feedback from everyone I spoke to was that they had thoroughly enjoyed themselves and requested more of the same. Something we intend to arrange in the future.
Cheers
Wendy, Jan and Donna
Bunnings Hardware - Generous Donation
Towards our Christmas Raffle
Bunnings Maitland have very generously donated to us a magnificent new wheelbarrow that we will stock with goodies for our Christmas Raffle.
If you would like to donate a gift to fill the barrow just drop it off at the gallery
Raffle will be drawn Wednesday 23rd December
AND OUR WINNER IS.............
Alex Simpson
THE DUNGOG ARCHIES 2020
The Dungog Archies 2020 have been judged and the winners have been announced.
Congratulations to
First prize - Greg Danvers
Second prize - Helene Leane
Highly Commended - Cynthia Denning
Junior under 13 - Lily Cook
Junior 13 to 18 - Isa Taylor
See all the entries on our Dungog Archies 2020 page in the "exhibitions & events" page
or click here
Prizemoney proudly donated by
The Medical Centre Dungog
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and Mr Doug Spedding
The exhibition runs from Friday 4th September until Friday 18th September at our gallery 266 Dowling St Dungog
GALLERY LIGHTS UPGRADE
We have been fortunate to receive a grant from Arts Upper Hunter of $1000 to upgrade the lights in our gallery to LED which are cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly.
The total cost of the upgrade is $1415, so generous members have embraced the "Sponsor a Light" scheme where they contributed to the shortfall, by "adopting" one of the 18 lights in the gallery for $20
Here is a list of the contributors so far
Pat & John Staker
Gaye Shield
Royce Burns & Dianne Pope
Greg & Phyl Danvers
Marilyn Flannery
Wendy Grahame
June Beckett
Lyn Rayward
Greg Mudie
Elaine Stuart
Toby Solomon
Phillippa & John Graham
Cheryl Lavender
Members - our artists page
As a member of Dungog Arts Society you are entitled to have your work displayed on the our artists page.
To see instructions on how to get your work on the page, click here
The September 2021 Members' newsletter is now available on the "members' news" page.
October gallery roster is also available there
Members' individual pages
For instructions on how to get your individual page up on the website, click here