KIM DEACON - New installation performance

Hill End based musician, performer and artist Kim Deacon presents an installation based on the shipboard diary of Mary Maclan, a Scottish immigrant who settled in Hill End in the 1870's. The exhibition goes on display at the Jean Bellette Gallery from 20 November 2015 to the 24th January 2016.

The diary of Mary Maclean documents her passage to Sydney from Glasgow on The Africana in 1865. It was found through pure chance by a man walking his dog in Hill End in 1961. The dog chased a rabbit and disappeared into a thick canopy of undergrowth covering a derelict house. Inside this abandoned house was a wooden box. Inside the box: a diary.

Written while she sailed as a 3rd class steerage passenger aboard The Africana from Liverpool to Sydney in 1865, the diary gives a moving and detailed account of life at sea, and the insights of a young woman on the brink of a new life.

Mary married William Marchall of Marhcall's Rich Vein Gold Mining Company, Hill End, in 1873 and lived out the rest of her life at the 'Littlehouse' family home opposite Craigmoor, where they raised four sons.

A Storm at Sea will recreate the steerage accommodation of Mary Maclean through film, narrative and a soundscape featuring the windharp. Historically, the windharp was used by Greeks and Romans as they sailed off to war and a small harp or lyre would be placed at the bow of the ship, allowing the wind to play through the strings creating heavenly harmonic sounds which would bode them well in battle.

To create the windharp soundscape for A Storm At Sea, Kim Deacon records her harps on the lookouts of Hill End and the Lachlan Valley of Cowra to create a haunting harmonic sound field which will play throughout the installation.

Kim Deacon:  A Storm At Sea will be opened by artist John Firth-Smith on Friday 20 November, 5.30pm for 6pm speeches, at the Jean Bellette Gallery, Visitors Centre, Hill End.

OPENING: Friday 20 November 2015

EXHIBITION DATES: 20 November 2015 - 24 January 2016

JEAN BELLETTE GALLERY

Hill End Visitors Centre

High Street, Hill End.

Open 9.30am - 4.30pm daily

Closed for lunch 12.30pm - 1.30pm

Details can be seen on Kim Deacons facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/kimdeaconhillend 

for her other coming performances go to the 

 INLAND SEA OF SOUND FESTIVAL

Full festival website

http://inlandseaofsound.com.au/ 

6,7,8th November 2015

Bathurst Goldfields

428 Conrad Straight

Wahluu -Mount Panarama

Bathurst

For BOOKINGS Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre

http://www.bmec.com.au/bmec-programs/inland-sea-of-sound/about-inland-sea-of-sound.html

Danelle Bergstrom - Portia Geach Memorial Award finalist

Hill End artist Danelle Bergstrom's painting titled Centenary of Grace - Finalist for Portia Geach Memorial Prize.

It's a very exciting month in Hill End with the announcement of two Hill End artists as finalists for the Portia Geach Memorial Award. We have Rosemary Valadon www.rosemaryvaladon.com.au/with her portrait of Hill End artist Genevieve Carroll and Danelle Bergstrom with Centenary of Grace.


This is a little insight into Danelle's portrait of Eileen Kramer of how the meeting of two creative minds inspired this well portrayed painting.

For Eileen, born in 1914, every day is a day to create. Her 76 year career as writer, dancer, painter, costume designer and choreographer began in 1939 with the Bodenwieser Ballet, one of Australia's first modern dance companies.

Last year she was honoured with a Lifetime achievement Award from the Arts Health Institute for whom she is now an official Ambassador.

First introductions to Eileen and her stimulating body of work, extended through mutual friend Jack Thompson, at the opening night of her latest work, a performance of the "The Early Ones" that she both choreographed and performed.

While researching for the portrait, I attended a dance and movement class held by Eileen with the intention to observe and sketch. However it proved difficult to be merely a spectator, being drawn into her graceful hypnotic movements. Enticed to participate, not necessarily following the graceful actions of the class, but eager to experience the rhythms, fluidity and elegance of the movements that Eileen expresses so naturally.

You can see more of Danelle Bergstroms evocative landscape paintings at her coming exhibition at
A R T H O U S E  G A L L E R Y www.arthousegallery.com.au/artists/bergstrom_danelle/