Grenfell Art Gallery

The Grenfell Art Gallery opened in the Community Hub building in March 2009. The gallery has regular exhibitions on display featuring local and regional artists and sculptors. The gallery adds a professional venue for the arts community of Grenfell. The large light towers in the gallery mean the room is full of natural light and is an unexpected delight behind the building’s heritage exterior.

Upcoming Exhibitions – 2022/2023

Community Curtain

The Gallery is also the home of the Grenfell Community Curtain which permanently occupies the northern wall of the gallery. The vision for the curtain was ‘a visual representation of the essence of the Grenfell community’.

The curtain began its journey in 1990 and its evolution meandered along until 2000 when the deadline for completion was set- the Centenary of Federation, September 2001. The curtain is 14 feet high comprises five panels each of which is five foot wide. There was a team of 17 volunteers working on the project with funding coming from the Grenfell Dramatic Society. The curtain has been constructed on fire resistant canvas.

The curtain serves as a tourist drawcard as it gives visitors an opportunity to view local sites and past events in the richly textured artwork. The curtain is for the community and its location ensures that everyone has an opportunity to view and appreciate it. A watercolour of the design hangs in the Weddin Shire Council Chambers and a ceramic version is mounted on the wall of the Grenfell Motel in Main Street.

Images featured on the curtain include The Caragabal silos, the George Street fires, the Grenfell Court House, the Weddin Shire Council Logo, Iandra castle, The Blue Church on the Cowra Road, St Josephs Church, Uniting Church, The Holy Trinity Anglican Church, The Flour Mill, the Quandialla Railway water tower, the Grenfell Railway Station, the Grenfell Record Office, The Odd Fellows Hall, The Henry Lawson Obelisk, gold mining history complete with Chinese workers, indigenous culture, native flora such as eucalyptus leaves, paper daisies, hardenbergia, autumn leaves, vast bird life including cockatoo, kookaburra, galah, magpie, rosella, blue wren, superb parrot, silver eye and kangaroos and emu. These are not all of the images on the curtain and you are encouraged to visit the curtain and identify even more featured scenes.A book called ‘Painting with Thread’- the story of the curtain is available for purchase from the gallery.

The curtain is accessible to all with wheelchair access and disabled toilets conveniently located.

Practicing Artists Register

Here is a list of practicing artists in Weddin Shire

Grenfell Artists Incorporated meet at the Rose Street Studio on Mondays from 10am to 3pm. For further information contact:

• President – Wendy Hawthorn – wendyhawthorn@gmail.com
• Secretary – Dianne Franks – dmfranks@bigpond.com