About a week ago I drove up to the self-described ‘sleepy township’ of Tea Gardens, situated on the mid-north coast of NSW, between Port Stephens and Myall Lakes. My reason – to visit an art gallery located on Marine Drive, which, as its name suggests, sits on the village waterfront.
It was lovely wandering in and around the gallery (on what was a really beautiful summer’s day), something I’d wanted to do for some time, as I hope to be part of their biennial exhibition, The Anderson Art Awards, coming up a few months from now.
A few kilometres on from Tea Gardens is Hawks Nest, a coastal town I last visited in 1980, just after finishing my HSC. There was no such thing as Schoolies Week back then, but I went with a few friends to stay at Hawks Nest for about a week once our exams were over.
A lot has changed in those 44 years! I looked for the house we’d stayed in, which I remembered being just a block from the beach, but it seems those old beach houses have been replaced by much more substantial buildings in the intervening years (and even if they hadn’t, I’m not sure I would have remembered it).
The exhibition at Tea Gardens is one of many I’m working towards at the moment, as the art year is back in full swing again. So as always, if you’re wanting to see some art (perhaps specifically mine!), read on.
Oh, the photo above? It has nothing to do with anythng here, but is one I took many years ago at Canberra’s Floriade, and have loved it ever since.
Coming up …
HAS Volunteers’ Exhibition, Wallarobba, 25 Edgeworth David Avenue, Hornsby (NSW), on now until Sunday 23 February (closed Mondays)
Artists of Mosman: 2088, Mosman Art Gallery, 1 Art Gallery Road, Mosman (NSW), from Saturday 15 February to Sunday 16 March
Art @ The Rowers, Mosman Rowers Club, 3 Centenary Drive, Mosman (NSW), from Saturday 1 to Friday 21 March
A4 Art Australia, Herring Island Gallery, Melbourne (Vic), from Saturday 1 March to Monday 21 April (check website for open dates), then online until Monday 31 June
Port Stephens Art Prize, Port Stephens Community Art Centre, Cultural Close, Nelson Bay (NSW), Friday 14 to Sunday 23 March
The Village Kitchen, 83 Old Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong (NSW), Friday 11 April to Friday 16 May, 2025
Sydney Royal Easter Show, Sydney Olympic Park (NSW), from Friday 11 to Tuesday 22 April
Australian Society of Miniature Art Pop-up Exhibition, St Ives Shopping Village (NSW), Monday 12 to Sunday 25 May
Until next month!