Owner Lisa Kovacs and artist Grace Bardini at new gallery Alchemy Interiors in Port Kembla. Photo: Lisa Kovacs.
Art afficionados can score a triple dose of aesthetic enjoyment at Port Kembla this weekend.
Duckprint Fine Art and The Future Artefact are welcoming new gallery space Alchemy Interiors to Wentworth Street this Sunday (6 April).
All three galleries will collaborate for an ‘art shuffle’ from 3 to 6 pm.
Alchemy Interiors owner and curator, Lisa Kovacs, said she wanted her gallery’s launch to celebrate the vibrant sense of community on the street.
“I’ve been on the periphery of Port Kembla for about 10 years, going to yoga, pilates and cafes there,” she said.
“When I started looking for my own space I knew I wanted to have it in the special, vibrant, caring community that is Port.
“It’s a unique place; one street [is home to] so many interesting people and businesses, the whole tapestry of life, and when you get involved in Port you get to become part of that.”
Lisa said when the opportunity to take on 55 Wentworth Street came up, she leapt at it.
It wasn’t just because of the location.
The building itself was one of the first in Port and is just a smidge over 100 years old.
“It’s just beautiful; it has great bones and I imagine it has some incredible stories attached to it,” she said.
“It’s nice to be in a location where these buildings haven’t been knocked down and to preserve this one is really important.
“When you think about who has come before, the experiences other people have had within it, the ancestry – there’s a soul to the building.
“I’d love to learn more about it.”
Previously a clinic and a general store, this weekend the century-old building is home to a selection of works from Mornington Peninsula artist Grace Bardini.
The abstract watercolour and acrylic artist predominantly paints landscapes.
Her works will be available for sale, with everything from enormous feature-sized pieces to smaller, more accessible works.
“I hope other people fall in love with her the way I have,” Lisa said.
“I’m not an artist myself, but I’ve taken plenty of courses over the years.
“It’s given me such an appreciation for the gifts artists do have, and I really want to showcase their talents.
“Grace’s exhibition is a beautiful range of work for anyone to come and have a look at.”
Duckprint will have a range of print works on display, and Future Artefact is showing a photography exhibition.
Each gallery is about a minute’s walk from the others.
If you’d like to head down to the art shuffle this weekend, go to Wentworth Street in Port Kembla between 3 and 6 pm; no bookings required.
