Arty Places 2011 : Sandy Hollow

Who could resist this welcoming sign? I was told that this was the place with great coffee and scones but the recommendation didn’t mention the wonderful surprising bonus - the ART!

I visited this really inviting, appealing, quirky and interesting art space last week - David Mahony Art Gallery and Coffee House - in Sandy Hollow on the Golden Highway Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Here are some facts about Sandy Hollow
• Village on the Golden Highway bordering Wollemi National Park
• Overshadowed by the dramatic sandstone hills of the Giant’s Leap
• 255 km north of Sydney, population 140
Sandy Hollow was originally a campsite for travellers at the junction of the Goulburn River Valley and Halls Creek. The surrounding area was settled by pioneering graziers in the 1820s. The town achieved a brief moment of fame when Captain Thunderbolt, the bushranger, held up the Denman-Merriwa mail service in the 1860s.

The tourist website blurb does not mention David Mahony’s sculpture garden or his other artistic endeavours all on display while you sip what one local patron described to us as “the best coffee around”, but I really recommend that you visit David, indulge in the devonshire tea, and spend some time appreciating the art, too.

There were even Australian art works in the toilet.

David also took time to explain the stories which inspired the mosaics - local legends of a female bushranger and the traditional stories of local Aborigines.

As my sister is an “owl collector” I was also engaged by the obvious affinity to owl art - a theme throughout - the advertising, the paintings, the mosaics. Owl afficionados would find this place a sanctuary . There was something very appealing, irreverent and humorous about David's art . My favourite was the “hung “ parliament which was overseen by none other than a larger than life Dame Edna Everidge ( for those non-Australians – our last election created a hung parliament, but certainly not as friendly nor as wise as this owl parliament!)

There is certainly an eclectic mix of art to look at – thanks David for making the change from the banking industry to art – you have provided a wonderfully refreshing highway stop for travellers and local residents.

From this little glimpse of David Mahony’s Art Gallery and Coffee House, it is certainly one stop you too should make on the Golden Highway at Sandy Hollow in 2011.

"Temari Or Not Temari?" Tutorial

Background Information: Temari (literally translated “hand ball”) is a Japanese folk craft that is alleged to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan five or six hundred years ago. Traditionally, the balls were constructed from wrapped kimono fabric remnants and silk threads. They were made by mothers and grandmothers for children to play with. Nowadays, decorative embroidered temari represent a highly valued and cherished gift symbolizing friendship and loyalty. Recently I've wondered if your don't use traditional techniques whether you should call what you create "temari". That is an ongoing debate but today I share what I do to make a "non-traditional temari".... 1.I start with a polystrene ball ( traditionally the balls were wound silk scraps or other organic materials) and begin to wrap with approx 4 ply wool, turning the ball as I wrap. 2. I then wrap another layer of wool in a similar fashion , this time a 3 or 2 ...

Stitched Gardens and Magpies

Magpies are always around in our garden , strutting, poking about for insects and having a splash in the birdbath. They often call if the water is at a low level in the birdbath until one of us replenishes the water supply. It is no coincidence then that they have figured prominently as part of recent little works in the stitched garden series. I also like to include human figures in my gardens, especially taken from old photos of family members. This "impressionist ' stitched garden features my husband's great aunt, Sarah Ann Bath. I like to think of her in this abundant garden , when in reality, she grew up in the early 1900s in rather cramped living conditions in Birmingham UK See more and read more about my stitched gardens - other posts: How does your garden grow with stitch? How does your garden grow with crayons?

Dotee Divertissement

Dotee by Wendy Anderson What is a "dotee' doll? ... A dotee is a mini art doll, meant to be traded or swapped. The dolls 6 inches /15 cm tall or smaller, but the hanger or tail can exceed that measurement. They have a face, but do not require arms or legs. Dotees have a loop for hanging, and come with tails (tails are fibres, ribbon, charms or other string-y things that add to the theme of the doll). Dotees can be made from a variety of materials - fabric, felt, paperclay, yarn, beads, gourds or any other material/media that you can make a doll from. Most dotee makers add buttons, beads, sequins, embroidery, or charms to embellish the doll. Dotee dolls by Wilma Simmons At the February meeting of Gumnut Dollies Newcastle, the group activity was to revisit these little dolls, which were very popular for doll swaps around the world about 10 years ago. As our theme for 2020 is The Twenties, the little flapper girl face buttons were a good start.... Dot...

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Search This Blog