Media release – Handmade in Cygnet
Open Studio Art Trail – Easter Sunday & Monday, 31 March & 1 April 2024
In the artists’ words…
“Imagine moving to a new area and finding a friendly and welcoming community of fellow creative folk. That’s precisely how we felt when we moved to the Cygnet area. Despite not having a ‘proper studio’ or even a house on our land at the time, we were welcomed by Vicki and Ginger (founders of the trail) to participate in the inaugural Handmade in Cygnet Open Studio Art Trail in 2015.
“Each Easter since that date, other than the COVID years, we have put out the welcome mat to the many hundreds of visitors coming to check out exactly why the Cygnet area has a reputation for having so many creative people calling the area home.
“The simple answer is that it’s the natural beauty of the region and the warmth of the people. Unpacking that further, the mountains, valleys, waterways, seasons and agricultural pursuits all stimulate the senses on some level; for artists and makers they want to somehow capture those experiences and share them with others. Through their creative work, artists and makers help everyone recognise and celebrate the beauty of their world. Essentially creative folk would like to bring some joy and interest into the world and share that with their communities.
“The Cygnet area has long been renowned for its support of its creative community, the process of being creative can be quite lonely at times and having people in your community who value your work and encourage you to share your experiences of the world is of upmost importance. Creative people do not live and create in a vacuum, they are surrounded by many people who support them, from the local supermarket, post office to the community arts group and the general populace who enjoy having many cultural events which celebrate and share the many creative skills of members of their community.
“The Handmade in Cygnet Open Studio Art Trail has provided such support to dozens of participants since its inception in 2015. It helps promote and encourage the makers and artists to do what they do as well as celebrating the vibrancy of the township of Cygnet and the exquisite beauty of the surrounding areas.
– Daren and Ruth Lindsell, Ripples Art Farm, Petcheys Bay
