Talbot IMAGINATION STATION - round one

Imagination Stations are shire wide outdoor art spaces that will showcase works created by the community in conjunction with local artists.

Week one

Talbot residents meet to hear about the public art project and brainstorm some ideas for the Talbot artwork.

Week three

Plywood is undercoated for use in the project. Panel sizes are measured and and paper is cut to size for group members to take home and sketch their ideas. Some of the group take some reference photos with them for their work.

Week seven

With over 12 large panels finished and a collection of small ones we start to arrange them to see how they present as a whole.

Week ten and eleven - both panels are completed and then displayed in the shop window at Slightly Bent Books

Week nine - the first panel is composed and the kids start painting panels

Week seven - the images start to come together

Week six at Talbot primary school

Week 1, Wednesday 12th August.

After a notice in the Maryborough Advertiser, some phone calls and emails a public meeting was held at Bryce's Bistrot. In attendance were Chris Meddows-Taylor, Fran Burns, Fran Tulk, Juliette Jose, Carol Brock, Gary Whelan, Ralph Durr, Rose Hardress, Cath Harris, Annie Irish, Heather Dunne, Rosa McQuilten, Helen Hazelman, Norm and Liz Jones as well as Berni Janssen and Forest Keegel from the Art Central team. Trish Walsh and Tiffany Titshall conducting the meeting.

Tiffany Titshall described the project and spoke about different types and purposes of public art with reference images - stressing the importance of encouraging the project and art funding for the benefit of our community and culture. Trish Walsh held a brain storming session to motivate the group and gain creative and constructive input regarding the theme and site of the collaborative artwork. 

The group were invited to return the following week to share ideas and begin collaboration on the project.

Week 2, Wednesday 19th August.

A meeting was held at the community centre next to Bryce's Bistrot, Talbot. Juliette Jose, Fran Burns, carol Brock, Gary Whelan, Ralph Durr, Fran Tulk, Rose Hardress, Lauren Burke were in attendance with apologies from Rosa McQuilten and Heather Dunne. The style of artwork and materials were discussed. A collaborative landscape was tentatively agreed upon. Later it was decided that individual panels would work best on the portrait proportioned imagination station structure and also allow for individual expression amidst the collaborative project. A general theme of Talbot yesterday, today and tomorrow was agreed upon.
Week 3, Wednesday 26th August.

Weekly workshops commenced in the community centre. A large plywood panel was undercoated, measured, marked and transported for cutting into 400 by 400mm panels. Paper was cut to size for group members to sketch their ideas. Some reference photos of Talbot were distributed and each person's idea was discussed. It was agreed that we meet at a regular time of 10am until midday on Wednesdays and to try and keep as many in attendance as possible for the sake of shared creativity and decision making. Group members preferred to work on their own images at home between meetings.
Week 4, Wednesday 2nd September.

A backdrop plywood panel was painted black. More panels were undercoated (to allow for the other side of the structure to be decorated) and distrubuted and ideas were discussed and some works started. An appointment was made to meet with a small group of Talbot Primary school students under the supervision of Rosa McQuilten.

Week 5, Wednesday 9th September.
Five panels were completed and possible compositions were discussed. Trish visited the primary school and described the project to the children, who were very keen.
​Week 6, Wednesday 16th September.

Several panels were completed and propped in front of the backdrop to see how they might come together. Some panels in progress were discussed. A composition of panels would be created for the other side of the structure. More plywood panels were distributed and a larger landscape panel was prepared for a possible collaborative work. Scandinavian Crescent was sketched as a theme and then it was decided that the panel would be better used for a mining theme with poppet heads and historical references.

Sound recording was also discussed. Sounds of Talbot such as a squealing pig from the market for Helen Green’s pig image and scissors for the drapers store etc were suggested. Short interviews with long time residents was also suggested. Trish was to find a resident who remembers a lot about Talbot and Tiff was to gather sounds at the market and then discuss further with Gary in week seven as he has skills with sound.

Trish and Tiff visited Talbot primary school where the students enthusiastically discussed their ideas and began to sketch.
Week 7, Wednesday 23rd September.

Trish spoke to the group about the history, titles and sites of the Talbot mines as reference for the larger landscape panel. Trish also thanked the group for their contribution so far, especially Juliette for her consistency and helpful nature.

We briefly discussed the landscape panel and then we got involved with the other aspects of the project. Fran Tulk had some props to use for poppet heads and she and Juliette would collaborate with others welcome.​
We discussed sound. All agreed that Gary should have a play with his idea of repurposing a toy with computer chip for sound. Gary also brought some high tensile wire and a drill to be used as the attachment arms for smaller panels on the second side of the structure. We agreed this could be worked on in week nine.

Rosy brought her bonsai knit panel, which looked fabulous. Fran Burns brought two beautiful bright panels with cockatoo and Chesterfield house images and Joan Carter took a panel to decorate with flowers. Helen Green brought her glorious cow and pig panels and Fran Tulk brought some smaller panels using photo transfer techniques that looked great.

Annie Irish would be returning with two panels and we would have a few mosaics coming from Lauren Burke as well as the art from the Talbot primary school students.

We agreed that in week eight we would purchase and paint a second backing board black for the other side and that the method of fixing the panel to the structure needed to be confirmed with Art Central. We planned to spray varnish all of the finished panels in week eight and then start fixing them to the backing board  in week nine.
​Week 8, Wednesday 30th September

More works were completed and finished panels were varnished in the community centre. 
Week 9, Wednesday 7th October

The group gathered in the community centre to arrange the works. Much discussion was had about how the works best fit together on the two panels. One panel was composed with more formal pieces as they seemed to work best together. The other panel was tentaively arranged to include more of the bright images and the primary school works which are still to come. The first panel was glued and fixed with the help of Gary Whelan, Fran Tulk, Carol Brock, Annie Irish, Helen Green and others directing pieces where they best fit. The Talbot book club joined us for a viewing and enjoyed the work on display.
​Week 10, Wednesday 14th October.

The first panel was finished with the help of a couple of additions from Lauren Burke which were a perfect fit. The second panel was composed and partly fixed and we discussed a final meeting to complete the final elements and transport the panels to Slightly Bent Books where they were to be displayed in the shop window with a catalogue until the Central Goldfields Gallery exhibits the work in December.

The primary school students completed their painting works.

Week 11, Wednesday 21st October.

The group met to refix and tweak the arrangements to fit some later additions and then carried the panels across to Slightly Bent Books where they were displayed in the shop window. The group stood back and admired their work before gathering for lunch and then a small meeting was had on Friday 30th October to record poetry as sound for the art display.