We have sadly learnt that one of our favourite artists who was also an incredibly inspirational women has passed away. On our recent trip to our Aboriginal communities in Australia we caught up with Alma. She had been ill for some time but we believed she had beaten her illness so it was a dreadful shock to find out she has died. Alma had started painting again following her illness and we were looking forward to having more of her works after her sell out show at Bay Gallery Home in 2015. Sadly, this will not be the case.
Alma was instrumental in helping obtain permission to create the 'My Country' interiors collection and for that we are forever grateful. Our thoughts are with her family, the art centre staff and the Community.
On our visit in Easter we caught up with Alma who shared her recent works with us.
Bay Gallery Home is celebrating the start of Desert Mob this week with a painting by one of our favourite emerging artists whose work is reflected in our beautiful Cotswold Chrysanthemums. The Dreamtime story depicted in the painting is a Wardapi Jukurrpa or Goanna Dreaming. At the site where this story sits you'll find yellow & white ochre which is used for love potions and ceremonial purposes.
Desert Mob falls immediately after Darwin Art Fair both of which are important cultural events in the Indigenous art calendar. Bay Gallery Home proudly supports members of Desert Mob through our Tetbury gallery in the heart of the Cotswolds so drop in or visit us online to learn more.
Wardapi Jukurrpa by Ruth Nungarrayi 46cmx30cm acrylic on linen
Detail from a painting we will be bringing back to Bay Gallery Home's Gallery, a fine example of the ever-evolving work of contemporary Australian Aboriginal Artists.
On the road to Uluru, after being Fool-uru by Mount Conner...
Here's a detail from Australian Aboriginal Street Art in Papunya, by Candy - a dynamic work of Art that feels full of expression and relevance.
Mount Conner, also called 'Fool-uru' by locals for so often being mistaken for Uluru..
Some of the rich stylistic variety of contemporary Australian Aboriginal artists, each incarnating the Artist's experience and connection with Country, their land and identity heritage.
As Spring finds its way back to England, we at Bay Gallery Home are getting ready for a sourcing trip into Australia's remote Central Desert region.
Bay Gallery Home's origins are intimately connected with this country, initiated when one of the Northern Territory communities approached founder Alexandra to represent them in the UK. The seeds of Alexandra's relationship with these artists can be traced back to the roots of her family's own connection with Australia, when a French ancestor arrived in Australia in the 1880's. From being early collectors of Aboriginal artefacts to working on Aboriginal accounts and nursing their communities, successive generations have maintained an association with these communities. Bay Gallery Home's relationship with the Central Australian Aboriginal artists is one of trust, founded on respect for their heritage and contemporary way of life.
A sourcing trip is an adventure in itself, full of dust and heat and a challenge to the best laid plans of mice and men – yet replete with treasure. Our month-long journey will start from Alice Springs, moving across the Northern Territory into the APY lands, visiting Uluru, Kings Canyon and our Aboriginal communities, including Papunya Tula – the birthplace of the contemporary art movement. We will then head up through the Northern Territory, crossing into Western Australia where we will make our first stop at Halls Creek, after 19 hours driving on dirt roads. After staying here for a few days, it will be time to head out again towards Kununurra, where we’ll be sourcing some Kimberly artwork. These artists notably still work with natural ochres, and have a completely different style to that of the communities we currently represent.
An important part of a sourcing trip is taking the time to meet with the artists, to understand the evolution of their art and re-establish relationships. Alexandra's young children will be travelling with her and are really looking forward to meeting and playing with the Aboriginal children. Language is no barrier to the young, it’s bound to be a moving experience watching them contemplate each other for the first time.
We will be open for business as usual, and will be updating you all on our epopees via Instagram and this website.
