South Coast artists to make 'exciting and challenging' move to new gallery

Artisans Nest has provided a space for a group of Eurobodalla Shire’s many creatives for more than a decade – but it is soon to open its doors in a new location.

Retired schoolteacher Julie Hurt joined the group in 2018 and has been one of the members exhibiting within the artist-run gallery in Old Grooms Cottage on the Princes Highway ever since.

“I just love art, so I was very interested in starting to do some of my own art projects,” she said.

“I’d always admired the work that was in the gallery – it was very inspiring, all those different artists putting in their different work.

“Being in the same space for 13 years, you get established and very familiar with it,” she said.

In early 2024, she is also one of the members preparing for the group’s move to a new location on the Princes Highway.

“It’s hard to know when you’re not really in there just yet, but our artworks are always evolving,” she said.

“Our artists will be creating and gathering new ideas – especially for this new gallery – that will enhance the space.

“We’re always very creative and ingenious, in some ways, to how things will fit into our space, so it will be very adventurous and a learning curve for us.”

Old Grooms Cottage had housed the Artisans Nest for the past 13 years.

“We think it was built around 1884,” Ms Hurt said.

“The cottage is the oldest surviving building in Bodalla, and the owners of the cottage want to do some redevelopment there.

“We are moving to the Old Stables, which are next to the historic Bodalla Pub.

“That is being refurbished to be a beautiful heritage site.”

In preparation for its new residents, the owners have renovated the Old Stables, making it fit to host the artists’ work.

The gallery hosts work from the artists spanning paintings, leather goods, jewellery, items made from resin, embroidery and more.

“A lot of us do more than one kind of thing, so it’s constantly changing,” she said.

The not-for-profit organisation has also made donations to community groups and organisations in Eurobodalla Shire.

Ms Hunt said the group was hard at work planning an exhibition to open to the community at their new location later this year.

“We will be rethinking exactly what we, as the artists, put into Artisans Nest now,” she said.

“We’re moving to a smaller space, so we really have to work out how everything will fit in.

“This will be exciting and challenging, and lovely to move into a new building that has been lovingly restored.”

One thing that won’t change is the gallery openings to the public, Ms Hunt said.

“All of our artists are volunteers, and we work in the shop or the gallery for at least two days of every month,” she said.

“We’re often looking for new members, as well, to help us diversify our range of art and to help us out in the gallery.”

Artisans Nest is currently located in the Old Grooms Cottage on the Princes Highway in Bodalla, and the group will move to its new location on the Princes Highway in March.