Who would have thought you could make a duck call with a straw, or flying wing sounds from plucking balloons over a plastic pipe. The Turning Junk into Funk free kids workshop held on 8th July in conjuction with the Three Blokes and their Barbies was a great hit with the 35 children who took part. Thanks to the many parents that stayed to help the various musical creations come to life.
Anything was used from balloons to wire and everything in between. No piece of junk was left unturned as the clever Three Blokes mastered its musical ability for the kids to recreate. The workshop was divided into three groups, who came up with their own names, Funksters, Bombers and the Groovers. Each group had a turn at showing their musical talents to one another and then formed a group circle that was then conducted by some of the children with fantastic results.
The shimmering, clinging, clanging, banging, dinging, ticking, scratching, stretching, plucking, tapping, clapping, clicking, drumming sounds all had their place, with an attached happy smiling face.
If one of the main purposes in presenting art and theatre events is to bring the community together then 'Three Blokes and Their Barbies' at the Hopetoun hall on Thursday last was a huge success, attracting patrons from Ravensthorpe, Jerramungup, Jerdacuttup, Hopetoun and places in between. About 150 people braved inclement weather to watch three talented lads present a vaudeville style show that had the audience clapping and laughing with gusto.
The three performers presented well-rehearsed skits that quite accurately reflected Australian ockerism at its most outrageous. We like to laugh at the worst in ourselves and the show gave us that opportunity in spades. The stage setting, incongruously featuring a shimmering silver burlesque-style curtain behind a farm-junk contraption that was the 'barbie', brought the performers into intimate contact with the audience so that nothing was left to the imagination. If it was loud guffaws the boys were seeking then they were very well rewarded.
Ainsley Foulds organised the event with help from her family and many others. The ladies and children of the region had previously decorated bbq aprons which were displayed around the walls and judged by the audience as to their comparative merits. Ranging from artistic masterpieces to more modest offerings the aprons provided an interesting background to the evening as did table decorations featuring grass mats complete with miniature clothes lines, hills hoists, bbqs and sundry backyard detritus. The bar and sausage sizzle, again organised by the Foulds family, did a roaring trade, lubricating the audience vocal chords. The smell of sizzling sausages gave a very authentic ambience to the performance.
Have you ever wondered what to do if you were eaten by a huge mutant hamburger? How to get rid of a rather nasty large frog with a taste for French people? How to handle a camel as a teacher? Or have you just ever wondered what it would really be like to have no adults in the world? Then perhaps you need to speak with some of the participants of the workshop mentioned below!
On Tuesday 6th July a group of 19 enthusiastic youngsters took part in a writing and illustrating workshop with Perth children’s author Joel Hart and his local illustrator Melissa Daw. Joel has now written three books with the latest recently launched at Beaconsfield Primary School.
The workshop began early at 9am with Joel reading his latest picture book “Zoe’s Puppy”. During reading Joel talked about the parts that make up a narrative and the children were encouraged to speculate on how problems would be resolved. The rather large group was then divided into smaller ones of various ages to work through the “Narrative Meal Deal”, a technique that likens the writing process to a burger, drinks and fries! It was easier to then think of the main idea as a drink, an opening line as the top half of the bun, events and problems as the salad and burger and a final solution as the base of the bun….with fries of descriptive words scattered throughout the meal.
Original bush poetry, combined with a delicious meal at McGrath’s Cafe in Hopetoun on Saturday night, thoroughly delighted a crowd of 50 art-hungry patrons.
Well-known WA poet Victoria Brown performed, with great wit and vivacity, a number of her original works, and was ably supported by some brave and talented locals who had written their poems during a weekend workshop with Victoria, organised by the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council.
A dozen aspiring poets completed the workshops, but not all were confident enough to perform for the happy diners.
'It was a fantastic day with a fantastic teacher'
On Saturday 19th June a group of eight local, and two enthusiastic artists from Lake Grace participated in a printmaking workshop in the Art room at Ravensthorpe District High School. The day was run by visiting printmaker Paul Kovesi who kindly travelled from Perth to take us through a number of printmaking processes utilizing our etching press.
Paul began the day early by taking a couple of hours before everyone arrived to set up the room with a variety of papers, inks, etching plates and tools. He also took the time to go through some boxes of old equipment collected from the Art Group years ago to check what could still be used and what needed to be discarded.
0ver 100 people attended the Exhibition "Look who's Coming Dinner" .
With 32 Adults, 10 children and 2 School Entires contributing to the almost 160 exhibits.
Entries where in a variety of mediums, acrylics, water colours, pastels, collage, installations, wire and clay, white ink, mixed media, sculptures and photographs.
A number of pieces where sold on the night and Kaye Brouwer's entry a watercolour portrait of her son Finn won the People's choice award.
The organisers the "Dunn Art Group"are to be congratulated on a well run event.
Thank you to the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council and Lotterywest who funded a bus to take Hopetoun residents up to the exhibition.
Have you noticed a strange flying machine resting on a dam bank just out of Hopetoun?
For those of you who attended the very successful Wings and Wheel festival over the long weekend in February you will know it is an “Art Piece” made from scrap metal sourced from local farms and the tip.
The Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council was very fortunate to acquire the talents of international artist Len Zuks to run the workshop. The theme was designed to compliment the festival and was held on Forrest the Friday prior to the Festival.
Len is an acclaimed WA Artist who runs his own gallery at Bunjup just out of Perth. Len has been invited to participate in solo and numerous group exhibitions at various galleries both locally, interstate and nationally. He has won may prizes for his work in sculpture and painting and is represented in numerous public and private collections.
Several individual pieces and a main collaborative sculpture were completed and transported to the airport on the Saturday.
Local Artist Lynell Belli, inspired by her observations at the workshop completed and exhibited her paintings in the RRAC tent at the Festival.
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“I have performed in many places in the world but never before in a paddock on a camel farm and with such a high roof. This is absolutely magnificent”
These were the words spoken by the international trumpet player James Morrison at the inaugural event held in the new amphitheatre at Eremia Camel Treks West.
On the outskirts of Ravensthorpe over 400 patrons flocked to the “Picnic with The James Morrison Quintet” show in the perfect evening weather on Sunday 17 January.
The venue was excellent with the circle of native trees encompassing the steep grassed paddock slope, harmonising with the amphitheatre and facing the setting sun to the west – what could be more perfect? It’s perfect site. It was a relaxed picturesque scene facing the amphitheatre as people set up their chairs and tables or rugs and settled in for their picnic and an outstanding performance. As the evening grew dark the stage lighting created an ambience that will be remembered for a long time.
It was an honour for the entrepreneurial impresario Julia Bell that such an acclaimed performer and his supporting team would choose to come to the rural setting and to be a delight to music lovers of all ages. They were well rewarded.
James Morrison is a master instrumentalist taking music to the greatest heights. Unique and talented jazz player James played the trumpet and piano with spectacular genius. Well travelled, he and his son Sam had flown in from Austria on the Friday, performed at Mundaring Weir Hotel on Saturday, flown to Ravensthorpe on Sunday midday before performing the same evening.
Enhancing the stage in an attractive gold lamee dress was vibrant vocalist guest star Evelyn Duprai, a Ghanaian girl born in Sydney who is a truly captivating performer with passion and intensity. She thrilled the audience by singing jazz and funk, and included in her repertoire George Gershwin’s Summertime.
Where the Boodie Rats Used to Dig
“Where the Boodie Rats Used to Dig”. What sort of a name for a book is that you might ask? As explained at the book launch by author Ann Williams, it was a throwaway comment from early settler Arnold Daniels during an interview in 1992. When his parents first took up land on the Jerdacuttup River in 1914 they used to get their water “Down by the river where the Boodie rats used to dig”. Boodie rats, aka the Burrowing Bettong have been extinct on the Australian mainland since the 1960s. A thought-provoking little comment which reminds us that change is constant and new land settlement has inevitable and sometimes sad consequences.
Hopefully not for the Carnaby’s cocatoos which accompanied the speeches during the launch.
“Where The Boodie Rats used to Dig” contains the history of settlement in the Jerdacuttup region including the opening of the first Conditional Purchase blocks in 1962 to the development of mining and the coming of Ravensthorpe Nickel Operations.
Robbie Purvis, being one of four remaining settlers of the first 26 blocks present and who still farm their original allocation, was invited to address the gathering. Robbie, who travelled from New South Wales to his Jerdacuttup block “Sandy Camp” spoke of how he came for a holiday 47 years ago and he is still here today.
Next, second of the remaining first settlers and a key speaker at the launch, (former Senator) Winston Crane said, “This is a truly unique place on earth”. Winston acknowledged those who had lost their life during the development of Jerdacuttup. He finished with some lovely anecdotes including when Joe Hughes hit a home run at cricket and when Goldie and Don Benda scored a try at Aussie Rules footy, when Southerners football team had their home ground at Jerdacuttup.
Skylarks
Southern Scribes have launched their latest book, ‘SKYLARKS’! A large crowd of enthusiastic supporters joined members of Southern Scribes last Saturday evening at the Everett Country Golf Club for a night of joyous entertainment. Skylarks is the third and final book in Southern Scribes Trilogy, the first two being Land Song and Sea Sirens. Skylarks is a refreshing insight into the thoughts and feelings of the many writers who have contributed poetry and prose to the book. Southern Scribes is a local group that is passionate about our area and environment; the members take great delight in putting their love of the area into words and pictures to share.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Victoria Brown from East of Esperance. Victoria, a down to earth farmer’s wife, with a British background, is a published poet and author, and as she has a degree in English and Drama from Aberystwyth University, Wales, she was well able to read some of her poetry and keep the attentive audience in shrieks of laughter!
The Qualup Choir and Evelyn Arnold set the tone for the evening with a selection of opening songs. They were followed by an evening of scintillating song and music from Tony and Jude of Denmark, (a pair of Spare Sox!), with choice nibbles and assorted finger food, prepared by Robyn Cockram .
Graeme Kershaw from Denmark officially launched Skylarks. His comments on the back cover of the book, ‘Always, with the Scribes, we are exploring infinite spaces and horizons within, whilst gazing up, out and beyond, in wonder and awe’ capture his feelings well.
The evening progressed with poetry readings from authors, sincere thanks to the gifted artists and photographers, Beryl Semple and Richenda Goldfinch, who seem to be able to produce paintings and photos to cover ALL needs, and to Gai Downes for the enormous amount of skilled work she undertook with design and typesetting.
Books will be on sale locally from the Information Services in Ravensthorpe.
One Writer’s Retrospect - Graham Kershaw
It was a sunny November morning in Denmark, a small, lively, arty town on the south coast of Western Australia. I was approached at a riverbank meeting by a bloke I was already slightly suspicious of: a certain Anthony Docherty. Maybe it was the sideways shuffle or the black shades, or maybe it was the goatee; or maybe it was just the fact that he was better-looking than me. Whatever the cause, the result was suspicion. Yet the guy had one hell of an idea. And the beauty of it was, he didn’t quite know what it was.
Tony asked if I wanted to take part in a trip to Ravensthorpe, a small town to the east, half-way to South Australia. A bunch of Denmark artists were heading over there in March, to ‘interact with the local community’. What would they do there, I asked. Tony shrugged, smiled his drug dealer smile (I was to learn later that he had other ones, thank God) and said, ‘Oh, I don’t know.’ We looked at each other. He wasn’t so good-looking. ‘Give a little, to the good people there?’ he suggested. ‘See what they’re all about? Take a bit of Denmark over there? I don’t know.’ Then he showed me his empty palms and shrugged, to prove that he really didn’t have a clue what he was proposing. They were good hands, I decided. The man worked with wood.
I heard myself agree. Even Tony looked shocked.
All through my short, inglorious writing career, you see, I’d always been intensely sceptical about exchanges and festivals and programs and workshops. Especially ‘workshops’. I was a novelist; I knew my task. I’d written the job description, and it was simple: find time, and use it to write the thing you have to write. Which meant avoiding diversions like Mr Docherty.
So why had I said agreed to go, so readily? Maybe because I’d lived in Denmark twelve months and was still waiting to meet someone I disliked. Maybe because I’d never been to Ravensthorpe. Or maybe because Anthony admitted he didn’t have any better idea than I did just what an artist or writer might do there.
It’s a new beginning for the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council. The council held its AGM at the Toun Beach Café on Monday 5th October.
As always the public is welcome to attend and 30 people enjoyed a subsidized dinner put on by the RRAC. This is one way we get to thank the locals from the region for their wonderful support during the year says incoming unopposed President Jenny Chambers.
In her speech Jenny praised the work of Mary Rogers and Nick Stevens. Mary has been the quite achiever for the RRAC, after moving from Jerdacuttup a few years ago to Esperance she carried on working tirelessly administering the RRAC in secretary/ treasurer roles. Her partner and office bearer Nick Stevens set up and manages the RRAC Website and carried out all the graphic design work. Even though he is more remote than Mary as he lives in England for most of the year. The arts community of Ravensthorpe region and RRAC will surely miss them both, as they were always there helping set up events and a lot of behind the scenes work. We hope to see them both back for events now and then, where we will surely rollout the red carpet for them both.
The RRAC has had a busy year bringing arts and culture to the region. With anything from dance workshop, live performances from The Bare Naked Theatre Company’s version of The Importance of Being Earnest , a world class Sizzling Strings with Bruce Matiske and friends, Art on the Move exhibition Pictures in a changing Climate, the effervescent “I’V got News for You” to mention a few. We also support various other groups with donations or organise and subsidise buses for events so that you may travel safely to events.
It is the aim of the council to also support businesses by using various venues in the towns and try to balance out the support to all in the region.
The stars may come out in force for the launch of Southern Scribes’ newest book.
After all, what could be more fitting and romantic than launching a poetic book about the sky at a Milky Way-lit soirée?
This was one of the many ideas Esperance Library and Information Service manager Jayne Arnold gave the Fitzgerald Coast writers’ group when she addressed its latest meeting on Saturday, June 27, at Hopetoun.
Southern Scribes member Helen Taylor said Mrs Arnold was invited to address the group’s meeting after they realised that some members’ novels were not listed as part of the State Library’s catalogue.
Mrs Taylor said the scribes, who include about 15 writers from Ravensthorpe, Jerdacuttup, Hopetoun and West River, had wanted help to find out how to better publicise their many works, especially seeing as they were working on their latest book, Sky Larks.
The nearly finished book features poetry and prose matched with original paintings, photography and digital manipulations.
“Sky Larks is the last book in our trilogy of land, sea and sky, and we’d really love it to do well when it’s launched in November - everyone involved has put an awful lot of their heart and soul into this project,” Mrs Taylor said.
A sell-out crowd of 140 people packed the Ravensthorpe Town Hall to enjoy the sizzling sounds of Adam Hall and the Velvet Playboys and dazzling dance moves of Sugar Blue Burlesque and Swing It dancers at the interactive I’ve Got News For You show.
The tour, which ended in Ravensthorpe, was the first of two Country Arts WA’s Shows on the Go tours throughout regional WA, with the next a production of the play Road Train, which is scheduled to appear at Jerdacuttup later in the year.
Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council member and Ravensthorpe Show coordinator Bettina Bowling said she was thrilled with the local audience’s response to the show.
“I’m so glad people came out in force to support the show, especially because it was on during seeding and after the mine closure we weren’t sure how well ticket sales would go. However, the hall was packed and everyone seemed to have a really good night out,” Ms Bowling said.
More than 140 music lovers flocked to the Springdale Road Twilight Serenade on January 17, where they enjoyed an array of music as the sun set before star attraction, tenor Jay Weston, held them spell bound with his soaring vocals.Talented young Esperance musicians Hailee Blackburn and Isaak Puna warmed up the larger-than-expected crowd, the size of which forced them to pump up the volume. Hailee’s gorgeously emotive voice was well accompanied by Isaak across several sets before the duo made way for the Hopetoun Choir.
Hopetoun was fortunate during January to attract visits from popular Perth performers Danielle Pender and Jayne Lee to teach locals the fine arts of African Contemporary dance and Hip Hop, as part of the summer festival thanks to the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council (RRAC). The classes were held in the Hopetoun hall on Saturday January 10. Around 40 locals aged from 7 years to 70 years tested their limbs to the beat and rhythm of African drums and energetic Hip Hop, combining the two into a complete dance by the end of the sessions.
Danielle has a 10 year history as a dancer-percussionist. Her passion for west-African dance began in 1996 with training from master Caribbean dancer Kofi Walker, and she has developed her own dancing style combining African and contemporary elements.
Fitzgerald Coast thespians and theatre-lovers were treated to a theatre feast on October 18-19 in Ravensthorpe.
Sponsorship from BHP Billiton and the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council brought Southern Edge Arts (SEA) artistic director Simon Clarke and his troupe of young 
actors to Ravensthorpe from Albany for the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council-organised weekend of theatre workshops and the youth theatre company’s performance of Shiny Things.
Youth Theatre Workshop
First up was a theatre workshop for local youth aged from 10-15, which 13 budding actors attended. Simon Clarke explored the possibilities of the performing arts, with the kids through learning games, performance and storytelling techniques. From the sounds of the laughter during the afternoon it was well received by all. Simon congratulated the kids on their enthusiasm and encouraged them to continue with their writing and story telling.
Call for Federal arts funds to be restored to regional Australians
One thousand of the country’s artists, arts workers and arts volunteers have just left Alice Springs after being part of the largest Regional Arts Australia conference in history – art at the heart.The conference was opened by the Federal Minister for the Arts, Peter Garrett, who joined delegates for a moving arrival ceremony on the banks of the Todd River, hosted by local residents and members of the Central Arrernte community who played a big role in the conference.
“Not only was this our biggest national conference ever, it was also the biggest conference ever held in Alice Springs,” says the President of Regional Arts Australia, Suzie Haslehurst.
“A strong call from the conference was for the Regional Arts Fund, which was cut in the last Federal budget, to be reinstated to its previous level.”
Read more: Art at the Heart Regional Arts Australia Conference
The 24th August saw the AGM of Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council (RRAC) take place and as usual the meeting was enlivened with music, wine and food.
Be brave about sex. Tackle the unsafe.
writing workshop
Perth editor and book designer Tom Jenkins conducted the BHP Billiton Nickel West-sponsored workshops at the invitation of Fitzgerald Coast writers' group Southern Scribes.
Mr Jenkins, a member of the WA Society of Editors, has worked with numerous authors to improve and check their work, including Hopetoun/Jerdacuttup resident Richenda Goldfinch’s book of Cooperative Bulk Handling Ltd stories, Legends of the Grain Game, published in 2002.
The workshops covered a wide range of material including common spelling and grammatical mistakes, improving writers' use of computers and the "Seven Pillars" of good writing and editing. These included ensuring works were accurate, to-the-point, detailed and that writers were brave enough to seek criticism.
"Everyone needs an editor," Mr Jenkins wrote.
Participants also read racy, beautifully crafted extracts from DH Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover and John Updike's Villages.
Although Friday 13th might be unlucky for some, it proved very fortunate indeed for those who attended Canterbury Tales at Hopetoun Town Hall. The evening turned into a mix of bawdy fun, courtesy of The Bare Naked Theatre Company and a beautifully presented and created dinner, courtesy of Ravensthorpe Women’s Hockey Association. Canterbury Tales has never looked so different with Geoffrey Chaucer’s original mediaeval poem being transformed into fast paced hilarious tales displaying love and lust, stupidity and passion, chivalry and greed and each tale in a different genre such as The Pardoner's Tale, a western, which showed us the folly of trying to outwit Death and that greed can be our downfall. There was also The Reeve’s Tale reinterpreted in the style of silent movie whereby we were treated to a Laurel and Hardyesque routine of bed swapping with wife and daughter of a cheating Miller, what goes around comes around!
While New York’s Broadway and London’s West End are the undisputed entertainment meccas of the modern world, show-goers in the Fitzgerald Biosphere, some tens of thousands of kilometres away, are certainly not missing out. Thanks to the inspiration and determination of the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council a constant stream of world-class Australian entertainment visits our isolated region. The shows may not be Hollywood but they are ‘bloodygood’, and the number of locals sharing the experience is steadily growing, to the point where the crowd at the most recent event ‘The Gun’ overwhelmed the organisers and brought grins of gratitude to the faces of a talented cast.
Saturday 17th November was the opening of the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council Exhibition Colour and Size held at the Ravensthorpe Town Hall, witgh over 75 people attended the opening to view 53 entries. A Dutch Auction was held on the Saturday night and several pieces were heavily contested – 15 art works were sold on the night. The exhibition will be open from 10 – 4.00pm until Friday the 23rd November. President Jenny Chambers gave the following address at the opening;
“On behalf of the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council Welcome to the opening of the Colour and Size Exhibition.
Thank you all for attending to see this great array of works. I am very impressed both with the response we received for the exhibition and how fantastic the entries all look displayed here.
Last week a few dedicated community members gathered at the Ravensthorpe Town Hall to witness and participate in the hanging of Paul Caporn’s Modified art exhibition.Paul Caporn’s arrival in Ravensthorpe was part of the Art on the Move exhibition organised and funded by Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council.
In order for the Town Hall to be in a fit state to display the 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional art work, it needed a real life make-over.
Once permission for improvements were granted by the Shire of Ravensthorpe a call for experienced painting volunteers went out. The RRAC needed freshly painted white walls, mobile walls for additional hanging space, the old wooden rails removed from the walls and replaced with new aluminium tracking.
The Barking Gecko Theatre Company recently performed in Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun to a captivated audience that was tickled pink by the sight of a troll emerging out of a loo.
Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council was responsible for this inspiring performance to visit the region and funded the Ravensthorpe District High School show.
Hopetoun Primary School took advantage of the tour coming to the area and also held a show and workshops for the students and the wider community in their new undercover area.
Funding Partners
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