Archive for the ‘Destination’ Category
Tuesday, May 21st, 2013
A group of Boonah’s leading artists will open their studios to the public this weekend.
Three artists – Felicity Smith, Catherine Anderson and Rachael Brook – will work from their studios at the Boonah Butter Factory on May 25 and 26, as part of Open Studios of the Scenic Rim.
Sculptor Christopher Trotter will be based in the Council forecourt in High Street Boonah, the location of his latest public art piece, The Blumbergville Clock.
Painter Mark Paddick will be the artist-in-residence at the Art & Soul Gallery in Boonah.
At Aratula artists Suzy Buhle, Christine Leah and Ali George are hosting open studios on the same weekend.
It’s the second-last weekend in the Open Studios Festival, which has been staged at locations across the Scenic Rim since the start of May.
The event offers art lovers an opportunity to meet some of the region’s leading artists and to see them at work.
New to the event his year are Mark Paddick and Christine Leah. (more…)
Tags: Ali George, Arartula, boonah, Boonah Butter Factory, Catherine Anderson, Christine Leah, Felicity Smith, Mark Paddick, rachael brook, Studios of the Scenic Rim, Suzy Buhle
Posted in Coming Soon, Creative Streaks, Destination, Events, Experiences, General News | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 21st, 2013
Suzy Buhle lives in Aratula, in a cute cottage surrounded by spectacular mountain views, grassy hills and grazing cattle.
So it’s surprising that the most popular works in her Aratula gallery/studio are the brightly-coloured, scantily-clad, voluptuous women.
Those bare-breasted Buhle beach babes are hanging on walls around Australia and overseas and celebrate the female form in all its shapes and sizes.
“I trained classically at uni and painted whatever was put in front of me but after that I had a shop at Nobby Beach on the Coast and my style just evolved,” says Suzy.
“I painted surfers, women and nudes. I’ve always painted women but not as distorted as I do now. That’s what I connect with, I’ve always been drawn to the female body. I also love colour – I don’t do dark and gloomy, there’s enough of that in the world, I like my work to be bright and happy.”
Buhle was raised on a cattle property at Aratula but she cut her artistic teeth on the Gold Coast, where she ran a popular chalk art business, servicing cafes and restaurants.
“I started on the Gold Coast in screen printing, working as a graphic designer,” she says.
“I held my first solo exhibition on Hedges Ave in Mermaid Beach, before leaving for Sydney, where I started my menu and chalkboard business.
“I returned to the Gold Coast and the business took off. I made some great connections in the café and restaurant scene and held my next exhibition at Café Affair in Broadbeach.” (more…)
Tags: Aratula, artwork, Buhle Art, painting, Studios of the Scenic Rim, Suzy Buhle
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Wednesday, May 15th, 2013
Cherie Strong lives Boonah, a small country town, population 2500. She works from a studio on her rural property, juggling art around her hectic duties as a mum to five boys, aged 16 to eight years.
But that hasn’t stopped the prolific painter and street artist from achieving phenomenal sales around the world.
She’s just left for an exhibition in London’s Portobello Road, where her reputation precedes her.
Cherie thanks Facebook for her new-found international popularity. She says social media has enabled her to find new customers, irrespective of where she is based or what galleries she is exhibiting in.
“I was signed to a local gallery for four years and last year I decided to leave and do it on my own,” says Cherie.
“In the past 12 months my profile has gone global. I sell my art overseas all the time. I would send to America every week and in the UK they’re telling me I’m quite popular over there.”
Cherie says her life raising a house of boys has influenced her artwork. Her favourite – and most popular series – feature China Dolls and Geisha Girls. She also does a great edgy Alice in Wonderland series and a ‘drippy’ series, which features dripping paintwork.
Meet Cherie and watch her work during Open Studios of the Scenic Rim, which is being held across five weekends, starting on May 3. The celebration of art and culture involves 86 artists working in 24 studios around the Scenic Rim.
The Open Studios festival offers visitors a rare glimpse into the creative process. Cherie says she’s looking forward to working in such a public place and an environment far removed from her solitary studio.
Cherie started painting in her late teens and studied art in Perth straight out of school. But soon after graduating she met her husband and started breeding boys. During those early years her art took a back seat but about nine years ago she decided to focus on it again.
“I was about 30 and knew I was missing something,” says Cherie.
“I bought some paint and canvases and started painting. It just went from there. I didn’t even realise I missed it until I started painting again. I’m going to London for a show on Portobello Rd and when I get back I have a solo exhibition in Melbourne. People are coming to me now thanks to Facebook and social media. (more…)
Tags: artist in residence, Cherie Strong, Hillbilly Coffee, open studios, Open Studios of the Scenic Rim, Scenic Rim art
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Wednesday, May 15th, 2013
Jacques van der Merwe knows all about the uncertainty and displacement that comes with moving to a new country.
He made the difficult, but necessary, decision to leave his homeland in South Africa in 2008 and move to Australia with his wife and two children. They left behind family and friends and an increasingly dangerous home environment.
Jacques and his family are now settled and happily living in the artistic community of Tamborine Mountain.
Immigration and displacement are the themes of his new exhibition – Foreign Landings – which opens at the Marks and Gardner Gallery on May 17. On May 18 and 19 Jacques will be artist-in-residence at the gallery as part of the Open Studios of the Scenic Rim Festival.
On May 18 a second Jacques van der Merwe exhibition – New Arrivals – will open at Regional Gallery at The Centre Beaudesert.
Both exhibitions study the personal feelings of displacement and change experienced by immigrants.
The Foreign Landings exhibition features sculptures and ink drawings on paper, depicting the artist’s personal experiences of immigrating to a new country.
New Arrivals features a series of paintings by Jacques of other immigrants to Australia. He has captured their portraits in his expressionist style and has also recorded interviews with his subjects about their move to Australia and about the homes they left behind. Those interviews will play for visitors to the exhibition, adding another layer to the artwork.
“Being an immigrant I thought ‘What can I do with my art?’ Back in South Africa I was familiar with the surroundings. Here, I wanted to focus on this part of my life, so I looked into immigration,” he says.
“I started speaking to the people I was painting so I could put their voice with the portrait. It enables people viewing my paintings to hear the person’s accent and hear their story briefly. My subjects are from all over the world – Iran, Samoa, the Congo.
“People will walk into the gallery space and scan the QR code with their phone to hear the stories. (more…)
Tags: Foreign Landings, immigration, Jacques van der Merwe, Marks and Gardner Gallery, New Arrivals, Open Studios of the Scenic Rim, tamborine mountain
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Monday, May 13th, 2013
The region’s spectacular scenery, local attractions and diverse range of recreational activities are all highlighted in the new Scenic Rim Visitor Guide, released this week.
The 36-page glossy Visitor Guide offers an insight into the Scenic Rim’s fascinating natural history, its people, places and annual events.
Mayor John Brent said the guide gives visitors a comprehensive overview of all there is to see and do throughout the region.
“The Scenic Rim has long been a popular tourism destination, offering a vast array of experiences to suit everyone from couples and families to cultural tourists and adventure-seekers,” he said.
“The region’s picturesque natural environment provides endless opportunities for outdoor pursuits such as bushwalking, bird watching, fishing, boating, camping and even glamping.
“We have a rich cultural heritage, thriving arts community and of course a food and wine industry that is second to none. These unique and treasured facets of our region are featured in the new guide.”
Many of the Scenic Rim’s most recognised personalities are profiled in the guide, including business people, artists, winemakers, retailers, farmers and adventurers.
The guide also features a calendar of the region’s major annual events and an easy-to-read list of the ‘must do experiences’ in the Scenic Rim’s main towns and villages.
The Scenic Rim Visitor Guide, featuring a stunning shot of Mt Barney on the cover, is available from all Council Customer Service Centres, Libraries and Visitor Information Centres.
Alternatively, the guide can be viewed online.
Tags: events, Experiences, outdoor adventure, Scenic Rim tourism, Scenic Rim Visitor Guide
Posted in Destination, Events, Experiences, General News, People, Places | No Comments »
Friday, April 26th, 2013
This Mother’s Day escape the crowds and take your mum for a scenic escape in the Lost World Valley for a festival of food, wine and art.
Arts in the Olives is being staged on Sunday May 12 under the olive trees in the Scenic Rim’s magical Lost World Valley, about 90 minutes from Brisbane. The day features artist workshops, artisan stalls, live music, gourmet food and wine tasting.
It’s part of the Scenic Rim Regional Council’s Open Studios of the Scenic Rim, a month-long celebration of the region’s arts community.
Arts in the Olives is a popular annual festival of food and art, where visitors can learn batik, blacksmithing, sculpture, landscape painting, photography, relief woodcarving, rug making and much more. Children’s workshops are also available. Book early for the workshops to avoid missing out.
This year Arts in the Olives has a Textiles and Textures emphasis and features award-winning textile artist Therese Flynn Clark, Sandra Pearce and rug maker Bec Anderson.
If you think your mum would prefer a slower pace, pack your blanket and relax by the stage to enjoy the great local, live entertainment.
Dine out on the Scenic Rim’s finest food and wine, which will available for sale, along with plenty of local art. (more…)
Tags: Arts in the Olives, Lost World Valley, Open Studios of the Scenic Rim
Posted in Coming Soon, Creative Streaks, Destination, Events, Experiences, General News, outdoor adventure, People, Places, Scenic Rim Flavours | No Comments »
Friday, April 26th, 2013
Tamborine Mountain will be transformed from May 3 to 5 when the Garter Belts and Gasoline Nostalgia Festival rolls into town.
The festival is a celebration of hot rods and rockabilly that runs across the long weekend.
Multiple events will be held across the weekend, featuring cars, music, fashion and food.
It’s visually exciting and offers a great day out for all ages. Don’t miss the Rockabilly Ball on Friday Night at the Vonda Youngman Centre, or the Hot Rod Carnivale on Sunday between 9am and 5pm at the Tamborine Showground.
The Saturday Night Meltdown promises guests some of the best live music they’ve ever heard. Tickets are limited to this event.
Other events include the Kustom Kulture Art Exhibition, The Vintage Soap Box Derby and the Pin-up Contest.
Full details online
Tags: Garter Belts & Gasoline, hotrods, kustom culture, nostalgia festival, pin-up contest, soap box derby, tamborine mountain, Tamborine Showgrounds, Vonda Youngman Centre
Posted in Coming Soon, Destination, Events, Experiences, General News, People, Places | No Comments »
Friday, March 29th, 2013
Come to Boonah on Saturday April 6, when the River 949 radio team will be broadcasting live from the centre of town.
It’s part of a three-month promotional campaign, organised by the Scenic Rim Regional Council.
River 949 will broadcast from the Boonah Council forecourt in High Street from 9am to 1pm.
Many of the region’s tourism operators will be featured during the broadcast, and there will be some great giveaways up for grabs.
A mini tourism expo will be held in Boonah to coincide with the outside broadcast, so come and meet some of the Scenic Rim’s tourism operators and discover the range of experiences on offer.
Take advantage of one of these special offers now
Tags: boonah, daily deals, giveaways, outside broadcast, River 949, Scenic Rim tourism, Special Offers, tourism expo
Posted in Coming Soon, Destination, Events, General News, People, Places | No Comments »
Friday, March 29th, 2013
The Scenic Rim’s popular Eat Local Week is back for a third course in 2013.
This year’s event will be served up from June 23-30 with an array of activities already in the planning stages.
The inaugural Eat Local Week was staged in June 2011 to promote the region’s agriculture sector, food producers and tourism operators who were passionate about local food.
The week of events includes farm tours, food tastings and produce dinners. (more…)
Tags: Boonah Dines Out, Canungra producers' dinner, Eat Local Week, farming, FEAST, food, fresh food, Kalfresh, Robotic Dairy, Scenic Rim food, scenic Rim produce, Towri Sheep Cheeses
Posted in Coming Soon, Destination, Events, Experiences, General News, Scenic Rim Flavours, What's hot on our plates | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 5th, 2013
The Scenic Rim is open for business.
The region’s tourism operators have been quick to clean-up from the January storms and are welcoming visitors.
There’s never been a better time to visit the Scenic Rim, with many operators offering visitors some special deals on accommodation, food and wine.
Take advantage of one of the deals now
Tags: accommodation specials, flood recovery, food and wine specials, Open for business, special deals
Posted in Destination, Experiences, General News | No Comments »
View a selection of the videos that showcase the Scenic Rim Region.
