Our scene: The vibrant world of local art and craft in the Great Southern
In 2023 ArtSouthWA offers us the 20th Southern Art and Craft Trail. This annual event celebrates a wide range of artists from Albany and the Great Southern area. This event is a fantastic opportunity to be inspired by art and craft along with the food, wine, and the majestic physical environment of the region. Here at Albany Tours by Busy Blue Bus, we are thrilled to offer our curated Art & Craft Trail tour again this year to show you the highlights of this wonderful event.
The Southern Art & Craft Trail; what to expect in 2023
The first Art and Craft Trail featured 36 exhibitions in 2003. This year the event hosts 74 exhibitions, 450 artists, and 400 student artists. The Trail has always included a diverse range of artists and art and this year is no different.
Visitors can expect to see glassware, ceramics, photography, curated antiquities, drawings, sculpture, paintings, and textiles. The venues are also diverse. You’ll find art in galleries, home studios, commercial premises, and shop windows. Albany, Denmark, Mount Barker, and surrounding areas are flooded with artworks and art lovers, and the atmosphere in the region while the Art Trail is on is creative, vibrant, and eclectic.
Support the local economy by viewing art, eating and drinking local produce
We can’t think of a better way to support a regional economy. Visitors to the Art Trail boost our local economy by about $5 million and up to $300,000 into the hands of our local artists. Our tour includes local food, coffee, and wine. Every time we bring guests to Duckett’s Mill for lunch, they are delighted by the local cheese platter which includes house-made relish, deli meats, olives, and more. Joining our tour helps the art, food, wine, and tourism economies stay strong to secure events like the Southern Art & Craft Trail.
Caption: The Mill shared platter at Duckett’s Mill
Albany Tours curated Art and Craft Trail experience for you
We know that 74 exhibits are a lot to choose from and for our out-of-town guests it can be difficult to know where to start. So, we have curated a tour that offers you the best of the best. We head west along South Coast Highway to visit five galleries in Torbay, Denmark and Walpole. Torbay Glass, has exhibited every year of the Art and Craft Trail. The gallery sits on a rise in a beautiful, elevated location, where the works of Mark Hewson and Paris Johanson are exhibited. Not far away is the photographic art of Meleah Farrell in her secluded studio. She shares her space with potter Narelle Clark. New to the trail are exhibits by The Atelier and textile artist Kylie Porter at Beaumaris Escape. Once you’ve seen the multimedia artwork and paintings, take in the gorgeous vistas from the elevated position overlooking the inlet. Onwards the tour travels to the town of Denmark for a quick stop for coffee then to the gallery of ceramicist turned painter Jonathan Hook. We stop for lunch with a glass of wine at Duckett’s Mill, a rustic location. Then we travel to Petrichor Gallery in Walpole where you’ll see work by Elizabeth Edmonds and Sarah Walker’s textile exhibition. Relax and enjoy the ride; let someone else do the curating, driving, and navigating.
Caption: Photo of Narelle Clark and Meleah Farrell
Why take a guided tour of the Southern Art and Craft Trail with Albany Tours
Besides not having to decide on which exhibits to attend, there are many benefits of taking a tour with us. We have relationships with every venue. We make sure you don’t have to wait for a table, we call ahead for coffee, and we have arranged for artists to be in residence at each exhibit. You’ll have time to chat with the artists about their processes and inspirations which will deepen your appreciation of their art. You’ll also be able to enjoy the beauty of the south coast environment and watch the scenery as we take the wheel.
Caption: Photo from Torbay Glass
Preserving the Memories of the 2023 Southern Art & Craft Trail
We recommend having your phone fully charged so you can take photos of the art, studios, scenery, and perhaps even the cheese platter. If you’re on social media, you can post about your experience and use the event’s official hashtags #southernartcrafttrail and #arttrailwa2023 to share the event with others. And, if possible, it’s great to have a budget for purchasing art so that you can take home something special to remind you of your experience.
This year’s Southern Art & Craft Trail is sure to be one to remember, recovering strongly from the COVID years. We would be honoured to take you to the best spots between Albany and Walpole so that you can just relax and enjoy all that the event has to offer. Click here to book.
