We started July with some very sad news. Two of our beautiful artists and friends passed away. Members would like to express their deepest sympathy to family and friends.
Hendrika “Riekie” van Kesteren 1947 – 2025
Our beautiful Rieke brought sunshine into the lives of so many people. She was a much loved and joyful artist and friend to many of the Mallee Artists of Swan Hill (MASH). Her colourful artworks embodied Rieke’s view on life and her positive attitude.
Joan Mellahn 24/5/1931 – 3/7/2025 Joan was one of our Life Members, a dear friend and great supporter of MASH for many years. She will always be remembered for her beautiful piano playing and her gracious presence.
WORKSHOPS
June Workshop: Paint like Picasso with Norma & Jenny
July Workshop – Fingerpainting
School Holiday Workshops for Children
Mallee Artists ran their first School Holiday Program in July on two Wednesday afternoons. Week 1 was Fingerpainting with older children creating beautiful trees and younger children creating a range of different images.
The group has been very busy this year. Our Annual General Meeting was held in January and we welcomed a new President, Gail Groat and Treasurer, Val Waylen (pictured below at the Balranald Exhibition Opening).
We travelled to Balranald and exhibited a collection of art, new and old for 6 weeks. The exhibition ran from the last week of January until mid March. At the conclusion MASH donated $100 to the Balranald art gallery as a thank you.
February: In conjunction with the Woorinen District Progress Association we were granted funding to create 5 small murals for the Woorinen South township. This was a community project with members of MASH supporting residents to paint the murals. These are now in their final stages of detailing and further funding is being sought for the installation. (see the Mural Project Post for more information)
Blanks ready to go
Background spraying
Sketching designs 1
Sketching designs 2
Designs with some detail
Designs with some detail
Gail starting on day 1
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting
mural weekend painting day 2
Detailing
Animals detail
Flowers detail
Preparing school mural 1
Preparing school mural 2
media
WORKSHOPS: We have held 4 “First Wednesdays”
February: Mixed media (newspaper trees on painted background) with Maxine
March: Funky Trees and Animals with Merrilyn
April: Meditation and mixed media faces with Donna and Gail (Lorri was ill)
May: Neurographics with Donna
Upcoming in June: Paint like Picasso with Jenny and Norma
Please bring good quality paper suitable for the medium you choose, or can be done in your journal. A pencil and eraser. A dice. A Black Marker ie Sharpie or similar and paints, (watercolour or Acylic), pencils, paint pens. Whatever you like working with.
26th May is the LAST Mosaic Monday until Spring! Glueing/planning only – Lorri Lambert will send you home with anything you need to finish your current project.
The Woorinen South Small Mural Project is a joint project of Mallee Artists Swan Hill and Woorinen District Progress Association and will see the installation of six murals around the township of Woorinen South. The project also has support from the Woorinen District Primary School, the Woorinen Football Netball Club and community members from around the district.
Lead Artist, Gail Groat, with the assistance of Donna Autry created the designs for the murals and then facilitated a mural painting weekend, held at the local primary school. Final details are now being added. The painting of the murals was made possible through a successful $5000 grant under the Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Community Flood Recovery and Resilience grant program.
Sponsorship by local business was of great assistance. This included preparation of panels by Mitchell’s Automotive Restorations & Assemblies of Woorinen South and supply of paint for the murals by Paint Rattle n Roll of Swan Hill.
The themes of the murals depict Woorinen’s natural and built environment: fruit and vegetable growing and the former fruit cooperative, cereal / dry land farming, rural industry and the fire brigade, native fauna, native flora and our multicultural community.
A guide will be developed to encourage tourism, visitation and walking or cycling to be distributed from the Swan Hill information Centre and local business. The mural trail will be an exciting addition to the township, encouraging locals and visitors to take a walk or cycle around the town, and learn more about the social, cultural and economic importance of the Woorinen District.
The completion of the overall project ( parts 1 & 2) will achieve: * Design and painting of murals by Mallee Artists and community members * Installation of the murals on Council-owned and public land in Woorinen South. * The strengthening of collective identity and serve as a reminder of a community’s shared history, values, and goals. *Demonstrate collaboration by showing the community’s ability to work together. *Develop new skills through participants learning how to use materials, tools, and processes to create art. *Increased awareness of the history, culture and natural environment of Woorinen district through public art and promotion of the project.
Members can enrol in either day for $75 OR both $125 (non members $95 1 day $150 both)
Sat 12th October 10am—3pm
Introduction to watercolour techniques, paints and papers Paper provided, MASH watercolours available to use.
Sun 13th October 10am—3pm
Watercolour Portrait painting (human or animal) BYO Paper, MASH watercolours available to use.
Jon retired from secondary teaching to pursue his passion of painting. He has won over 60 awards in the last 9 years and was voted “Artist of the year” by Ballarat Arts Society in 2022. Jon has guest tutored for MASH on two previous occasions and his gentle style of teaching and inspiring artworks make him an excellent tutor.
Next week is the FIRST WEDNESDAY of the month 5th June … so its workshop time! Lorri is presenting a short MYSTERY WORKSHOP! Just bring along your usual painting & drawing supplies…. you will be given some cartridge paper and scissors… the rest is a mystery! By the end of the morning we will have a mini exhibition!
PS: The image is not what we are doing, but I wanted something to attract attention.
M.C. Escher, Hexagonal tessellation with animals: Study of Regular Division of the Plane with Reptiles (1939)
Paverpol is a sculptural art, using a liquid that dried like concrete so that your sculpture can be placed in your garden. This will be a 2 week activity. Week 1 at the hall creating our armature (structure to coat in paverpol) Week 2 will be at Sue’s house to coat our structures. (address to be supplied in week 1)
$20 per member. Materials list and cost will be supplied when booking.
Mallee Artists Swan Hill Inc. 