Discover the southeast's hidden treasures on an arts trail from Bungendore to Bega

Are taking the Monday off and hitting the road for an extra-long-weekend? Here are a few exhibitions in southeast NSW where you can escape the heat and enjoy some art and culture.

X Gallery, Bungendore

Works by Kate Carruthers and Michael Warner in the current show at X Gallery, ‘The Fire and The Flood’.

Kate Carruthers and her husband, Michael Warner, from Braidwood, have been living, loving and working alongside each other for 20 years. However, this is the first time they have exhibited their works together. ‘The Fire and the Flood’ at X Gallery includes paintings and ceramics, and runs until 8 February.

Where: 32 Gibraltar Street, Bungendore.

Open: Friday to Monday, 11 am to 5 pm, or by appointment.

Phone: 0417 730 087

Batemans Bay Heritage Museum

The exhibition, ‘At Peace: Symbolism and Ritual’ reflects on the curious, significant and ceremonial aspects of our ‘last great adventure’, 1850-2020. The exhibition is a social history piece with examples from the local area reflecting on different periods of time. Visitors to the Batemans Bay Heritage Museum can view photographs, information boards, artifacts and memento mori. The exhibition runs until 4 February, 2021.

Where: Clyde River and Batemans Bay Historical Society – 3 Museum Place, Batemans Bay.

Open: Tuesday to Thursday, 10 am to 3 pm.

Phone: 02 4472 1635

Admission fee: $5 per person (children under 12 free).

The Gallery, Mogo

During the summer holiday period, The Gallery, in Mogo, will be exhibiting 2D and 3D artworks and paintings produced by members of Creative Arts Batemans Bay, including feature artist for the season Carleta Delac. From Carleta’s studio, The Old Tin Shed in Moruya, she has produced a series of paintings inspired by Japanese Haiku poems. Carleta incorporates a number of different painting techniques in her work, and uses a range of mediums including oils, water colours and acrylics.

Carleta says about her work: “At present, I am exploring art through Haiku poetry, written by a friend. I am using much larger canvasses and enjoying this immensely. I love colour and like to inject an element of fun into my paintings. I tend to stick to acrylics, although I have enjoyed workshops in oils, water colour and mixed medium. I still get excited about learning new techniques.”

The exhibition runs until 1 February, which will be followed by an exhibition by Laureen Phillips from 2 February to 29 March, 2021.

Where: 52 Sydney Street, Mogo.

Open: 10 am to 4 pm every day.

Phone: 02 4474 2243

Admission is free.

Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre, Moruya

‘Untold Eurobodalla’ is an exhibition by Lee Grant and Amadis Lacheta at The Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre (The Bas) in Moruya. It explores the many ways Eurobodalla’s residents contribute to the region by sharing their stories through photography, film and written word. The exhibition runs until Sunday, 7 February, 2021.

Open: Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 am to 4 pm.

Where: Corner of Vulcan Street and Campbell Street, Moruya.

Admission is free.

For more info, visit The Bas.

Moruya and District Historical Society

The Moruya and District Historical Society has reopened with two new exhibitions to explore.

‘Illuminated: The Art of Children’s Book Illustration’ is a display of children’s books and the beautiful illustrations which many of the early books contain.

‘Treasures From the Ground: Early Mining in Eurobodalla’ tells the story of early mining discoveries in the region, and the miners involved, through artifacts from the period.

Where: 85 Campbell Street, Moruya.

Open: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 12 pm.

Cost: $5 per person (children under 12 free).

Phone: 02 4474 3224

Congo Crafts

Congo Crafts is holding its 35th annual exhibition showcasing a diverse range of functional and decorative stoneware ceramics and paintings on canvas.

All the ceramics and paintings have been created by Jim Simms in his Congo studio, where he has created artwork for more than 40 years. Strongly influenced by Japanese, Korean and Chinese ceramics, Jim continues to produce a range of beautiful pieces, and is noted for the quality of his glazes.

Each year he experiments with new matt and gloss finishes, resulting in a varied and stunning palette of rich and subtle colourings as each woodfired piece is uniquely burnished by ash and flames of the firing.

The exhibition runs until Sunday, 31 January, 2021.

Where: 721 Congo Road, Congo.

Open: Wednesday to Monday, 11 am to 5 pm.

Phone: 0407 708 354

Gallery Bodalla

Justin Pearson’s exhibition, ‘Bitter Sweet Melody’, is an outstanding collection of his recent oil paintings. Featuring portraits, landscapes and works inspired by theatre, Justin’s paintings are expressive, sometimes dramatic, and always beautiful.

By visiting the Gallery Bodalla website you will be able to take a virtual tour and browse photographs and catalogue details of the works.

The exhibition runs until 14 February, 2021.

Where: 66A Princes Hwy, Bodalla.

Open: Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm, and by appointment.

In keeping with COVID-19 safe practice, masks are required and only four people are permitted in the gallery at one time.

Phone: 0421 238 174

Spiral Gallery, Bega

The Spiral Gallery Co-operative Limited is a not-for-profit artists-run cooperative established in 1997. The Spiral Gallery caters to a broad range of artists, including painters, sculptors, glass artists, gold and silversmiths, textile artists, printers, photographers, mixed media and installation artists living within the Bega Valley and surrounding region. The gallery offers the chance to use and share a professional exhibition space as well as to connect, exchange artistic dialogue and informal mentoring.

Where: 47 Church Street, Bega.

Open: Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 1 pm.

Phone: 02 6492 5322

Got an art exhibition coming up? Please send details to [email protected].