*Warning...long and lots of pics...it was going to be two posts but goodness knows it has taken me long enough to get to one so let's not push it - ha ha ha...
A couple of weeks ago my friend C and I finally managed to get up the highway to Maryborough to see this year's national Golden Textures Contemporary Art Quilt Award exhibition at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery...it was the last weekend of the exhibition so it was then or well, then really...we've missed it not being on because of Covid so were keen to go but time had gotten away and before we knew it it was almost over.
The gallery space, which is the old fire station, has been totally renovated and revamped and it is amazing...the light floods in...
The mandala quilt (Greg Somerville, Victoria) earned the Viewer's Choice award. It was pretty amazing. The quilt with the words "Twenty Thousand" was actually titled "It's Just A Cold" and was a memorial by the artist (Mandy Baker, Victoria) to the 20,000+ Australians who lost their lives to Covid. These two were my favourites along with the sculptures.
Before we went into the exhibition we went for coffee, or as it turned out breakfast, and these are the tiles in the entryway to the pub's bistro...had to take a picture...after all they are a quilt in ceramics!...
We then did go to the patchwork shop which is straight across the road from the pub otherwise it would be closed if we went back to the Gallery first...lovely shop, nice proprietor, good start to the day...yes, some bits came home with us but the fabric was all from the sale table and we shared some of it so bargain hunters!
Following the exhibition we were walking to a particular shop that C wanted to visit and came across this mural...
It was time for afternoon tea and while were we at the Gallery I heard a gallery staff member, who was chatting to some people who had never been to Maryborough before about what to do and see, mention the cafe at the station...so we tootled up to the station to check it out...I go past the station all the time but have never stopped in before...we were so glad we did...aside from the delicious vanilla slices (fresh made from Carisbrook bakery so, besides the fact vanilla slice are the favourite, there was no competition once the lovely staff member told me that!)...the station itself is worth a look...the restaurant/cafe is in the refreshment room and we sat next to the fireplace which was huge and has the most impressive marble surround...so many original features...it is a feast for the eyes as well as the tummy...
The station is so big that I couldn't get it all in the frame and I was as you can see quite a long way back...
Stained glass and the sky light in the refreshment room...check out that ceiling...
On the way back down the highway we took a very wee detour in Avoca for at look at the current exhibition at the gallery that is in Avoca's old railway station (the freight trains still go through but not passenger) and then around the corner to the painted silo...the Barking Owl...it actually glows at night, there is a button to push to make it so but we were still in daylight...
A Big Day Out...it has been so long since we've been anywhere we had to make up for lost time!...
Happy Stitching...
6 comments:
Lovely quilts - always good to see something unusual and unique. Some great architecture too - I love the tiles and the stained glass. xx
Wonderful post and great photos. S many interesting quilts at the exhibition, We saw that silo in day time too, must be stunning at night. The station is a beautiful old building. Sounds like a really great day out.
Lovely day out... loved the different quilts and what a wonderful venue...
Hugz
Well done to see a post. Great seeing you and reading about, also seeing the photos we spoke about. I’m not pushing, hopefully another post soon. …
Looks and sounds like a lovely day out......
I enjoyed going to the quilt exhibition with you and also seeing the murals on your travels.
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