Ebb + Flow

One constant throughout life is change

Ebb+Flow was our artistic theme across 2021 and early 2022.

The theme encouraged our community to join a series of ten artists-in-residence to explore how changes in our personal lives and regional communities are often temporary. That there are periods of decline and growth, drought and rain, hardship and prosperity... that factors outside of our control ebb and flow.

Ebb+Flow worked with the creative and collaborative nature of the arts to explore the past and look to the future of our communities in the North Midlands.

If you or someone you know needs support while going through life's ebbs, please click here for health service providers.

Artists-in-Residence

Ten artists - one from each region of Western Australia - undertook a four-week residency in the North Midlands exploring the theme of Ebb+Flow. Each residency included seven community workshops held in different towns, schools and at local events.

During each residency a new artwork was created collaboratively by the artist and the community. The works created from the ten residencies came together for the Ebb+Flow exhibition which was launched across The Bank Gallery and The Exchange in Carnamah on Sunday 17 July 2022.

The Ebb+Flow exhibition is currently on tour connecting with communities across Western Australia. You can keep up to date on the tour via our Facebook page.

Supporters improving the health, wellbeing, liveability + vibrancy of regional WA
Ebb+Flow has been made possible thanks to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Lotterywest Creative Communities COVID-19 Recovery Program; and through our partnership with Healthway empowering the North Midlands community to Act Belong Commit. Our thanks to Minderoo Foundation for supporting the travel and exhibition transport costs of the artists.

STAY CONNECTED with your EBB + FLOW artists

Lynda Howitt

Martine Perret

Sarah-Jayne Eeles

Mikaela Castledine

Siobhan Kelley

Crystal Stacey

Deidre Robb

Sue Helmot

Nyree Taylor

Marianthe Loucataris

Lynda Howitt - Mid West

Lynda joined us from Geraldton mid February to early March 2021 as our first of ten artist-in-residence.

Lynda is an Artist, Designer and Soulseeker based at Geraldton in WA's Mid West region. Her work breathes a soul resonance and aims to illuminate the soul by evoking its sensibility. Through her unique blend of art, design and spirituality and her free-flowing, intuitive process, her work holds a greater sense of peace, inspiring our natural state of wellbeing.

While in residence Lynda connected with the community through nine activities across the North Midlands including schools, specialised workshops and at culture + arts days. You can check out the some of Lynda's photos of her her time with us below and read Lynda's interview with writer Sarah-Jayne.

Stay connected + find out more on Lynda's work via her website and on Facebook and Instagram.

Workshop with Mingenew Painting Group

Exhibition at The Bank Gallery Carnamah

Workshop with Create in Company

Workshop with Perenjori Primary School

Workshop at Summer Nights Carnamah

Workshop at Carnamah District Highschool

Workshop with Morawa District Highschool

Workshop at Summer Nights Three Springs

Workshop with Three Springs Primary

Martine Perret - South West

Martine joined us from Margaret River in March, retuning in September 2021 as our second of ten artist-in-residence.

Martine Perret is a photographer and artist living in Margaret River in Western Australia's South West region. After a long career in photojournalism, covering UN peacekeeping missions in conflict zones, Martine now focuses her time on producing work in and around Western Australia with a strong focus on the aerial landscape as a storytelling tool.

While in residence Martine connected with the community through eight activities across the North Midlands including schools, specialised workshops at culture + arts days and charted a flight and took photos of Yarra Yarra Lakes. You can check out the some of Martine's photos of her time with us below and read Martine's interview with writer Sarah-Jayne.

Stay connected and find out more about Martine's work through her website + Facebook

Workshop at Summer Nights Morawa

Photographing Yarra Yarra Lakes

Workshop at Carnamah District High School

Exhibition at The Bank Gallery Carnamah

Workshop with Perenjori Primary School

Workshop with Coorow Primary School

Workshop at Summer Nights Coorow

Sarah-Jayne Eeles - Goldfields

Sarah-Jayne (SJ) joined us from the Goldfields in April 2021 as our third of ten artists-in-residence.

SJ is a writer, performer, and producer (and a few other odd and random hats) who considers herself both an Esperance and Goldfields local having grown up in both places. Her current base is Kalgoorlie where she is involved in the extremely rich and diverse local arts community.

While in residence Sarah-Jayne connected with the community through a meet the author high tea, workshops with the regional writing group Scribes of North Midlands, activities at the Our History Our Heritage Festival event in Carnamah, and workshops with students from Carnamah, Coorow, Mingenew and Three Springs. You can check out the some photos of SJ's time with us below and read her interview.

Stay connected and find out more about SJ's work through her website, Facebook and Instagram.

Ready for community immersion at the Our History Our Heritage Festival in Carnamah!

Workshop at Three Springs Primary School

Workshop with Mingenew Primary School

Workshop at Carnamah District High School

Mentoring our Youth Ambassador, Jaylin

High Tea In-Conversation with Sarah-Jayne

SJ taking five with the banner of one of the major supporters of Ebb+Flow

Mikaela Castledine - Perth

Mikaela Castledine joined us from Kalamunda in Perth during May 2021 as our fourth of ten artists-in-residence.

"My practice consists, most recently, of crochet sculptural works. Despite being best known for my animal form sculptures I am actually more interested in people than animals and my work is usually inspired by our relationships with animals. Often my work is a mnemonic, a way of helping me to think about an idea or a problem."

While in residence Mikaela connected with the community through an exhibition of her existing work at The Bank Gallery and an open studio at The Exchange in Carnamah. She ran a Found Poetry workshop with Scribes of the North Midlands and sculptural workshops at The Exchange, at the Our History Our Heritage Festival event in Three Springs, and with youth at schools in Coorow, Mingenew, Morawa, Perenjori and Three Springs. You can check out the some photos of Mikaela's time with us below and read Mikaela's interview with writer Marcell Billinghurst.

Stay connected and find out more about Mikaela's work through her website + Instagram

Workshop at Our History Our Heritage Community Day in Three Springs

Workshop with Mingenew Primary School

Workshop with Three Springs School

Local creative working on co-design piece

Workshop with Perenjori Primary School

Exhibition at The Bank Gallery

Community Workshop at The Exchange

Siobhan Kelley - Pilbara

Siobhan Kelly joined us from the Pilbara during July + August 2021 as our fifth of ten artists-in-residence.

"My creative practice is grounded in my passion for painting the Australian landscape. This process involves a combination of plein air painting and studio painting from reference images. My studio consists of my immediate surroundings and I respond to the light, colour and forms of the land, while giving consideration to the composition of the completed painting. My plein air paintings in acrylic have come to inform the larger works on canvas painted in my studio."

While in residence Siobhan connected with the community through an exhibition of existing work created in the Pilbara and during lockdown. She ran community workshops in Carnamah and Morawa, youth workshops at Carnamah District High School and created an incredible body of new work during bad weather from the end of the street! You can check out the some photos of Siobhan's time with us below and read Siobhan's interview with writer Sarah-Jayne.

Stay connected and find out more about Siobhan and her work on Instagram

Exhibition Launch at The Bank Gallery

Workshop at Macpherson Homestead

Snr Workshop at Carnamah High School

Talc Mine Lookout

Workshop at Macpherson Homestead

Work created by Siobhan during her residency of local wheat bins

Jr Workshop at Carnamah High School

Crystal Stacey - Kimberley

Crystal joined us from the Kimberley region in October 2021 as our sixth of ten artists-in-residence.

Crystal Stacey grew up in Broome and was officially a circus runaway at age 16. She is best known for her Hula Hoop and Aerialist role in the Political Hip Hop theatre show Hot Brown Honey.

Crystal has performed across Australia and abroad in North America, Europe and Asia. She is passionate to share her experiences from circus performing and the joy she has discovered from this physical language of self-expression. Crystal’s goal is to tell stories in this form and collaborate with people to share, connect and extend the home she found under the big top.

During Crystal's residency she facilitated workshops in different towns, schools and at the Mingenew Mental Health Day and conducted a professional workshop at The Exchange in Carnamah an Morawa. Crystal also started creating a new work collaboratively with the community in response to the Ebb+Flow theme. You can check out the some photos of Crystal's time with us below and read Crystal's interview with writer Sarah-Jayne.

You can connect with and find out more about Crystal and her work on Facebook + Instagram

Community Workshop in Morawa

Workshop with Coorow Primary School

Workshop at Carnamah High School

Workshop with Three Springs Primary School

Deidre Robb - Peel

Deidre joined us from the Peel region in November 2021 as our seventh of ten artists-in-residence.

Deidre is a life-long maker and emerging artist from Western Australia. She makes functional, utilitarian objects such as clothing, quilts, accessories and homewares, as well as artworks for exhibitions. She loves working with found and imperfect materials and reinterpreting traditional textile and needlework techniques in a contemporary way. Deidre's artwork primarily explores themes of identity (both individual and community), home and belonging, and the environmental issues impacting on the places we live.

During Deidre's residency she facilitated workshops in different towns, schools and at community days across the North Midlands and conduct an artist talk and hold open studios alongside her exhibition at The Bank Gallery in Carnamah. You can check out the some photos of Deidre's time with us below and read Deirdre's interview with writer Sarah-Jayne.

You can connect with and find out more about Deidre and her work on Instagram

Workshop with local creatives at The Exchange in Carnamah

Workshop with Three Springs Primary School

Exhibition launch + talk at The Bank Gallery

Community Workshop at Perenjori Harvest Festival

Workshop with Morawa District High School

Workshop with Carnamah District High School

Sue Helmot - Gascoyne

Sue joined us from the Gascoyne region in February 2022 as our eighth Ebb+Flow artists-in-residence.

Sue is a painter with an insatiable curiosity for nature and the Australian landscape.

“Immersed in the landscape itself with a backpack full of paints is where the artistic sparks fly and the creativity begins. The more time that I spend looking and listening, collecting colours and textures, the more the landscape reveals about itself."

Sue's impressionistic paintings grow from memories once back in the studio. Layers of oil paint wet over dry, new over aged, in an exploration of beautiful colour harmonies and richly textured landscapes.

During Sue's residency she facilitated workshops in different towns, schools and at community days across the North Midlands and conducted an artist talk at her exhibition at The Bank Gallery in Carnamah. You can check out the some photos of Sue's time with us below and read Sue's interview with writer Sarah-Jayne.

You can connect with and find out more about Sue and her work on her website or Instagram

Workshop with Eneabba Primary School

Community Workshop at Carnamah Art in the Park

Exhibition launch + talk at The Bank Gallery

Workshop with Three Springs Primary School

Community Workshop at Perenjori Art in the Park

Workshop with Coorow Primary School

Nyree Taylor - Wheatbelt

Nyree joined us from Moora in the Wheatbelt region during March 2022, as our ninth Ebb+Flow artist-in-residence.

Creativity has been a constant in the life of Nyree, whether as a dancer, photographer or in the production of art. Her enjoyment in collaborating and love for aesthetics in cultures has taken her across the globe working in Tokyo, New York and Chicago.

Nyree's recent works are deeply connected to her surroundings. Her studio is in an old train carriage set in the bush on her family's farm. Her works follow the pattern of being immersed in painting and photographing the clouds with the last remaining light.

During Nyree's residency she facilitated workshops that blended art, art history and music at six schools across the North Midlands; and created new works collaboratively with the community in response to the Ebb+Flow theme. Students heavily resonated with Nyree's directions to paint whatever they liked and observing how their style changed with changing music.

Stay connected with and find out more about Nyree and her work via her website or Tumblr

Workshop at Mingenew Primary School

Workshop at Perenjori Primary School

Nyree with the banner of key funder Lotterywest

Workshop at Morawa District High School

Workshop at Mingenew Primary School

Marianthe Loucataris - Great Southern

Marianthe joined us from the Great Southern region in March as our tenth Ebb+Flow artists-in-residence... but for a virtual residency!

Marianthe is a composer, multi instrumentalist, sound designer and singer songwriter. She has had a diverse career; from touring nationally and internationally with indie rock out-fit machine translations to collaborative work with filmmakers and visual artists.

"Creativity is important for children as it gives them creative tools and languages to make sense of their world and themselves."

During Marianthe's virtual time in the North Midlands she worked closely with Coorow Primary School and teacher Shiona Herbert delivering a series of creative workshops exploring 'if water could speak'. Marianthe also conducted two online workshops with the broader North Midlands community, which contributed to a body of co-designed digital works responding to the Ebb+Flow theme.

Stay connected with and find out more about Marianthe and her work on her website

Some help with life's Ebbs + Flows

If you or someone you know needs support while going through life's ebbs, please click here.

REGIONAL ARTS NETWORK

Ebb+Flow is a collaboration with the the Regional Arts Network.

The network is a Regional Arts WA initiative, proudly supported by Minderoo Foundation and The Ian Potter Foundation, with funding from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund.