The vibrant orange flowers of the Grevillea Robusta offered a colourful welcome, and the sun played on the water, the images reflecting the many trees surrounding the lake.
Moorhens floated, their movement sending circles gently rippling on the surface as their cries echoed across the water.
The sound of the everyday — cars passing — seemed to drift into the background, replaced by the call of the noisy miners letting everyone know they were there.
A gentle breeze tickled the seed-laden fronds of the native grasses and played with the hanging leaves of the majestic Biyala (river red gum) that framed the approach and provided shelter to the gallery.
Walking through the doors into the quiet space of Kaiela Arts, the outside world takes yet another step further into the background.
In its place are stories — stories told in paintings, prints, weaving, ceramics, works of wood and carved emu eggs.
There are stories of the Aunties who gather weekly to paint, talk and share with younger artists.
Their paintings are like pages of a storybook.
There are stories of visits to the wetlands at Winton, fishing on the dungala (Murray River), being on woka (country), and participating in land rights marches.
Aunty Laurel Robinson described her painting Land Rights as “how people banded together to fight for Aboriginal rights”.
“The march started in Melbourne, one of many in the late 60s-70s,” she said.
“I’m proud to be able to paint my memory of being in the marches and putting it on canvas.”
An important story to pass on.
Up-and-coming artist Chloe Jones’ Wisdom Keepers artwork has been transformed into an illuminated image at the entrance.
Chloe expanded on the importance of passing on knowledge to the next generation so that the cycle continues.
“This painting symbolises the importance of our Elders and how they are the wisdom keepers and guardians of our knowledge,” she said.
“They are the key to preserving our sacred stories and culture.
“This is a story about the many stories and lessons our Elders always hand down to future generations.”
The charcoal pigment on canvas work Kaiela daki woka-n Lotjpatj (River reeds speaking country) #2 by local artist Lyn Thorpe is yet another story.
“The essence of this story is about valuing and respecting our Aboriginal knowledge systems and world views,” she said.
“Yorta Yorta people historically are known as river peoples.
“We’re strongly connected to Ancestral Country and ecological ways of knowing, doing, seeing and being.
“The importance of identity and stories that connect us to place, each other, and all living things in our natural world is critical to us knowing who we are, where we come from and how we shape our future.”
There are artworks that reflect the ever-evolving development of artistic practice. Of learning new skills.
The serendipitous finding of a shell of the culturally important long-necked turtle is the inspiration for new artwork Ceramic Turtle Shells, carefully created by Jack Anselmi.
There was experimentation, subtle changes in moulding the shells, and the colours utilised, all adding to the artist’s knowledge.
In the artists’ studio — a place of more stories, culture, creativity and sharing — the new custom-built portable screen-printing table has pride of place near the window.
The screen-printing table, which had been a long time coming, was greeted with excitement on its arrival, and it is now ready for the artists.
Ready for the artists to expand their skills and experiment with pigments, colours and designs.
To extend the collaboration with Spacecraft Studios in Melbourne.
And the artists were more than ready to continue on their screen-printing journey, bringing new and exciting designs “to the table”.
Designs that reflect the diversity and creativity of artistic practice at Kaiela Arts.
Piled on the table were the blank linen cloths ready for the artists’ designs to breathe life into them.
To tell a story using images of cultural medicine, beautiful weaving incorporating quandong seeds and emu feathers, and a historic scar tree.
To be the final step before they go out into the world as another way of telling stories.
For the artists — Lyn Thorpe, Belinda Briggs, Ally Knight, Tammy-Lee Atkinson, Suzanne Atkinson and Tiarne Hall — there is the excitement of creativity, of seeing ideas translated into something tangible, something to be shared.
And pride in the journey, in the learning and development of skills and knowledge.
Leaving the gallery, stepping back into the gloriously sunny day outside felt like stepping back into the world that had, for a time, been left behind.
There was the call of the birds, the gentle breeze on the face and then the sound of traffic, back to reality.
But there was also the experience of having learnt more, having been immersed in something special.
One young woman visiting the gallery said: “The artwork’s beautiful. So many stories.”
She was right. There are so many stories.
Kaiela Arts is launching the exciting Kaiela Arts’ X Spacecraft Screen-printing Project on Wednesday, November 29, from 5pm to 7pm.
Go along to Kaiela Arts, 530 Wyndham St, Shepparton (located on the ground floor in the Shapperton Art Museum building), see the exciting new designs, and hear the artists talk about the inspiration and stories behind the work.
During December, Kaiela Arts will be open Wednesdays from 4pm to 7pm, offering more opportunities to engage with the artists and their work.
For more information, visit https://kaielaarts.org.au/