Arts

Artist Damian Bisogni spent a weekend sitting on country with the subject of his Archibald Prize portrait, Goreng Goreng man Chris Sarra, before he fully understood the direction the painting needed to take, writes Digby Hildreth.

Melia Naughton is a busy woman. She sings, acts, composes and plays music. Melia has her finger in many creative pies around the Shire. Here she tells Lyn McCarthy all about her current projects and her very first triangle solo.

Bangalow is set to shine on the big screen in a new film starring Australian actress Radha Mitchell, writes Angela Saurine.

Life is short but art is long’ could be a motto for the latest collection of works from local artist Hilary Herrmann, on exhibition at the Tweed Regional Gallery from this month until the end of August.  Named Keepsakes, the 28 paintings are evidence that art can conquer time, by giving new life to those who have passed away.  The…

From the sublime to the seemingly ridiculous, from Beethoven’s transcendent ‘Moonlight’ Sonata to the sight of a man making an instrument out of a carrot – and playing it – the 20th Bangalow Chamber Music Festival promises to explore a wide range of musical expression.  What is guaranteed throughout is the exceptionally high quality of the performances: Carrot Man, for…

“I got this reputation And everybody knows my name I was born to play the guitar I got the blues running through my veins.” (Buddy Guy, Born to Play the Blues) That almost sums up local legend ‘Hubcap’ Stan Ceglinski. Almost, because he also was born to make guitars. Stan produces amazing guitars from his workshop in Possum Creek, and…

For the past month and into April, Ninbella gallery on Bangalow’s main street has displayed works by Byron Shire environmental artist, John Dahlsen. Here, John talks with Christobel Munson about how he strayed into creating art from what others may regard as flotsam and jetsam.

Digby Hildreth tunes in with Josh Rippingale of Federal Strings to learn more about crafting and caring for stringed musical instruments.

The famous Byron Writers Festival is coming to Bangalow. It is to be held this year at the Bangalow Showground and A&I Hall from 11-13 August.

Tricia Shantz has lived in Byron Shire for 40 years, 33 of those in Coorabell. Here she explains the genesis of her book Neverland, a social history that documents the arrival of American surfers in the 1960s and how their creative collaboration with locals started the first ripples of alternative culture in Byron Bay.

Set in a fictional coastal town, original new musical New Blood reveals irksome details and inconvenient truths of treechange life.

James Ioannou talks to Sally Schofield about using pesky camphor wood to make works of art.