When it comes to big shoes to fill — or rather big galleries to fill — Marg Smerdon has one legendary reputation to maintain.
She co-ordinates the clothing displays in the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery.
Her predecessor, Isobel Harvie, built that legendary reputation by donating her collections to help promote the gallery since it opened in 2014.
Mrs Harvie's vintage clothing collections are well known not only in Kyabram but across the Goulburn Valley.
People would come to Kyabram just to view those displays at the Allan St gallery.
{image:865165917}
However, Mrs Harvie has since retired and handed the reins to Mrs Smerdon, who admits expectations are high.
Mrs Smerdon has been volunteering at the gallery for about six years. In those early days she was on the front information desk greeting customers.
With growing admiration towards Mrs Harvie, the soon-to-be-successor decided to offer her assistance to the collector, which led eventually to Mrs Smerdon taking over the role.
She knew what she was getting herself into and the work required to ensure the gallery would remain successful in the Kyabram community.
“I was honoured when Isobel asked me to take over,” Mrs Smerdon said.
“There are times it can take over your life a little bit — such as when there's an exhibition I don't play golf.
“It's not an easy role but in saying that, it gives me something to do.”
Mrs Smerdon knows all too well the reserves of her mental toughness — having experienced the most heartbreaking of losses as a mother.
Her daughter Anne was murdered in 1992, alongside Peter Dempsey (Mrs Smerdon's son-in-law) and Kerryn Henstridge. Ashley Coulston is serving three life sentences for the murders.
Mrs Smerdon admitted to being cooped up at home for six months after the murder but soon told herself "that's no life" she wanted to live.
“I try to do something that can take my mind off it,” she said.
{image:865165918}
Mrs Smerdon said it could take about four months to go from the start of preparation to opening day.
Those four months include long hours and plenty of physical work.
At the back of the town hall in the classic gallery is the latest exhibition produced by Mrs Smerdon: Reminisce.
The stunning high-ceiling room is decked out in the finest wedding dresses and garments from 1910 through to 2010.
It shows the everchanging world of fashion in evolving styles, trends and colour.
To showcase the exhibition, which has about 50 dresses on display, was a test of Mrs Smerdon's dedication.
Thankfully she was helped by fellow volunteer Marg Woods; however, despite the extra pair of hands it was still a monumental task to prepare the wedding dresses.
“It took a fair while to set up because there were lots of plastic containers filled with clothes,” Mrs Smerdon said.
“And that took us about three weeks to sort out which clothes we wanted, plus a couple of weeks to steam every dress. We picked dresses we liked and also based on different materials and styles.
“There were a couple of days where I was working eight to 10 hours. It then took us about a week to set it all up.”
While the dresses are the focus of the gallery, it is Mrs Smerdon's personal touch of class that adds to it.
Some mannequins have their own flowers, a few have a story to tell and the mannequins from the earlier eras are headless so the viewer is drawn solely to the dress.
Mrs Smerdon's first of four exhibitions was in 2019, called Remember When, which took inspiration from British sitcom Are You Being Served? while serving as an homage to department stores.
For her second exhibition she made a call to the community, asking if locals had any "international" styles of clothing.
“I spoke to one lady and then it just snowballed,” she said.
“The exhibition showed different clothes all over the world. My third exhibition was Let's Dance — that showed dancewear throughout the years.”
{image:865165895}
Mrs Smerdon is also the treasurer of the gallery committee.
Many of the volunteers speak highly of her work ethic and how she has successfully transitioned into being the co-ordinator of the clothing displays.
The final word might be given to Mrs Harvie, who said she was incredibly proud of what Mrs Smerdon had achieved.
She casts a watchful eye over the exhibitions and offers advice, but knows she picked the right successor.
“Marg is doing a wonderful job,” she said.
“She is also being helped by Marg Woods and together they've gone to incredible lengths to put on such fabulous displays.”
Reminisce will run until the end of August. Entry is $8, and $6 concession. Group bookings are available.