catch up since our AGM

Bit of a catch-up, I didn't realise it's been absolute months since I wrote something...... so sorry it's really pathetic to say sorry but really..... sorry guys. You know, life just intervened.....

Here's the essence of last year (for CCC it's financial year to financial year):
We lost one of our talented, funny and loved members last year, Dennis Claydon. So miss his humour, the asides and comments, his amazing contribution only grows with absence. But most I miss the art, the amazing wonderful art. He had such a connection with land, the way he could paint the landscape, the spirit of the landscape was so deep and wonderful and the colour and composition and technique. Dennis was a real talent, unique, wonderful and deeply missed.

But life goes on, and we had some great happenings beyond the sadness:
CCC group exhibitions have acquired themes and our visitors now get to vote in the People's Choice Prize:
• Wine Week 2016 Mixed Dozen Portrait Exhibition. Our first themed exhibition, won by Meredith Cahill
• Banjo Paterson Festival Outback and Downunder Australian Lanscape Exhibition, featuring Dennis Claydon
• Food Week Palate to Palette Food Producers Portrait Exhibition, won by Heather Dunn

CCC members exhibitions have begun with a big bang, we had 3 Styles, in July 2016 and the Wild Women of Arkaroola PLUS, in March 2017, both with great art and great sales.

CCC open days on Farmer’s Market Saturdays have grown by a staggering 1200%…. from 1 visitor to 12, so that is super good, proof that we just have to keep doing, because the word is spreading, we just have to exercise patience, persistence and perseverance.

We have expanded our connection with the community by agreeing to teach  Pre-School Art Classes this last June. Judy, Margot, Patricia and Jola as well as the kiddlywinks sure had a great time!

Our first attempt at a grant was surprisingly successful, this of course was channeled to us through Vince Loveccio who is the driving force of the Orange Youth Festival. Our grant is in cooperation with dLux Media, a Sydney based creative group and will culminate with an exhibition at Orange Regional Gallery in October 2017, during the Wine Week festival. Out theme for the wine festival is 'Terroir' Landscape Exhibition of Winemaking Country.

Boy we've been busy at the Barracks building, having moved our shop to the space outside Pottinger Gallery, gave us an extra studio. Tracey Callinan from Arts Out West came to the Barracks and held a visioning workshop to help us channel a direction for the future. Isabelle re-painted the Gore and Pottinger galleries in a beautiful shade of white, so much better to show off art! Also thanks to Phil Salmon the loco office is now ours and though we'll have to do some fencing and lots and lots of renovating, we now have a solid lease for the next 5 years! and Phil also managed to negotiated the extra space for same rent! wow! The committee is still to decide but we're hoping to start a makers space or put framing equipment in there so we can cut some of the huge expense that framing steals from us all or put in some computers and have a teaching space for the digital future.....or......

It takes time to grow awareness of a group like ours and all the work everyone has put in, is showing. So thank you all for all you have done to contribute.