Granite Belt indigenous artisans share stories and place at upcoming arts festival

GBART is a dedication to all things creative that showcases the talent of artists & artisans that come from the Granite Belt. Exhibiting at studios, galleries, community spaces & small halls across The Granite Belt.

Local Indigenous Artists are set to Showcase the glory of Girraween National Park.

Local Indigenous artists are set to showcase the glory of Girraween National Park, connection to land, heritage and traditional craft at the interactive Granite Belt Art and Craft Trail Open Studios event Friday 30 October 2020 to Sunday 1 November 2020, which will be held in Stanthorpe and surrounding Granite Belt villages.

Arts trail founder Rosy Chapman anticipates the event will deliver economic resilience and drive market high-yield tourists to a community recovering from back-to back natural disaster events and now the pandemic.

“GBART is a grassroots-driven event, inspired by artisans for artisans. This year we have some brilliant Indigenous artisans offering up a range of workshops: jewellery making with emu feathers, weaving with natural products, fabric painting of windsocks, leather making and collage.

“Krishna Heffernan returns to our trail at a new venue this year. Her exquisite collage paintings incorporate paper and paint techniques which give her work vibrant colours and textures.

“Her latest sold-out exhibition, Girraween Reborn was held at Twisted Gum Winery. Krishna’s work expresses the journey of devastation, growth and renewal in the Girraween area. Printmaking and collage allow her to convey the scarring, suffering and etching of time that the land undergoes in its eternal struggle with droughts, fires and floods.

“You can watch her in action at the Granite Belt Brewery Friday to Sunday 10am to 4pm.

“Jen Martin is returning to Jamworks Gourmet Larder and Café. Her contemporary dot paintings are always popular.

“Ballandean Community Hall will be hosting Indigenous and local artisan collective The Granite Belt Arts Hub. These artists work across many mediums, from modern digital technologies to ancient crafts. They have a great range of workshops on offer for the event across the long weekend, from dance to jewellery-making.”

Arts trail founder Rosy Chapman was inspired by the Silo Art Trail, which delivers international media attention to regional Australia, an influx of tourists to the region, and expansion of the trail into a 200-kilometre-long outdoor art gallery.

She hopes the event will capitalise on the winter tourism boom experienced across the region, building on the extraordinary publicity generated over the last few months as Queenslanders look to holiday here this year in support of regional economies.

This year marks the second of the arts festival which provides a fully immersive experience of the rich tapestry of culture, talent, history and artefacts in the region. There will be a three-day, COVID-sensitive event opening at 10am on Friday 30 October and closing on Sunday 1 November at 4pm.