Pittwater Life March 2023 Issue

Art Life
Steph’s art future is sorted
Art Life
Ring the secret bell at
Avalon Post Office and the
early morning collection hatch
opens – to the amazing world
of Steph Brown, mail sorter
extraordinaire with a hidden
creative talent.
Steph has looked after
Avalon’s early risers for the
past six years. Before the Post
Office opens, her customers
are swimmers heading home
after a dip and chirpy locals
on their coffee and mail runs.
Everyone is greeted with a
smile and a quick chat – and
with the special parcel they’ve
been waiting for: wine, coffee,
records (the black vinyl
kind)… even lawnmowers.
“The early morning regulars
are lovely, they’re bright and
happy,” Steph says. “I enjoy
seeing them and if I haven’t
seen them for a while I get a
little bit concerned!”
“A lot of the regulars know
that I have two lives.”
Steph’s hidden talent is
she’s an acclaimed artist. She
brilliantly captures the essence
of people in her portrait
paintings – cinematographer
John Ogden and Gretel Pinniger
(aka Madam Lash) are
two local identities she has
painted.
Twice selected for display
in the Salon des Refuses for
her portraits entered in the
Archibald Prize, Steph is
aiming for the 2023 Official
Exhibition.
Her portrait will be of a local
lady of Japanese heritage –
an origami exponent and volunteer
interpreter and guide
for the Japanese community
during the Archibald Prize.
“It’s quite hard actually selecting
somebody,” she says.
“It does help a lot if you
paint someone well-known. I
don’t know how the judging
panel thinks but they may be
thinking of drawcards to pull
people into the exhibition.”
A dairy farm in Matamata
in New Zealand’s North Island
was Steph’s childhood home.
Art was always on her radar.
“I did art at high school and
I loved it – and I didn’t like it
when kids played up in class!”
she laughs.
Steph left her mark on Matamata
– her town mural at Firth
Primary School is still there 40
years later. Tourists flock to
see it (and, perhaps, the Hobbiton
movie set created for
the Lord of the Rings and The
Hobbit films).
A graphic design career
and teaching art were creative
outlets before Steph took the
leap into portrait painting.
Steph says portraits demand
exacting, intricate work
and she needs several sittings
with her subjects, getting to
know them.
“You get to work out
people’s character and how
they hold themselves,” she
explains.
Energy gained from her
Next wave Express opinions
Sharp, visual social commentary from
Northern Beaches youth will be on display
at the 2023 Express Yourself exhibition at
Manly Art Gallery & Museum from March 3.
Express Yourself comprises more than
50 artworks by HSC Visual Arts students,
selected from the 20
secondary schools across
the peninsula.
“At its core, the exhibition
displays the voice
of youth and presents
young artists as commentators
and advocates,
questioning the
status quo, and opening
minds and conversations
to help us imagine new
futures,” said Northern
Beaches Mayor Michael Regan.
The exhibition has been an important part
of the Gallery’s program since 1995.
“Express Yourself provides a chance every
year to connect with the artists emerging
from secondary schools across the region,”
Cr Regan said.
“It’s a loved centrepiece of the annual program
and an exhibition that brings new life
and ideas into the Gallery to be celebrated
and exposed to new audiences.
IMPRESSIVE: Joe Boaler (Barrenjoey High) –
‘The Land is ours; this land owns me’.
“I’d like to congratulate each and every
artist selected to take part in 2023 and to acknowledge
the tremendous work they have
put in to be included,” Mayor Regan said.
The works by 2022 HSC students show
incredible diversity, depth and skill.
Some artworks reflect
very personal themes of
family and relationships,
or draw on their cultural
heritage; some explore
the environmental crisis,
and our connection to the
land and to place; while
others reflect on all that it
is to be human in an everchanging
world.
A ‘Meet The Artists’
session will be held on
Sunday March 26, when visitors can engage
with selected artists as they move through
the gallery, listening to stories of inspiration
and the creative process (2-3pm), followed
by live performances by top young local
musicians.
Now in its 29th year, Express Yourself
is presented in partnership with Northern
Beaches secondary schools and the MAG&M
Society.
*More info Council website.
– Lisa Offord
Avalon Post Office customers
helps by flowing into the ‘art
part’ of Steph’s day.
“I can still have enough
energy and focus to go
home and switch my brain to
something that really can be
quite draining and intense,”
she says.
Draining and intense also
describes the experiences of
the volunteer firefighters in
the Victorian Black Saturday
fires.
Steph saw the destruction
and upheaval the fires caused.
“The firefighters took me
out into the actual areas that
were all burnt out – it was just
devastating. I couldn’t believe
it and I couldn’t believe what
these everyday volunteer
people would do – just for the
community.”
She’s painted a picture of
firefighter Sandra, as “salt of
the earth”, “as rugged as you
get” and “all expletives with
a few normal English words
Trail
bolstered
by 10 new
artists
The 2023 Pittwater Artists
Trail is bigger and
better than ever – they’re an
energetic and vibrant creative
community right here on our
doorstep.
The 21 Trail members –
including 10 newcomers in the
past 12 months – have diverse
approaches but all are united
by their passion for creation
and innovation.
This year’s popular annual
group exhibition – featuring
the stunning work of all Trail
members – kicks off at the
Newport Community Centre
with an opening night on
Friday 24 March.
“This is a unique opportunity
to see the work of a mix
of emerging and established
creatives under one roof, a
chance to talk to them about
what inspires their work and
42 MARCH 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991
PHOTO: Greg McHugh