Meander Valley Arts opens their first premises

Quietly opening in Deloraine in September, Meander Valley Arts is the latest creative emporium on Emu Bay Road.

MVA is now well and truly settled into the beautiful former Brush Rabbit shop, opposite the Post Office, sailing through its first two months of trading and weathering its first Craft Fair crowds. 

Founded in March this year, MVA Inc. is a small not-for-profit community arts group with big ambitions.

Building on their start-up as a small retail space, MVA is determined to become a place for artists to come together, sharing creativity with the community. Plans for workshops and other creative events are in the pipeline.

Sybilla Scott Smith and Deb Barton are just two of the local artists involved.

Well-known in the Meander Valley for her beautiful hand-knits, hand-spun and dyed wool, Sybilla, who lives in Westbury, says:

‘It’s great to be back in Deloraine – a fabulous town with a great creative reputation. We are all really enjoying ourselves in the shop, catching up with friends, making new ones and connecting with other artists.’

Deb agrees, ‘We are having so much fun, searching out local artists looking for a retail opportunity and helping them sell their work.’ 

Deb’s artistic skills are applied to revitalising and decorating old furniture, lampshades and bases as well as other small works to delight the eye.  

Sybilla and Deb help coordinate the work from collaborating artists and curate the shop space to showcase a wide range of Tasmanian art and craft. Many familiar creative names are joined by newly discovered talents.

With an emphasis on local, original and hand-made work, the creative work on display in the gallery is a drawcard for locals and tourists alike, especially those with Christmas shopping on their minds.

When they are not doing their own creative work, members share time in the shop or work behind the scenes. Knitters and weavers, printmakers and painters, basketmakers and potters, woodworkers and jewellers – MVA has all the creative bases covered!

The MVA shop operates for the benefit of the artists and craftspeople involved. Supervised by an elected committee and staffed by volunteer members, all profits after expenses will eventually fund long term plans for a variety of educational and creative activities.

Everyone at MVA is looking forward to the shop becoming an established presence on the Deloraine shopping strip.

For now, Deb and Sybilla, Marilyn and Kerrie are enjoying the hustle and bustle of Emu Bay Road. Drop in and say hello!

Liz Douglass

Posts by Liz Douglass