Internationally renown harpist and Yass Valley resident Alice Giles has informed YASSarts that her ‘Seven Harp Ensemble’ (SHE) are about to release a new CD on the Tall Poppies label. To launch this, SHE are embarking on an eight concert tour from Kangaroo Valley to Armidale. The tour starts in Gunning on Saturday 17th April. For further details click here.

Yass Valley artist Amanda Mclean will be featured at an upcoming exhibition at the Aarwun Gallery in Canberra. The show opens on Saturday night 3rd April to music by the Lauren Davis String Quartet and Amanda’s work will be shown alongside works by Norman Lindsay and Dr John Diamond.

The exhibition will be on display Aarwun Gallery, Federation Square, Nicholls from 3 – 24 April.

Enquiries: 02 6230 2055

The magical tradition of storytelling, puppetry and live music will come to life in the next David Pereira Cello Series. The concerts coincide with Hans Christian Anderson’s birthday celebrations; International Childrens’ Book Day; and National Youth Week (9-18 April). The project is also being promoted by the Childrens’ Book Council of Australia.

You can catch ‘Once Upon a Time…’ at the Crisp Galleries Performance Space, at Bowning on Sunday 11th April at 2:00 pm.

Further details consult the Calendar section or go to www.davidpereira.com.au

A poetry masterclass will be held of the weekend 20-21 March at the historic Yass Valley property of ‘Blackburn’. Presented by Steve Kelen who teaches poetry and creative writing at the University of Canberra the masterclass is designed to focus the poet’s vision and find the right words. For further details click here

Blackburn’s website is www.blackburnhomestead.com

The artistic community of the Yass Valley are up to things again. Hot on the heels of last November’s highly successful Art Trail, a number of venues have organised another weekend treat.

Historic “Weetalabah” a private home in Yass is hosting ‘Arts in the Garden’ featuring sculpture by Al Phemister and Steven Deronne, jewellery by Helen Thomas, photography by Elena Thomas, montage art by Lisa Fuller & paintings by James Shannon.

It is also a fundraiser for the Yass District Red Cross who are catering morning and afternoon teas, so your patronage will go to assisting a worthy cause.

Painter Jan Matson will be having an “Open Studio”. Artist in oils, Jan presents beautiful landscapes, country cottages and beach scenes. Her studio just happens to be located in the fantastic ‘Old Stationmaster’s’ house, another one of Yass’s classic buildings just behind the Catholic Church.

Finally, there is an exhibition byAdam Humphreys at the Crisp Galleries near Bowning just 15 minutes down the Hume Highway from Yass.

Chainsaw artist Adam Humphreys is artist in residence at Crisp Galleries this year and this exhibition runs from 7th March – 19th April 2010.

See the Calendar section for times and locations.

Location map can be viewed here (or downloaded as PDF).

A4 Poster can be viewed here (or downloaded as PDF)

Chainsaw artist Adam Humphreys is artist in residence at Crisp Galleries and hails from Wales in the UK. Adam also has a degree in outdoor and recreational management.

Crisp Galleries will stage an exhibition of his work from 7th March – 19th April 2010 to be opened by Mr David MacLaren director of the Bungendore Woodworks Gallery (thumb & expanded image)

It is with a heavy heart that we must report the passing of one of the Yass Valley’s great artists. Roger Moore died at Yass hospital on Monday morning 15th February 2010.

Roger was a ‘Renaissance man’ in the truest sense of the word. He had a thirst for knowledge and his interests were as diverse as the objects that filled his remarkable home. To be invited there was to walk into an artwork in progress with testaments to his life’s journey everywhere. He had a refined eye for design and things of beauty and this permeated his art.

Farewell Roger. You will be sadly missed.

That indefatiguable group of wordsmiths known as the Yass Valley Writers have done it again! Late in 2009 they published their second outing, ‘Stray Leaves II’ and you can sample some of the verse by clicking here

We’re proud to announce David Pereira’s latest set of concerts featuring the man himself supported by Natsuko Yoshimoto & Chris Latham (violins), Imants Larsens (viola) Timothy Young (piano).  Click on the image for further details.

The gardens of historic ‘Weetablabah’ will be open to the public this coming March and will feature sculpture, jewellery, arts and crafts.  Last held in 2008 the weekend proved to be one of the highlights of the Yass Valley calendar year so Yass Red Cross are determined to make this years even better.

Check the events calendar section for details