Alton Gallery has reopened to visitors with a new exhibition following renovations. Pictured are Echuca Moama Artists secretary Maryann Jenkins and curator Veronica Lamb.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
With a new ceiling over their heads, members of the Echuca Moama Artists group have returned to Alton Gallery to launch a fresh exhibition.
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Renovations over the past three months had left the group studio-less while works were done on the heritage-listed building.
Curator Veronica Lamb said she was happy to be back in the gallery, which is used by various artists from the group’s 30 or so members each week.
“It feels great — it’s fresh,” she said.
“We meet here on a Friday (to paint), and somebody’s on duty Saturday to open. We have workshops ... and we’ve had children’s classes in here after school.”
The gallery’s latest exhibition is titled Nature’s Gift.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Established in 1954, Echuca Moama Artists has been active for 71 years, and its members are grateful to be back doing what they love in a dedicated space.
Secretary Maryann Jenkins said it was a social and creative boost for the area’s ageing population to be able to access painting recreationally.
“There’s so many elderly people, and it’s just a pretty reasonably cheap hobby,” she said.
“It’s just great to have a workshop to come to.”
The gallery was formerly a maternal health centre, which both Ms Lamb and Ms Jenkins used when they were new mothers.
A boon to the group’s older members, the building was designed with accessibility in mind, featuring a ramp to the wide entrance for its original pram-pushing clientele.
“We brought our kids in here ... and we’ll be able to get our wheelchairs up, too,” Ms Lamb said, with a laugh.
The gallery’s latest exhibition is titled Nature’s Gift, and includes Painted Gourds 3 as a special addition.
Around 50 decorated gourds are on show.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
With 44 paintings on display, and around 50 decorated gourds, group members have been hard at work during the gallery’s shutdown to create an extensive showing.
The exhibition is open now, and will run until the end of January next year, before members enter artworks for an Easter display.
Alton Gallery is located at Hare St, Echuca, and is open from 10am to 1.30pm on Friday, and 10am to 1pm on Saturday.
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