Another bush trip, Utopia April 9 2008

April 9, 2008

Up bright and early and after making a bit of toast and a cup of tea, I head across to pick up Barry Skipsey. I get there at 6:30am and find some room for an extra eski and his camera in the fully laden Toyota. I actually got everything packed and the vehicle refuelled yesterday which is a rarity for me!

It’s a beautiful morning with the temperature around 18 degrees

Celsius.

We have a lot of work ahead of us as we haven’t been out for about three weeks and have had lots of artists calling the gallery over the previous days to tell us that the canvases are waiting for us.

A big part of Barry’s job today will be taking new artist profile pictures as we continually like to update this. It will also be his job to take photos of the artists with their canvases. I’m looking forward to the trip because it’s getting me out of the office where I seem to get stuck a lot now, plus the weather is absolutely beautiful. Also last trip we handed out a lot of small canvases and sometimes fabulous new designs magically appear on these little ‘baby’ ones.

[Approx 8.00am] - We have arrived into Mulga Bore and I see Lindsay Bird just sitting in his yard by himself. It is not long before he wanders over and tells me that an Art Centre that was promised two or three years ago is finally going to get started. He asks me if I would run it for him. I don’t commit either way, because firstly, he took me by surprise, secondly, I have so much on my plate right now and, thirdly, the government funding body for the building may well have other stipulations in place. Anyway, we agree to think more about it.

Kenny Tilmouth wanders over then with a heap of small traditional paintings and we continue to have a good yarn. They’re both terrific blokes and love a joke and a kid around. Lindsay doesn’t have any paintings as he had brought them into town last week, but he wants some more canvas so I give him some.

A lot of people are actually away so we haven’t got the big rush that I thought we would. Bronwyn Payne and Thelma Dixon are the only other two artists that have come across with some small canvases.

[Approx. 10:00am] - We are just leaving Mulga Bore and are on our way to Camel Camp.

[Approx. 10.20am] - We are here at Camel Camp and are told that most of the artists who live here are in some bush humpies at the back of the Outstation so we drive over there. Glady Kemarre has a great 6’x4’ Conkerberry Dreaming painting for us. I know it will stretch up fabulously (her work nearly always really comes to life once stretched - we have a fantastic one on the wall of the gallery that just seems to twinkle if that’s the right word.) Glady also brings us some smaller Angelina Ngale ‘Spirit Figure’ paintings and a couple of Kathleen Ngale’s. She tells us that Angelina and Kathleen are at Arlparra Store (20mins away). So I am leaving cheques with Glady for these two ladies and hope that I will run into them a little later to take photographs of them with their work. We are told they are in “the green Toyota…you know!!!” Elizabeth Mpetyane has a nice 4’x3’ and a lot of “little baby” paintings, as she fondly calls them. Julie, Lorna and Susan Purvis are also camping here (they usually live at Tomahawk Camp). They are sitting down under a tree and wait until we finish with the other ladies. They have lots of little ones too, which are great.

[Approx 11.10am] - After we finish sorting them out, we drive back into the middle of the actual Outstation to see Josie Kunoth Petyarre who earlier waved us down so that we would come back to her after finishing with the Bush Camp ladies. Josie wants some canvas for her mother Polly Ngale (who is at the store too!) and also for herself. There are some other women playing cards nearby and some of them want canvases as well! So we end up giving canvas out for Polly, Josie, Margaret Golder, Bessie and Maisey. Josie’s husband also approaches us and asks us if he could do some wood carvings for us. After a good chat I say yes – so I will be looking forward to seeing them come in. Barry is getting some great pictures here, and we are about to head to Tomahawk Outstation.

[Approx. 12pm] - At Tomahawk, we park under a nice shady tree and soon lots of the women come over with lots and lots of baby paintings. Some are fantastic and I commission a couple of the designs to be done on larger canvases. The artists with work here include Angela Purvis; Rebecca Gunner; Elsie, Amy, Dianne, Maureen and Shirley Dixon; Rowena Tilmouth and Pauline Morgan. We spend awhile here sorting through their paintings, writing cheques, taking photographs, encouraging where due – which is substantial, and generally just being ourselves.

[Approx 1.20pm] - Barry and I are pretty hungry after all of this work and have found a big Bloodwood tree by the roads edge and for a rest and a bite to eat. I have my usual healthy hamper (tinned beef), onion and chilli sauce sandwich (that’s what you get if I’m to supply lunch – and it’s nice! I have converted many a person). I can’t convert Barry though! He packs his own special little pita breads, then has a special little container with beetroot, then another little container with his lettuce, another with his cheese, another with slice tomatoes and on it goes. Like his low calorie mayonnaise or a choice of sauces, his salt and pepper, his serviettes… Although I’m not sure what’s going on in his mind regarding the numerous bush flies that continually want to land on his pita bread masterpiece!!

He doesn’t swear much but the flies do push the point and when the road train went past a moment ago distributing a minor dust storm over us the control went wanting!

We finally get going again with a bit of local grit in the system, washed down by some good bore water, and are now heading straight out to Rocket Range Camp (named after a big water tank on a hill that looks like a rocket). We also refer to it as “Queenie’s Camp”.

[Approx. 2.15pm] - Here at Rocket Range, Sarah and Lucky Morton each have a large 9’x5’ canvas for us. I am a little disappointed with Sarah’s actually, as it isn’t her best piece although it is reasonable. I feel her heart isn’t in this one and this happens from time to time. Lucky’s on the other hand is just beautiful. Last trip her work was pretty average and we talked about it. She obviously has taken her time and worked hard at this one. Anyway, I’m sure some lucky person will one day have this piece on their wall. (No pun intended)!

Michelle and Lily Lion have their usual exemplary work and smaller pieces. Audrey and Hazel Morton have quite a bit – a new style by Hazel that looks a bit like a thick sandstorm over the land (thin, closely set white straight lines over colour). Quite subtle actually, and would work well in a modern home. Janelle has a couple of her new style titled ‘Dancing Bird Spirits’. They are very effective – quite lively and great use of imagination.

[Approx 3.25pm] - We are just driving into “Top of the Hill” Camp now which is an old “Sorry” camp where many of the Mills family have lived. They appear to have moved as there is no sign here of recent activity. No dogs either, which is an indication that they are now living elsewhere. We decide to head to Arlparra Store.

[Approx 3.50pm] - As we approach the outdoor basketball court near Arlparra Store, we see lotsof people waiting for us. I guide the car towards the shade and begin work. There are many artists here including Judy Purvis, Greeny Purvis, Connie Petyarre, Dolly Mills, Jean Mills, Glory Mills, Nora Moore, Pansy McLeod, Rita Pwerle, Mary Jones, May Lewis, Rhonda Jones, Sandra Jones, Topsy Jones, Dorothy Jones, Nancy Kunoth, Kathleen Purvis, Patsy Long, Julie Pengarte and a few more. Angelina Ngale and Kathleen Ngale also turn up in the “green” Toyota which is actually a “creamy yellow”.

We are kept extremely busy sorting through incoming paintings, handing out new canvas, photographing and generally chatting. Most of the work is little stuff but in large numbers. There are again some great new designs as I’d hoped and lots of good basic paintings that are appreciated by people across the board. Also lots that we can use for our little framed paintings that are very popular. It’s all hard work actually and it really doesn’t make a lot of dollars once your gallery overheads and artists payments are made (also all paintings bought don’t sell). However, there is a lot of self satisfaction from seeing the enjoyment and the work ethic created, and also from seeing some of the design creations that are made. Knowing that from time to time any one of the artists will definitely create something special, and particularly when they do, it’s great to be a part of it for both the sake of the new “masterpiece” created, and also to see their reactions and enjoyment when they know it’s great and you let them know that as well. Everyone likes a pat on the back for something well done – it’s a nice feeling!

[Approx 6.15pm] - It’s twilight now and both Barry and I are feeling beat! Well I am anyway. Barry’s done a great job and we both have loads of work to do in the next few days. We’re two and a half hours from home and after having a good wash off from all the dust at a nearby tap we’ve hit the road and are on our way back home.