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5pm Friday 13 December 

Join us in the Narooma Gallery for our end of year drinks. We will be recognising and thanking the dedicated community members who have assisted us this year and indeed over many years, as we bring the dream of the Narooma Arts Centre into reality.

Come and celebrate in the Narooma Gallery before we embark on the last stage of our big adventure in the new year. Bring a plate to share, drinks provided.

2024 - IT’S A WRAP

NAROOMA GALLERY

Eleven Fantastic Exhibitions at the Narooma Gallery in 2024

We are so delighted to have hosted a great suite of exhibitions across the year and thank each and every one of the artists who hosted a solo exhibition or were part of a group, or participated in the members exhibitions. A big thank you to the broader community and all those who came to enjoy viewing, or purchasing, the art in the gallery. 

The 2023 Members show just slid into the new year, we can still count it for 2024, right? This was followed by two exhibitions with artists who have not previously shown in Narooma Gallery : Fundamental by Bernie Miles and Sally Skinner; and Prussian Blue by Daniel Allam.

L-R: Daniel Allam, ‘Whale passing Dromadery’ Prussion Blue exhibition; Opening event, River of Art exhibition, image by Michael Blyde; Kate Wall ‘Untitled’, The Pose exhibition.

Jane Barney presented Place Your Tray Tables In Their Locked,  Upright Position, turning the gallery into a TV showroom with an array of short animations .

The Pose celebrated the art of life drawing, and included artists Lucy Badman, Mike Badman, David Campbell, Di Knoll, Lesley Lambert, Alex Newfield, Elisabeth Newfield, Kate Wall, Di White and David Whitfield.

This year we saw the return of the River of Art Prize, as part of the River of Art Festival. It was launched late September with the prize being awarded to Annika Romeyn.

L-R: Annika Romeyn, ‘Passing Through’ River of Art Prize Winner; Jackie Lambert, ‘An Evening Walk’, Narooma High School 2024; Jane Barney ‘Place Your Tray Table In Their Upright, Locked Position’ exhibition invite.

Winding up the year we have had a run of fantastic group exhibitions. Turned and Pressed Art, featured paintings and drawings by Perpetua McInnes and smooth turned wooden objects by Tony Jaggers; From There to Here, with work by Margaret Moran, Alison Spurgeon and Dennis Arnold celebrated place and landscape; Narooma High School 2024, saw students from Yrs  8-12 from our local high school put on a diverse, thoughtful and fun display.

The final exhibition Formed and Fired was entirely ceramic works by Yvonne Adams, Donna Anderson, Anna Bieler, Robyn Bradley, Jennifer Hain, Mel Laker, Cat Leach, Corin Rossouw, Sue Stadler and Selanie Waddilove.

L-R: Alison Spurgeon , ‘Coastal Banksia’, From There To Here exhibition; Corin Rossouw, ‘Elemental Triad’, Formed and Fired exhibition; Mathieu Lartigua, ‘Rockpools’, Sea Change exhibition.

Exhibition call out: Transiting February 2025 

We are farewelling our little gallery with a last huzzah with an exhibition titled ‘Transiting’, before the space is demolished ahead of the new build. The exhibition is open to members and non-members. Final dates for the exhibition will be confirmed as soon as possible.

Entry fee: Members $20 | Non Members $30

Size limit no larger than 1m square and exhibitors must be available to sit the gallery for a minimum of either a morning or afternoon session.

Complete your participation form online here.

WORKSHOPS / EVENTS

The community continued to participate in creative practice across town. The Urban Sketchers & Plein Air group met regularly enjoying the many views around Narooma. The Thursday art group met at the Fishing Club and the Montague Arts and Craft Society and the Mens Shed have been busy all year. The Narooma Historical Society continues to meet at the NSoA Cottage. If you are interested in joining this society why not email them. 

We hosted two workshops in 2024. Artistic Stitch Textile Workshop hosted by Alison Bogg ran across 5 months and focused on a different technique in each session and was sold out well before it commenced. Dr Erica Seccombe presented Smarter Phone Photography in May. This snappy one day workshop explored the amazing range of options from filters to stick on lenses for your phone, resulting in exceptional imagery.

ARTS TALK

In 2023 we introduced Arts Talk, a monthly gathering akin to a Book Club, of predominantly members but open to all, to come together to discuss the work of a nominated artist. Last year’s program ended with a fabulous talk by Professor Helen Ennis discussing her biography of Australian photographer Olive Cotton. Stay tuned to this space as we hatch a plan to have Professor Ennis back in 2025.

In 2024, we commenced the year chatting all things Banksy, the English artist whose work is primarily ephemeral, and which challenges the institution of the art market. This was followed by discussions on the work of Emily Kame Kngwarray, Eva Hesse, the Angry Penguins group, Kurt Schwitters, John Wolseley, Pierre Bonnard - acknowledging the recent release of biopic ‘Bonnard: Pierre et Marthe’, and concluding with the fabulous Jen Mallinson, an artist who lives in the region, and whose practice includes making large scale sculptures.

Thanks go to the members who nominated artists to be discussed and then led the discussion with the group. The interest in these talks has grown and we will continue to host them through 2025.

The Kinema

The Kinema is Narooma’s much loved independent cinema. They have a fantastic program of new releases, art house and independent films, along with live performances and events. Support the Kinema this summer and take your family and friends to see a movie in the heritage listed hall.

See the current film program here.