Blackwood River Arts Trail Inc.
We endeavour to provide opportunity for public engagement with local artists from the Blackwood River Valley region of Western Australia, showcase artists' work, enhance marketing opportunities and provide access to new audiences and collectors. Develop cultural offerings that will enliven regional communities and bring consumers to local businesses, by facilitating multi-community events culminating in an arts trail through the Blackwood river region and a catalogue of participating artists.
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The Blackwood River Arts Trail attracts the participation of artists from multiple disciplines including painting, photography, ceramics, mosaics, textiles, sculpture, jewellery, illustration, creative writing, music, theatre, dance and film. Artists and artisans from any creative discipline are invited to participate.
The trail has grown both in numbers and in its reach – 2023 BRAT included 30 venues across the Nannup, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Donnybrook-Balingup and Boyup Brook shires and had over 60 artists showing their works to 6000 plus visitors and locals.
In a beautiful, printed guide, we include information about various art, sculpture and mural trails found in local towns, other events, music performances and workshops that are on during the trail. This means visitors will have a range of things to do, and our handy listings and advertisements in the guide will allow them to plan a great getaway in our region.
Our BRAT 2024 Committee
All of our committee members are voluntary and work hard throughout the year to make sure that BRAT is the best event it can be
Melinda Stephens
Chair
Melinda is an artist and gallery owner of THINGSweMAKE in Bridgetown. She has a BA (Visual Art) and has experience in design and interactive multimedia. Melinda is committed to community development in Arts and Culture.
Liz Janney
Vice Chair & Secretary
Liz has spent the last two decades living in The Kimberley and has just moved to the Nannup region. In Broome she operated a tourism business introducing people to the creative side with her art tours and also self published a tourism booklet. Through Kimberley Arts Network (KAN) she was involved in the Open Studios and is hoping to bring her knowledge to the Blackwood River Arts Trail for 2024. Liz has just started to learn to weave and has created her SheShed for the next journey in her creative life.
Steve Goble
Treasurer & BRFF Coordinator
Tracey Saggers
Balingup - Donnybrook Coordinator
Steve is a retired electrical engineer and now works part time as an ambulance transport officer in Manjimup. He is also a volunteer ambulance officer in Nannup, secretary of the St John WA Nannup subcentre, treasurer of Nannup Community Cinema Incorporated, treasurer of Blackwood River Arts Trail Inc. and joint coordinator of the Blackwood River Film Festival with Miranda Free artist
Tracey will update this information soon
Carole Patch
Nannup Coordinator
Anneli completed a Certificate IV in Visual Arts & Contemporary Craft at Central TAFE Northbridge for the duration of 2012 and primarily focuses on sculpture in clay and mixed media in the creation of unique and inspiring minimalist Scandi designs. They are created specifically to melt into and enhance any space they inhabit. Her mission is to provide stylised artworks to delight your mind and enrich your life and living spaces. Commissions are welcomed
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Lyn Willett
Boyup Brook Coordinator
Cassi-Jo Davis
Committee Member
As part of the Boyup Brook Tourism Association Inc., Lyn readily took up the chance to join the Blackwood River Arts Trail Inc. committee. Like tourism this was a chance to promote our artists and artisans, and our wondrous district.
Lyn is an organiser over the previous four years she has organised, Blooming Wild Weekend with Art on Abel from The Little Art Gallery, Walk on the Wildside, a trail around our district’s quirky collections and the Blooming Wildflower tour. During 2020 Lyn secured funding for world renowned artist Sobrane, who grew up in Boyup Brook to paint a mural on theold railway goods shed building.
While working at the Boyup Brook CRC She co-ordinated the Boyup Brook Art Awards during the Country Music Festival.
Cassi will update this information soon
Rozanna Johnson
Committee Member
Rozanna is an artist with a wide spanning background in the creative fields having completed degrees in BA(Visual Arts) and BA(Design Photography), and has 15 years experience in graphic design.
After a recent tree change to Nannup, Rozanna is now realizing her long held ambition of building her dream ceramics and painting studio.
Rozanna is proud to be part of the Blackwood River Arts Trail committee and looks forward to being involved in this vibrant and inclusive arts community.