Agnes and Ecstasy – vol VIII     MAY 2006

Captain Cook lands Two Mermaids and a Sea Monster at the 1770 Festival

If you weren't there this weekend, you weren't in Agnes Water environs! Excellently run event and hats off to Royce Beale and his team for stepping up to the plate, when all looked lost some months ago, to make the festival a fine reality this year.

Literally thousands of folk came, saw, ate, performed and played. Everything from joyful belly dancers to Lion's lip smacking belly food.

The Festival Art Show was a bit of a fizzer by comparison but I am assured that much of the paucity of exhibits relates to withdrawal of Council support several years back when the Art Show lost the RTC as its location. Last year the show was held in a tent, so this year Kahuna's venue was a big step up.

Some aspiring works were on display amongst a plethora of ordinary fare. Imaginative art with political statement was created by Ashley and Michael (see below) - metallic spaces created solely from recycled items (circa 1960 coloured saucepans et al). About the only recycling that occurs in their Shire!

Apparently to be well hung at the Art Show, you need to be very early or be on the Hanging Committee. I understand from one of the committee, Scott (see below with one of his own canvasses) that next year, entries will close 2 or three days before the exhibition to allow time for selection, grouping and placement.

I trust the children will have a separate section next time to encourage them within their peer group.

In the adult section, perhaps naive and abstract could be grouped, then perhaps illustrative and impressionistic together. Photos in a separate class. Sculpture and fabric in a group of their own. Nothing should be presented again at knee level nor on naked wire frames and the judging should be conducted, prior to opening, by competent judges. Ahh, for a perfect world!