Cows creating place in Maleny

Over the next little while ArtSite will feature existing placemaking-community art in the SSC Hinterland. We will do this as artists and other community members draw our attention to existing art; and hopefully provide us with a photo or two of the art.

Recently an installation of cows designed and developed by Janna Pameijer was officially opened. The installation is sited on the north eastern side of the bridge as one enters Maleny from Landsborough.

Photos courtesy of Gemma Black.

This installation was 3-4 years in the making from concept to opening. It demonstrates that placemaking art can take time; and requires a lot of patience and persistence. But in the end the long journey has been worth it – the artistic and statement aspects of the piece are top class. Like all placemaking art the installation is much more than beautifully designed and executed metal sculpture of cows –it is also about community, about people who are the backbone of the dairy industry; it is about Maleny as a producer of quality dairy products; it is about the history of the cattle sale yards on the bank of the Obi Obi etc.

Congratulations to Janna and her supporters for achieving such a great outcome; and creating another community piece of public art and talking point.

Art Path

You may or may not be aware that the Story Path and associated story board at the Hinterland Business Centre was ArtSite's first placemaking art project.

The Jan 2010 Hinterland Times published an article (page 20) on the opening of the path by Councillor Jenny McKay (Sunshine Coast Regional Council).

There is also an article on ArtSite itself (page 23).

New beginnings for placemaking art in waning 2009

It is strange how new endeavours start! Edith-Ann (E-A) from Maleny Art Supplies is always: on the go; coming up with new ideas and connections between people and ideas; and recycling stuff.

As I indicated earlier this year on my personal blog she had been talking about building a story path as a piece of placemaking art at the Hinterland Business Centre (HBC). Big mistake on my behalf when I offered to help mix cement – and then suddenly I found that I was part of a team (Team Grimus – aka the Dirt Team) designing, recycling and building a path with input from onlookers and other interested community residents. Only Joking E-A (aka Primus Grimus) – I really enjoyed the creative community journey.

Anyway the path got built and opened – but more importantly it led us to ask the questions: Why in a community that has more artists per square kilometre do we not have some system or group that supports the design and development of public-placemaking art? Why was it that in the main the coordination of such endeavours is often handled by businesses or organisations outside our Hinterland community?

Those questions were addressed at a meeting of artists and artist organisations (COMA and ArtsConnect) on 5 November at HBC. At that meeting ArtSite – a community enterprise dedicated to the promotion, design, development, coordination and management of public-placemaking art in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland was born.

In the six weeks from that meeting:
* Over twenty people have registered to be involved in the ArtSite enterprise;
* An ArtSite Management Steering Committee has been formed and met on 5 occasions;
* Sponsorship and business administrative arrangements, including insurance, have been agreed with HBC;
* Website and blog domain names have been acquired and blog and website are under development;
* Operational and business rules have been developed;
* A policy to acquire some initial operating capital via donations from Foundation Supporters has been agreed and is being promoted; and
* Most importantly ArtSite is holding discussions with 5 potential ‘clients’ regarding placemaking projects.

So while ArtSite has been born in the tail end of 2009 it will take bigger placemaking art steps in 2010 by actually being involved in placemaking projects. So watch this space for further developments and inputs from members of the ArtSite MSC (Wendy van der Drift, Gemma Black, Malcolm Holz, Edith-Ann Murray and Barry Smith).

But above all:
* Become a follower to this blog; and/or
* Subscribe to it; and/or
* Become involved an interested ArtSite member; and/or
* Become a Foundation Supporter.