Once again the main streets of the historic township of Maldon will be turned into a virtual art gallery for the biennial Maldon Art Walk presented by the Maldon Artists Network (MANet) from March 16-31, 2019.
MANet are currently calling for artists to be involved in the Art Walk which is held in conjunction with the Castlemaine State Festival.
The first Art Walk was held in 2013 and has been offered every second year since alternately with the Maldon Portrait Prize.
What makes the 2019 Art Walk different from previous years is that it is for 3D work only this time around with the theme of ‘One Person’s Trash is Another Person’s Treasure’ – a message to recycle rather than throw away, with the aim of reducing landfill.
Artists may work to the theme or not, and there is a total prize pool of $3,000 on offer. First Prize is $2,000 and $1,000 for the ‘Best Themed’ entry.
MANet co-convenor, Jenny Merkus said the 2019 judge will be the new director of the Ballarat Art Gallery, Louise Tegart who
has expressed great interest in the Art Walk and was delighted to be asked.
There will also be two guest artists, Debra Goldsmith and Heather Ellyard.
Debra recently showcased her chandelier sculptures made of recycled plastic at the Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo White Night exhibitions.
Heather is a well-known artist who has lived in Maldon for just over four years and has previously been a judge for the Maldon Portrait Prize and an Art Walk participant.
Artists have until February 18 to enter 3D art works in any medium for the 2019 Art Walk. Applications, including a photograph of work entered, can be submitted online through the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre website at: http://www.maldonnc.org.au/auspiced-groups/maldon-artist-network-manet
Call for artists
Passions ignited
Former Mail editor Jeff Jones caught the latest CTC production Blood Wedding last weekend and shared the follow review for our readers.
Earlier in the year, Castlemaine Theatre Company (CTC) ventured into the classics when the company performed Shakespeare for the first time by taking on the wonderful wedding comedy As You Like it.
The wedding theme continues with CTC’s latest production, Blood Wedding by Federico Garcia Lorca, but as the title of this classic play suggests, this is no comedy. It’s the total opposite – a dark, ominous love story full of apparent loyalty and commitment that twists and writhes into deception, mistrust and tragedy.
As the story goes, a hardworking young man is preparing to marry the love of his life. The groom is the only surviving member of a family that has been involved in a feud with the Felixes, and his mother is still overcome with a mixture of rage and fear that her only surviving son will meet the same fate.
But unbeknown to the groom, the bride has been seeing someone else. She is still madly in love with Leonardo (of the Felix family), who is married and the father of a boy.
While the wedding celebration continues with singing and dancing, Leonardo rides away with the new bride. He is pursued by the groom, and the two men kill each other, thus causing the mother’s forebodings to come true.
Castlemaine Theatre Company’s spirited production features a simple but effective set, enhanced by Jon Henri Wolfe’s atmospheric lighting design which creates a sense of Spanish heat. At times the lighting is quite surreal.
Throw in an eye-catching flamenco dance solo by Kirsty MacCallum and superb flamenco guitar playing by Raziel Gutierrez the mood is perfectly set.
Director Rob Jorritsma’s passion for this play is clearly evident. From the flamenco dancing and guitar to the strong opening and final scenes, Mr Jorritsma explores the intense relationships between the characters and the symbolism which is paramount in this play.
From an acting point of view, there were several standouts including: Peter Bevin’s powerful, brooding portrayal as the torn Leonardo; Louise Osland’s performance as his jilted, pregnant wife; and, Lisa Martin, playing dual roles, as the Neighbour and Death a Beggar Woman.
Special mentions to Di Addington and Rebecca Morton for their terrific vocals and strong performances.
On the other side of the ledger, there were a few teething problems with the performance I saw on the opening weekend but these should be ironed out as the season
progresses.
Blood Wedding is playing at Castlemaine Town Hall on November 30 and December 1 at 8pm with a matinee on December 2 at 2pm.
Bookings at www.trybooking.com/YTFV
From Autism to OAM
Autism advocate Daniel Giles OAM and his father Daryl Giles will be presenting ‘From Diagnosis to OAM – A Personal Autism Journey’ in Castlemaine this Wednesday November 28.
The special event will be held at The Castlemaine Goods Shed, 11 Kennedy Street, Castlemaine at 7pm.
The father and son presenters say the presentation will be of special interest to educators working with students on the Autism Spectrum; carers of people on the Autism Spectrum; parents of children on the Autism Spectrum; and family members. For the full story see last Friday’s Mail.
The true value of our libraries
Community members passionate about the role of local libraries turned out in force for the launch of the Libraries Change Lives initiative at Castlemaine Library earlier this month.
Library manager Jess Saunders said the aim of the campaign was to highlight the economic and social benefits public libraries brought to our region and the state as a whole.
Goldfields Libraries CEO Mark Hands and local author Christie Nieman also spoke about the value of public libraries and the essential services they provide every day.
Ms Saunders said the campaign hoped to kick start conversation about the important role public libraries play in our communities.
Developed by Public Libraries Victoria Network and State Library Victoria, Libraries Change Lives is a statewide project designed to build community support and attract additional state government funding for the state’s 272 public libraries, which attract more than 30 million visitors a year.
New economic modelling demonstrates that every dollar invested in public libraries generates $4.30 of benefits for the state. At the local level, every dollar invested in Goldfields Libraries is delivering $4.50 of benefits to our community.
Mr Hands said public libraries had evolved beyond their traditional role of housing collections to offer vital community services, including digital connectivity, support for all kinds of literacy (including early years, financial and digital), universal access to information and government services.
“No other institution offers the same personal help, equal and free access to information, social engagement, and sense of safety and belonging,” he said.
Voters head to the polls
All set for summer splash
You know summer has as good as arrived when the public outdoor pools start filling.
By this Wednesday afternoon the local Chewton swimming pool was three quarters full and it’s shimmering blue water had local youngsters itching to jump in.
But instead it’s the temperature that’s taken a dive, curtailing hopes that the pool might be opening today.
“We can only open if the temperature is 23 degrees or above,” Chewton Swimming Pool management committee secretary Wendy Hopkins said. See our story in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
Mayor elected
Cr Bronwen Machin will serve as mayor for Mount Alexander Shire Council for another year following a special council vote which also saw Cr Stephen Gardner take a tilt at the top civic post. Get the full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail …
Medal mystery
We recently marked the centenary of the armistice and would like to share a fascinating story with our readers linked to the First World War and Castlemaine.
Former Castlemaine resident Tony Cole recently contacted the Mail to share the tale of a ‘Victory Medal’ he discovered in the dirt of his Wesley Hill backyard as a young boy.
The Victory Medal was presented to all members of the
Commonwealth Forces after the war and depicts ‘Justice’ on one side and on the back is inscribed with the words ‘The Great War for Civilisation 1914-1919.’ The soldier’s name and regiment number runs around the rim of the medal.
As an 11-12 year old child Tony was unable to locate anyone who knew about its owner Edward Charles Richardson’s origins.
In the 54 years since Tony has kept the medal safely tucked away but in recent years curiosity again got the better of him and with the help of the Castlemaine Historical Society and Bendigo RSL he has been able to glean a bit more information about the mystery solider.
“I approached the Castlemaine Historical Society several years ago and they did some digging for me and found a few links to Richardsons in the area, including a Richardson family which had been sluicing in the area back in 1907 and a George Richardson who held a right to a water race behind my former home at 50 McGrath Street but no ‘Edwards Charles Richardson,'” he said.
“Then in a meeting with Bendigo RSL it was pointed out to me that the soldier was not Australian, he was in fact Canadian.”
Armed with the solider’s full name and identification number Tony was recently able to access the war records for the man behind the long lost WWI relic.
Tony discovered Edward Charles Richardson had enlisted in 1915 and served with the 121st Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France. The private earned 15 dollars per month for his services which was forwarded to his brother in Bakersfield, California.
The 43-year-old was discharged from service in March 1919 due to the demobilisation.
So how did this Canadian’s medal come to be in a dusty backyard Down Under?
Tony could only guess at this until the local historical society made an interesting discovery.
“They found some information that indicated an Edward Charles, crew member on a ship ‘Cokesit’, was hospitalised in Melbourne in 1927. Was this the infamous Richardson? Had he perhaps travelled to Castlemaine to visit relatives or chaps he had met during the war before returning to his ship?
This part of the story still remains a mystery but it’s one Tony would love to solve.
“I’d really love to be able to return the medal to Edward’s family. They might know the link to Castlemaine and have the answer to the mystery,” he said.
If you have any information please email Tony at toeknee06@bigpond.com
A comedy to die for
It’s taken just six months for newcomer on the local live theatre scene, Moonlight Theatre Company, to stage its first production.
The new Castlemaine-based company is preparing to premiere its debut play, The Wrong Box, at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal on Thursday November 29, following its formation in June by locals Michael Treloar, John Rowland, Sophie Flynn and Barbara Rowland.
“It’s been very interesting getting together a whole new theatre company,” says John Rowland who’s directing The Wrong Box after adapting this classic black comedy as a radio play. Full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
Colourful profusion a festival inclusion
Castlemaine’s Terry Moloney is quick to acknowledge the work of the previous owners when discussing Rosebank, the beautiful garden he shares with his wife Meg Clancy.
But given that he and Meg have been at Rosebank for the past eight years, since moving from Sydney, it’s also apparent a serious gardener now resides within as well.
Situated in Castlemaine’s leafy Bowden Street, Rosebank is a circa 1860s weatherboard house cossetted in its abundant half acre garden featuring a profusion of classic cottage plants including some 150 or so rose bushes. It’s just one of the 22 beautiful gardens that are now opening to the public as part of the Festival of Gardens that starts this weekend and runs through Melbourne Cup Week to November 11. Catch our chat with Terry – plus our festival Weekender read – in today’s Castlemaine Mail.
Top Spot!
It was a careful and precise operation as the new and upgraded fire observer’s cabin was craned into position atop Mount Tarrengower fire observation tower yesterday.
The positioning of the new, larger cabin was the long-anticipated highlight of the $1 million project, started back in June, to replace the old 1980s observation cabin in time for the start of the new fire season. Story in today’s Mail.