Pop Up performance
Last friday night, as the light faded into the cold and quiet, three artists from Poatina created a Pop Up performance at the top of the village green to a group of around 30 residents and visitors.
Anna, draped in a large flowing cloth, swirled and weaved an improvised dance in front of a brightly reflected spotlight, creating shadows and patterns against the backdrop of a high stone wall. Lea echoed her movements by singing sweeping and evocative melodies and punctuating them with shrill and mournful cries. Spike accompanied them both by playing ostinatos on a clarinet while slowly beating out a pulse on a 44 gallon drum.
The piece, which was titled “Grief and Loss”, lasted about 15 minutes and was a response to life as it happened that week in the village.
We look forward to more Pop Up performances as we respond together to life in community.
Poatina’s growing Arts Colony
It’s not often we draw attention to individual members of our community, but
we couldn’t let the occasion pass without celebrating with the Bradbury family
following Heather’s success at being accepted as a finalist in this year’s Glover
Prize held on the March long weekend.
In mid 2012 at Poatina’s Artist’s Retreat Heather picked up a paintbrush for the
first time in 17 years and began to rediscover her love for this particular art form
which had lain dormant while she pursued training in graphics and spent all of
her working life until recently in the area of photography and graphic design.
Forgiven, the fourth painting in a series which has focused on the life giving water which sustains our lives, showed water trickling over her feet on a rock in the stream which feeds Poatina’s water reservoir. Having lived in Poatina for 15 years and been an integral part of the community and its leadership, the Bradbury family moved into Launceston just three months ago, and it was in the middle of the upheaval of moving that Heather was encouraged to submit the painting for entry into The Glover.
With over 300 entries to be considered depicting Tasmanian landscapes, some from well established artists, the whole community was over the moon when we heard her painting had been accepted as one of the 43 finalists. The Glover, named after local artist John Glover, is Australia’s richest annual award for landscape painting, so with only four recent paintings to her credit, Heather was in a state of shock to be included amongst the country’s best.
We are naturally extremely proud of her accomplishment and many took
great delight in attending the exhibition. In the stiflingly hot pavilion, one of our
residents chatted to patrons as they stood in front of her painting, asking one
woman if she’d love to be there right now in that cool setting, and she responded,
“Oh, I can just feel the water trickling over my feet.”
It is testament to Poatina’s growing Arts Colony that individuals are rediscovering their God given creativity within, enriching both themselves and those around them in the process of sharing the release of new insights and discoveries.
Author: Di Adams
You can read more about the Glover Prize here and to read more about Heather’s paintings you can click here.
There is a rumor also that Heather will be having an exhibition at ‘The Poatina Tree’ Gallery in July.
Stay tuned for more details. 
The opening of ‘The Poatina Tree’ Gallery and web site
‘The Poatina Tree’ Gallery and web site was launched a few weeks ago at the Poatina Australia Day festival.
Thanks to a representative from the Northern midlands council and a wonderful crowd of onlookers, the day was an amazing success.
“This is wonderful! keep up the great work”
“Such quality of work here! .. and all from this area!”
Most of the work on display has been created by Artists in Poatina, or Artists associated with its work. The Poatina Glass studio has a significant number of unique pieces on display and for sale, and we are excited to announce also that the new Arts Center and Glass studio building will be opened officially later this year.
Here is the ‘About Us’ section from the web site:
We are a group of artists – musicians, painters, sculptors, glass blowers, dancers, writers, and actors.
We live together in a small intentional community in the picturesque and peaceful village of Poatina in Tasmania.
We have lots of fun together, and also work to care for each other, our environment, and our creative processes.
We offer an Artist In Residence program, Training, Mentoring, or simply a place to be…
To check out the web site click here.
Faith and the Arts 2013 – “The best most enjoyable week ever!!”
Faith and the Arts was held in Poatina in early January with around 80 people taking part in the week long course.
The Faith and the Arts Summer School is a practical week-long residential program that offers the chance to focus on a variety of creative arts. This year the electives were: Music, Photography, Hot Glass, Fiction Writing, Painting & Drawing, Printmaking, Clowning, Ceramics and Dance. Its was a load of fun, packed with colour, life and creativity – “the best part was sharing it all with a great family of people”.
Here is a few comments from those who took part this January:
“This week has been epic!! So much going on. So much cross-pollination between groups. I am thankful for the effort the core team went to in order to integrate different creative electives as well as different age groups.”
“Ive had an absolutely amazing week beyond anything I could have expected/hoped for. Working/creating/eating & sleeping alongside these people has been the most enjoyable part of the experience.”
“Very enjoyable week!! It was great sharing in community with other artists and creative people. I am excited about taking what I have learnt here back with me.”
“I loved it. I loved the freedom to be creative & explore my creativity. The week was very challenging, but very uplifting and encouraging.”
“It was a wonderful week, very well timed and needed at my current point in my artistic journey. Exactly what I needed. Really enjoyed the teaching”
“The best most enjoyable, inspiring, challenging, liberating and just plain awesome week ever!!
To read more reflections and see heaps more photos click here.
Jazz at the Chalet, Sunday 7pm
Looking for a relaxing evening,
listening to Jazz?
Spike and Lea Mason will be performing
at the Poatina Chalet
from 7:00-9:00pm
Sunday 27th January
(Just for Australia Day weekend, it will be on Sunday evening, every other weekend they perform on a Saturday evening)
Hot drinks and good company provided.
Poatina Australia Day Celebrations – Saturday 26th of January
Poatina celebrates Australia day with loads of fun tomorrow. (Sat 26th)
We kick off the day with a Parade at 10.30am. The flag-raising ceremony is at the Chalet at 11am, followed by the opening of The Poatina Tree Gallery at 11.30am. Lots of festival activities on the Village Green, Free sausage sizzle, a cuppa at the View Cafe looking out over the Great Western Tiers, Demos of glass blowing at the Arts Centre, and the Primary, Junior & Senior Wheelbarrow Races from 2pm.
If you are in Tassie tomorrow, drop on by.
Trinity College ended a great year with Pancakes, Glassblowing and a Graduation Service.
Trinity College ended the year with all sorts of activities and events.
A pancake breakfast was held for the village a few weeks before the end of term. It was to raise funds for children to be able to attend school in Jamaica.
The senior school had a very special time making paper weights at a glassblowing workshop. Southern Cross Television recorded some footage for a new TV advertisement that will be aired soon, promoting Scholarships in Glass and Music for 2013. http://www.trinitycollege.tas.edu.au/
And huge congratulations to all students for another year, and to the four students who graduated from year 12!
Well done to everyone! Have a great Christmas.
Trinity College & lots more to come!
There is loads of stories and events that have happened in the village over the past month that we will share with you this week, so get ready for a few more posts including our Kris Kringle night which was such a special time!!
Trinity College held its annual Cafe Arts evening towards the end of the semester.
The theme was based around the curriculum for 2012 which was Sustainability.
Here is some pics of the night! Thanks to all the students, teachers, parents & audience, that made the night such a special time.
Glass Workshops are going strong!
The new Hot Glass Studio at the new Art Centre has run a number of workshops since it opened, each with wonderful feedback.
The workshops were organised in partnership with Merinda Young of Tudor Rose Glassworks in Kingston, with 8 glass artists traveling up from down south to participate over 4 days.
The workshops were a variation on our usual beginners glass blowing workshop, allowing artists who are familiar with kiln-forming processes to bring along some glass plates that they had fused with their own designs and have them ‘rolled up’ and blown into a vase by Rodney Young, one of our most skilled glassblowers.
Watching the rollups and assisting in their making was a fantastic experience for each participant and when they weren’t watching their piece being made they also had a great time learning the basics in working with hot glass with Keith, making a number of paperweights and small vessels.
The workshops were a huge success and there’s a growing waiting list for the next opportunity! Check out the responses and the pictures below.
“I enjoyed everything, the motel, the people, the food, the township! A very warm atmosphere and not just from the glass furnaces!!”
“Thank you so much for such an inspiring workshop and sharing your amazing knowledge and skills with me. I take good memories and friendship and some lovely glass from my efforts with me from this experience. Thank you Thank you!”
“It has certainly been an experience! Did not realise I was capable of doing anything artistic, but with Keith and Rodney’s expertise, have managed a couple of creations that I am not embarrassed to say are mine! Thanks to them both and Chris for a productive weekend.”
“A one in a lifetime experience. I am privileged to have been able to take part in such a remarkable, friendly and enlightening work shop. I have new heros!”
“Having a go is magic! Watching skilled craftsmen and empathetic teachers was inspiring. So wonderful for a teacher to be the student.”
“Fantastic, – so great to see the dream and vision becoming reality”
“Good accommodation and very friendly people just made the experience brilliant.”
“Brilliant! Learnt so much! Food wonderful – an awful lot of it! Lovely peaceful town. Thankyou.”
“Amazingly excellent. BLISS BLESS and heaven”
“Absolutely loved it. Bed very comfortable, electric blanket warm and very cosy. Food great, atmosphere great, loved it and will be back. Thankyou for making me feel welcome and I will come again!”
“I am overwhelmed, exhausted and exhilarated. It has been two very intense days and I’ve loved every minute Amazingly good experience. You guys are so patient and helpful. Thanks!”
If you are interested in finding out more, or taking part in a workshop, there will be a Beginner’s Glass Blowing Weekend 1-2 December 2012. Phone Keith for more details on: 0402314816.
The new Poatina Arts Centre has opened it’s doors!
It was a very exciting weekend for the new Poatina Hot Glass Studio as it opened its doors for the first time in the new Arts Centre building!
The students had the opportunity to work with the instructors to make their very own paperweights and tumblers.
Younger and older participated in the workshop all reported of it being a fantastic time, although a bit hot!
The Probus group from Deloraine said:
“It was wonderful! They are so patient and very clever!”
“I loved the food at the restaurant, and have had a wonderful time.”
“We are going to tell all our friends, they must come and visit this place!”
“Poatina is such an amazing place! Thankyou!”
Poatina was the highlight of our trip!
“Poatina was the highlight of our trip, and your hospitality and community was encouraging”
That was a recent comment from a teacher who brought a group of 34 students & 3 teachers to Poatina during their Tasmanian school excursion.
Students and teachers from Wagga Wagga Christian School spent two days in the village, getting a feel for community life, and also doing some very helpful Community Service, particularly at the New Arts Centre, moving a mountainous pile of rubbish, cleaning up the site ready for landscaping.
Some of our Trinity Senior students took them on a bush walk, and they attended Poatina Worship service on the Sunday. On Monday morning the Wagga Wagga students spent time with the Trinity College students, and had a load of fun learning and singing a song together.
“We really enjoyed our time in the community, the people are so nice and friendly, and we met a lot of new people!”
Community tea, past present & future
We had a huge gathering at our August Community tea in the Chalet.
The night was filled with lots of wonderful food, fellowship and fun. The newly formed ‘Poatina Patches’ Craft group shared some craft with us. Showing us part of the past, the present and a they had a wonderful activity for the future.
Each resident received a small square of fabric to put their own creative touch to. In a few weeks the group will sew all of them into one large patchwork piece! What a wonderful idea ladies! It will be exciting to see what the final outcome will look like! (stay tuned)
After dessert our local Artist in Resident musician, held a concert in the Chalet lounge, sharing songs she had written and finished off during her four-week stay in the village.
Thank you for your wonderful gift to us!
The Poatina Arts Centre building got a huge helping hand this week.
A team of builders came from Fusion Home Support in Launceston, & Fusion Western Sydney. They gave of their time and energy for a whole week, giving the building project a major boost!
Some of the work achieved was:
- The water pipes installed, tested and connected.
- The building now has 3 ‘chimneys!! (Flues from the Heat Canopy and Glass Blowing Furnace)
- Installing some wall framing and lining of lots and lots of walls!
- Window and ridge flashings done using the boom lift.
- Electrical switchboard installed and roughing in of wiring completed plus hi bay lights installed
- Sheet metal cladding was put on the heat canopy.
- And LOADS more!
- A huge huge thank you to all the team and the village for its support during this very productive week.
If you would like to find out more about the Arts Centre or support this project in any way.
Email: artscolony@fusion.org.au
(03) 6397 8264
Phone: (03) 6397 8280
Mobile: 0402 314 816
Poatina Chalet’s famous ‘Pizza night’ is on again!
6:00pm Saturday 4th July
$12.00 per person
Also, sit and relax with your coffee, cards, book, friends etc. between 7:00pm – 9:00pm, with music from resident Jazz musicians.
If you would like to book a seat for pizza, contact the Poatina Chalet by Saturday 10am.
Ph 6397 8290
Jazz and relax at ‘The View Cafe’
On a cool night in front of a warm fire at the View Cafe Poatina, we were kept warm and relaxed as our resident Jazz artists shared their music with us.
The evening was the start of many more music treats at the Cafe. Residents and visitors can come and sit by the fire, play cards, knit, read, catch up with friends etc, enjoy the atmosphere, cuppas, snacks and more.
Stay tuned for more information about events like this coming up. 
Artists’ Retreat in Poatina. “Beautiful”
The Poatina Artists Retreat was held earlier this month with around 20 people participating for a five-day retreat.
All sorts of creative adventures were had! Sculpting, Dance, Painting, Printmaking, Music, Clowning, Writing, for a start.
On the last night of the Retreat ‘The View Cafe’ hosted an exhibition showcase night, with a wonderful pizza meal to begin.
A big ‘Thank you’ to the Chalet for letting us use the space. It was a really beautiful way to end the Retreat. Stay tuned soon for a short video of the event.
“It was a beautiful way to ‘retreat’ and enjoy being creative with others. I’ll be back again!”
Pizza & Art, – a good mix!
On Tuesday 3rd of July the Poatina Chalet Cafe, hosted an Arts Exhibition, showcasing the artworks produced at the recent Artists’ Retreat.
The night began with a full Cafe of people enjoying home-made pizza from our very own kitchen. (Over 40 pizzas were made!). Yummy toppings including, seafood, meat lovers, chicken, vegetarian and more! 
It was a wonderful night of delightful entertainment, art and food.
Thanks to all who gave this special gift for us to enjoy
. 
We look forward to another Artists’ Retreat Exhibition next year, and more Pizza and Jazz nights in the near future!
Artists’ Retreat Exhibtion – Tuesday July 3rd 6:00pm Pizza 7:00 Showcase
On Tuesday the 3rd of July Poatina Artists Retreat will be holding an exhibition at the Poatina Chalet lounge. (Come and enjoy the fruits of the five day retreat if you are in Tassie!)
Arts Center gets a visit from Ian Potter foundation
The Alethea Mountain Retreat Arts Centre received significant funds towards the building project from the Ian Potter Foundation.
Pictured here is some of the Ian Potter team who visited from the mainland earlier this year to see the developments. We had very encouraging feedback about the vision of the project, and its potential in Tasmania, and impact beyond!
“The Ian Potter Foundation makes grants for general charitable purposes in Australia that advance knowledge and benefit the community in the areas of the arts, community well-being, education, environment and conservation, health, medical research and science.”
We wish to convey a huge thanks to the Ian Potter Foundation (and our other supporters) and their contribution towards such an important development, of the Arts in Tasmania, and our village and its future.
To find out more about the Alethea Mountain Retreat Arts Centre click the link and it will take you to our Poatina Arts web page, where you can see a slide show of the development of the building.
The project is in its final stage, it is so close, and we are so grateful for those that have helped contribute to get us this far! …but it is still in urgent need of significant financial support to get it to its final completion.
If you are interested in supporting this project to help its completion, please phone 0402314 816. Or click on the Donate Now button at the bottom of the Arts web site.
(Make sure you also email artscolony@fusion.org.au with the same information so we can know who has given the support – thanks!)
Poatina Arts Centre – building, building, building!
Just in the last few months a huge 6,000 litre LP Gas tank was installed (to supply gas to the glass blowing equipment) and a massive electrical cable was laid to power the building. The timber frames for internal walls have been built and put in place, ready for the next stage, and the electrical wiring has also been installed in the walls.
Last week the frames for all the windows were delivered, with the large glass bi-fold doors installed to the front of the building.Faith and the Arts 2012
Over 70 people gathered together for one of the first major events in the village for 2012.
Participants and elective leaders participated in various creative activities during the week long course including: Dance, Music, Poetry, Fiction writing, Photography, Stage craft and Hot glass. The course ended with an exhibition that displayed all the works, and the culmination of the community built over the week.
To find out more about the course click here.
Stay tuned for more information, a video and more photos in a few weeks time, when organisers are back from holidays!
Faith and the Arts Exhibition – Saturday 14th 7:30
Come along if you are in town, or would like a drive to Poatina on Saturday the 14th and experience the amazing culmination of work from a week long arts school. See artworks created from the week of: Painting and Drawing, Poetry, Fiction writing, Dance, Hot glass, Photography, Stagecraft and Music all on display.
Alethea Mountain Retreat Arts Centre – powering on!
Over the next few weeks, its all systems go with work on the Alethea Mountain Retreat Arts Centre.
This week the walls are going up, and before too long the windows will be in place! It is very exciting seeing it come together – after seven years of planing and work!
Hats off to the small team of builders who are working many hours to reach their goals!
If you know of any builders who would love to give a hand, particularly over the next few weeks, we would love to hear from you. Give us a call on: 0402 314 816.
“We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love. ”
― Jean Vanier
Poatina glass trailer at Deloraine Craft Fair
The Poatina Glass Trailer was quite an attraction at this year’s Deloraine Craft Fair.
A team of four from Poatina Village helped run the attraction over the four-day event. (November 4-7)
They shared with the wider community the amazing craft of Glass blowing – producing and selling over 5 times more than any other year. They had large crowds of people watching the work all day, each day.
Beautiful vases, paper weights, bowls and more were made during the event.
Many people made inquiries about the new Poatina Alethea Mountain Retreat Arts Centre where the glass studio is currently being built, and are very keen to support its 
development as it comes to life!
If you would like to find out more, make a booking, or purchase any glass made from the studio in Poatina, call:
6397 8280 for more details.
or log onto the web site and write your request or inquiry there, – you will receive and email response.
