Vision
The initial vision for an art studio had long been part of Blue Knob Hall Gallery’s business plan created in 2000. The concept of an art space, where people could gather to share and learn new skills, was a key factor in our commitment to this project.
We conducted a preliminary community consultation at the beginning of this project and the results indicated that there was a particular interest in ceramics.
In 2011-12 we applied for an Arts NSW grant. Although we did not receive the full amount we applied for to complete the project, we were very fortunate to have the support of the local community who donated an extraordinary amount of their time, helping with labour for the build, land excavation, slab pouring, tree felling and milling of timber, painting, cooking for the workers and providing building materials.
We were able to get the Studio completed to lock up stage, which was a phenomenal effort with so little cash! We then applied for 2 more grants to get the internal fit out completed, and were unsuccessful.
What came next?
We had come so far – it was very disappointing and frustrating that we had this building to lock up stage, and couldn’t see it become a reality in the foreseeable future. We just needed more help to make it happen.
Fund-raising and small donations helped to get things moving again, but with very little money it looked like it would be many years before we could officially open the Studio.
We decided to run the Blue Knob Gallery Cafe on a volunteer basis for a year with Heather managing the Cafe day to day. This was an enormous help in providing some cash flow to get various aspects of the build underway again, as well as contributing funding to complete other projects such as extending the Cafe decking and a contribution toward repairing the driveway.
And then… in 2015 along came a local community organisation who generously gave a $10,000 donation. Along with the money we had accrued from the Cafe volunteer year, we were able to go full speed ahead with the completion of the Blue Knob Ceramic Studio. We gratefully appreciate the generosity of both these contributions, as well as the original Arts NSW grant that got this project started.
Completing the Studio
We completed the Ceramic Studio to lockup stage and it looked terrific! It was a truly incredible, amazing and rewarding project. The worthwhile skills people learned, the friendships forged, the community spirit nurtured – it was all good!
Blue Knob Hall organised a ‘Thank you’ dinner on Saturday 15th June for all those wonderful volunteers who helped to get the studio to this stage. It was a fabulous night with about fifty people attending. It really felt like a big family gathering, with the kids watching movies, while the rest of the family sipped on some really quite amazing mulled wine; ate some delicious food and danced to Peter Calkin’s fine music.
Guy Stewart also showed a little movie he had put together from the beginning of this project to its present stage. It was really an eye-opener – from the initial pouring of the slab, to the time spent milling the timber, to the actual building. It was a great reminder of what has happened to get this building to this stage.
preparing the site
The Farmer’s Market also presented Blue Knob Hall Gallery with a cheque for $1,500 which was raised at the Pumpkin Festival Bush Dance as a fund-raising event for the Hall. We are very grateful for their generous support. They have been instrumental in lifting the Hall to new heights as a community venue, gallery and cafe, and their help along the way has been tremendous.
From that time, we had to bide our time with the next stage of the Ceramic Studio, as we’d run out of money. We were in the process of applying for grants to do the internal fit-out of the Studio, so it would be some time before we would be ready to rock and roll.
But rest assured, we knew THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE BEST CERAMIC STUDIO IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE!!!
On Friday 19th February 2016, the Blue Knob Ceramic Studio officially opened its doors.
The studio houses a work space area with purpose built benches, a wet room, a glaze room, a kiln room, a kitchenette, an art library and an extra multi-function space which can be utilised for a variety of uses. Uses include extra workshop space for a diverse range of art genres, exhibition space or film room to name a few.
Improvements since then include:
- Extractor fan installed
- Gas kiln moved into purpose built room, making space for more participants
- Airconditioner installed