General 2 — Wollombi Valley Arts Council

Old Fireshed Gallery

The Old Fireshed Gallery was converted into a much-needed gallery in 2003, when the Rural Fire Service moved to their new fireshed. Since then it has been a popular and successful exhibition space for local artists, and some from further afield. A new exhibition is held every month. It is an artist - run venue, with the WVAC only requiring 10% of gross sales, and hence very popular.

Our current exhibition….

‘FIBRE ARTISTS PLUS WOOD’

An exhibition of weaving, eco dyeing wearables & woodturning

Open 10am - 4pm

Fri - Sun

30 May - 15 June

Lyn Abbott
Lyn has been weaving, spinning, felting, eco dyeing and dyeing fibres along with many aspects of using unique fibres, textures & colours for many years. Her love is to make an individual piece. Lyn's studio is full of fabulous fibres, yarns and embellishments which allow her to be able to create that special piece. Her weaving is unique in colours and styles. Creation is what she loves to do. Lyn’s art is based on saori weaving. Saori weavers get inspired by yarn. She feels this inspiration contributes to the best quality of her work. Lyn selects the best yarns first (silk, cotton, wool etc.), and then has a clear image of what she wishes to create. Lyn’s other love is eco dyeing. She loves to experiment with different flowers, natives, leaves and plants to get the wonderful designs on only the best silk, linen and natural fibres. This then gets designed by her into wearables. Every piece is individual and adds to any garment to make the wearer feel and look special.

Ken Hall
Ken weaves articles such as scarves, shawls, floor rugs, homewares, and wall hangings. His goal is to turn beautiful yarns into individual articles that will give the owner that special feeling. Ken’s weaving ranges from classic and earthy, to funky and energetic. All articles are individually designed and handwoven using beautiful fibres, sourced from around the world, including silk, alpaca, cotton, tencel (lyocell), bamboo, and fine wool. Ken enjoys the intellectual work of pattern design, and making the threads move to produce a unique and stable fabric. He uses a 6-shaft countermarch loom for a consistent and even weave for articles up to 80 cm in width; a heavy duty, shaft-switching jack loom for making rugs up to 150 cm in width; a 16-shaft computer-assisted loom for intricate designs and fine weaves; and a portable table loom for demonstration purposes.

Bruce Abbott
I took my first cut through the rough dirty exterior of a piece of timber to reveal the beautiful grain underneath and was captivated. It was at that moment that I decided to learn woodturning as my hobby. New to Woodturning, I have started out with pens, keyrings and bits and pieces. I just can’t wait to see where it takes me on my journey. I enjoy manipulating the colour and patterns in the wood to complement the form, along with the texturing and turning to create the piece. Let’s face it “Wood is Good”. I am inspired by many natural things and look forward to seeing the finished piece. Using fresh cut logs in my work, I find the wood is a very direct and responsive medium, with properties that are unique - not about the "woodiness" but the working qualities that it has.

Our next exhibition …

'WHAT THE WORLD NEED NOW!'

Featuring artists...

STEPHANIE VELLA
KERRYN RACO
RODE VELLA
CAMPBELL MURRAY
SIMON MARINER

This exhibition is a growing conversation. Visitors are encouraged to scrawl their own ideas, hopes, and solutions —becoming part of a collective vision for a better future.

20 June - 6 July 2025
OPEN 10am - 4pm DAILY
OLD FIRESHED GALLERY
WOLLOMBI CULTURAL CENTRE
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

EMERGING ARTIST AWARDS 2025

WVAC proudly announce that the Emerging Artist Awards will be held 4 - 19 October 2025

Old Fireshed Gallery Calendar 2025

4 January - 9 February: ‘THE DREAMING’ - Peter & Katie Williams & family

15 - 23 February: ‘NATURE’S PALETTE - Annette & Keven Rowlison

1 - 16 March: ‘NEW WATAGAN WORKS’- Mandy Davies

22 March - 6 April: Wollombi Ceramics Group Exhibition

12 - 20 April: ‘ABSTRACTING THE LANDSCAPE’ Fiona Bateman and Michael O’Sullivan

26 April - 4 May: PAINTINGS and MOSAICS

10 - 25 May: Stephen Coburn

31 May - 15 June: ‘FIBRE ARTISTS PLUS WOOD’ Bruce Abbott, Lyn Abbott, Ken Hall

21 June - 6 July: Kerryn Raco & Stephanie Vella

12 - 27 July: ‘TAOTOCS’ The Artists of the Old Church Studio

2 - 17 August: - Sheree Roberts

23 August - 7 September: Julia Francis

13 - 28 September: Jennifer Little

4 - 19 October: EMERGING ARTISTS AWARDS

25 October - 9 November: Chantal Mahoney

15 - 30 November: To be confirmed

6 - 21 December: To be confirmed

2025 Exhibitions

'Great Galah' - Annette Rowlison 50x40cm Acrylic on canvas.jpg

'Graze' Ink on canvas Annette Rowlison 40x30cm.jpg

'Foragers' Keven Rowlison Oil on canvas 82x61cm (1).jpg

'Lookout' Oil on canvas Keven Rowlison 80x60cm.jpg

'Stop it double drummers, you are hurting my ears' - Pencil on paper - Fiona Bateman.jpg

'Nebula 2' Fiona Bateman Oils on canvas.jpeg

'Predawn' - Michael O'Sullivan 81.5x 10.7cm Acrylic on canvas.jpg

'Candles' Michael O'Sullivan Acrylic on canvas 92.5x11.2cm.jpg

'Flooded Gums, Coonamble NSW' Winner Singleton Art Prize 2024- Kaye Lovie.jpg

'Poppies in the Field' - Carole McDonald.jpeg

'Homage to Hundertwasser' - Mary Francis.jpeg

'Spoonbills feeding - on Millfield Wetland' - Marilyn Miller.jpeg

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2024 Exhibitions

'SOUL and SPIRIT' by Peter and Katie Williams

In Your Element Art Exhibition Part 1.jpg

In Your Element Art Exhibition Part 2.jpg

'Secret Water Hole Hidden in the Bush #1' Acrylic and copper wire 30x30cm $120 - Gavin Barlow.jpg

'Still Life at Carol's' - Penny Walton.jpg

'Black Chinned Honeyeater' - Penny Walton.jpg

'Threatened Birds of the Hunter' - Penny Walton.jpg

'Des Hommes Reconquis Par La Mer' - Jennier Little

'Les Hommes Doivent Reverde la Nature' - Jennifer Little

'Having a Conversation' - Susanna Chen Chow

2023 Exhibitions

EMERGING ARTIST AWARDS WINNER
Janelle Goldman 'Valley Sunset' — EMERGING ARTIST AWARDS WINNER Janelle Goldman 'Valley Sunset'

HIGHLY COMMENDED - Polina Karuso 'Death Adder'

COMMENDED - Giles Tester 'Foggy Dawn in Valley'

Susanna Chen Chow Fireshed 2023 Invitation-v2.jpg

Laguna Collective Exhibition 2023 -1.jpg

'The Geometry of Innocence' - ILYAS PAPANTONIOU

'Homestead at Lightning Ridge' - Debbie Barry

Detail of rock surface, mixed media - Fiona Bateman

'Willy Wag Tail' - Painted stainless steel by Stephen Coburn

'Ducks priesting Brook' - Ink on paper by Stephen Coburn

'A Fragile Peace' - Stainless steel & mild steel by Stephen Coburn

'Napoleon at sunrise' Oil on board by Stephen Coburn

'Light in the Cosmos' - Acrylic on canvas by Sioux Garside

'Blue Heartshell' - Barium glazed stoneware

'Earth Spirits' - Shane Shepherd
EARTH ELEMENTS EXHIBITION — 'Earth Spirits' - Shane Shepherd EARTH ELEMENTS EXHIBITION

'Still Life with Banksia' - Amanda Broberg

'Still Life with Flannel Flowers' - Amanda Broberg

2022 Exhibitions

'Goanna' from 'FAMILY' Artists-in residence 2022 Peter and Katie Williams

'Wreath' Sterling silver - Christine M. Finch DISCOVERY exhibition

'Let the rivers run' - Christine M. Finch

'Musings of the Countryside' - Christine M. Finch

'The three faces of Margarite' - Christine M. Finch

'Reflections of Waaway - Rainbow Serpent' - Sarah Gordon

'Underground rivers of the Pilliga' - Sarah Gordon

Laguna Collective 2022 flyer white final compressed.jpg

'Still life with Kurrajong pods' - Linda Wilkinson

'Mother Earth Dreaming - Judith Franklin

'Turning wheels, big holes and dram lines' - Sheree Roberts

'Of things we find magical' - Sheree Roberts

'FANCIFUL' Exhibition Susan Myerson & Heather Campbell

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2021 Exhibitions

'GIRRI GIRRA' An exhibition by TIM SELWYN

TAOTOCS: The Artists of the Old Church Studio

'INTERMITTANCES' An exhibition by Chantal Mahoney

'FEMME FANTASTIC' An exhibition by Katrina Rose and Jackie Mare

2020 Exhibitions

Although Covid -19 created quite a few challenges in 2020, we managed to hold 13 exhibitions, two of which were online. Sadly, ‘Paintings & Mosaics’ was cancelled after only a few days, due to lockdown.

'OUR LIFE' Salamah Stewart & Hadijah Munting

'THE PLACE BETWEEN' Penny Walton and Caroline Peddie

2019 Exhibitions

As you can see from the flyers below, local artists and crafts people display a diverse range of their talents and skills at the Old Fireshed Gallery. If you’re a potential exhibitor, book early as this popular gallery is always in demand.