People, Projects, Pride

January has been all about the Tour!

2012-01-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

But it was well worth it. Members and friends of the Lobethal Community Association have been busy for months planning, creating and organising activities for the Tour Down Under's visit to Lobethal on Wednesday 18th January 2012. The town looked fantastic on the day and had a great feel. Bike Sculptures created from bike parts and plastic bottles recycled into flowers were a key feature.

A large pennyfarthing sculpture complete with man made from a beer barrel appeared in the main street, created by local business Henstock.

Both inspired by the town's forthcoming participation in the Adelaide Hills Sculpture Symposium in April. Fringes of gold and green russtling on the breeze on the porches of shops and homes lining the main street completed the picture.

And the icing on the cake?? Winning the overall Best Dressed Town Award - well done Loby!

Thanks volunteers.

Too busy to blog!

2011-12-09T17:20:00.000-08:00

Well, the last few months have been a whirlwind for the members of the Lobethal Community Association.

A movie night, (the iconic australian movie Red Dog); a business breakfast, a chook raffle and all the associated work behind the scenes. Ever cooked chocolate cake for 100 people? Neither had I until recently!

But it has all been worth it ...We will need further support and/or donations to reach our target but are so well advanced that the Adeialde Hills International Sculpture Symposium (AHISS) Executive committee are confident in confirming our commission of a sculpture for Lobethal. Pictured is Silvio Apponyi, artistic director of the AHISS applauding the announcement made at a small gathering at the Cedars, Hahndorf on the 1^st of December 2011. YEAH!

You can help get us over the line by making a small online donation via our website, http://www.lobethal.sa.au/.

Our other major project is hosting the SANTOS Tour Down Under in January 2012. Lots and lots of behind the scenes work happening here too. Look out for the bike sculptures!!! More info coming soon.

Making Mosaics

2011-08-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

This is the story of the making of the Lobethal 'Blanket Collection' Mosaics.

The mosaics are a novel and visually interesting way of interpreting the role of the Lobethal Onkaparinga Woollen Mill in Australian society over time.

An initiative of the Lobethal Community Association, the mosaics were created by volunteers and funded by an Adelaide Hills Community Grant.

Taste the stone...

2011-04-02T17:59:00.001-07:00

Here's a slideshow that gives a taste of some of the works created by the 8 artists who will participate in the Adelaide Hills 2012 Sculpture Symposium.

Silvio Apponyi is a Balhannah resident and one of the key organisors of the event. He has created a number of iconic works installed throughout South Australia which you are sure to recognise.

Artist slide show

Note: the last slide contains links to adverts and other slide shows not associated with the LCA. Please ignore.

Proposed International Sculpture Symposium

2011-03-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

LCA volunteers have been so busy doing things the last couple of months that we haven't had time to blog! We have some very exciting projects on the horizon.

Guest speakers at our meeting on 27th march were Silvio and Natalija Apponyi and Chris& Nigel Steele Scott, members of the organising committee for the Adelaide Hills 2012 International Sculpture Symposium - more soon!

2011-02-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

LCA members have been potting up afew plants in anticipation of the Autumn Fair at Lobethal Lutheran School, Saturday 5th March, 9.ooam - 3.oopm. We'll have a stall there - come and say hello, buy some plants and find out about the projects we have planned for 2011. See you there!

Help us get all dressed up!

2010-12-14T04:04:00.000-08:00

The LCA are dressing up Lobethal's Main Street from Bridge Street to Mill Corner to welcome riders in the Santos Tour Down Under race on Friday 21 January 2011.

Community support for dressing the town so far has been great but still more help is needed!
The following items have been donated to help us to decorate the town :

Corflutes have been donated by the Lobethal Hotel and Elders Real Estate.
Bikes have been given to us by Balhannah Recycling Depot; Hop, Skip and Dump, Woodside. About Bikes in Woodside have donated a number of old bike wheels. These items are to be decorated by the children in the after school care program at Lobethal Primary School (LPS).
Mr Damian Sheridan’s class at LPS contributed 17 posters with messages of welcome to the town that can be used in shop windows.

In addition,

The Lobethal Luthern Primary School children have been invited to decorate their bikes and gather in the amphitheatre opposite the Post Office..
The kindergarten program will involve children in making items for the occasion.
The Adelaide Hills Council will provide balloons and streamers.
The hanging lanterns in the Lights of Lobethal Festival currently on display along Main Street will be used for the event and contribute to the festive atmosphere, thanks to the Lights of Lobethal committee.

Bikes and other suitable display items are still being sought, as are volunteers to help place decorations along Main Street early race day. Phone Kathryn on 8389 6162 if you can help.

For the young riders

After the race has moved through Lobethal, children aged 3-6 years are invited to ride a mini bike track with some pedestrian crossing, give way and stop signs in the courtyard of Tilbrook Estate, AHBTC. New and young riders can enjoy a track of their own. The idea is to give the children an opportunity to ride their bikes in a safe environment and learn a little about road safety. Come and enjoy low cost refreshments of a sausage sizzle and wine, for the adults, will be served by the glass until 3pm.

For information about the Santos Tour Down Under, visit http://www.tourdownunder.com.au

we'd love to see you ...

2010-11-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

at our next meeting that is. The Lobethal Community Association are looking for new members. We have lots of exciting projects we are planning - but we are going to need some help.

That's why we did a letterbox drop recently (thanks to Lobethal Post Office and postman Dave). If you are interested in giving some time and energy to making the town we all live in a better place either fill in and send us a membership form (you can print them off our website) or call in to our next meeting.

We will be meeting at 7.30pm at the Lobethal Hotel on Monday November 22nd 2010.

Call in and say hello.

The good news ...and the not so good news!

2010-10-17T20:56:00.000-07:00

The LCA was recently advised that our application for funding to the Adelaide Hills Council Community Grants program was SUCCESSFUL. A grant of $1800 has been approved to assist in the establishment of an Arts Plaza in Mill Square.

Unfortunately, our application for funding to the CATCH program* was unsuccessful. It was hoped that CATCH would fund paving and landscaping the corner of Mill Square where the Arts Plaza will be located. This means in order for the project to go ahead, we are going to need to seek a sponsor, donations or fundraise.

Hopefully, the community will get behind us and help make it happen!

* CATCH stands for Culture, Arts, Tourism and Community Heritage program.

Before we even start - the challenges!

2010-09-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

How do you turn an idea into a reality? Here are some of the 'behind the scenes' issues the executive of the LCA have been considering in planning a public artwork for Mill Square.

the look ... What should this artwork look like? We started with a vague concept of let's put some lantern sculptures into Mill Square. We wanted people to get out of their cars and engage with the artwork. The opportunity for local people to be involved in creating the artwork was also important to us....so we added a mosaic component.

This vague concept then needed to be turned into a project design. Local community artist, Victoria Harrison and Adelaide Hills artist, Samantha Bell have both been great, volunteering their time and skills to develop concept drawings based on discussions with community association members. The draft designs are intended to celebrate community participation in the Lobethal Lights festival. However they also reflect community concerns about the Lights festival, sustainability and the heritage setting of the artwork.

the site ... the space we envisage using is undulating, overgrown and may need a retaining wall. We can't just plonk an artwork in the middle of it, we need to prepare the space. Who knows anything about landscaping? Not I - well not much anyway. A meeting with a local landscaper has provided some answers - and some costings.

The land is also owned by Adelaide Hills Council and so council support was paramount to the art project. After meeting with Council representatives, they have given in principle support to the proposal.

the cash ... How can we finance an artwork, given the community association's limited financial reserves? The answer appears to be a cocktail of funding. So far we have applied to Country Arts SA Community Projects Grant Program, the CATCH program (Culture, Arts , Tourism and Community Heritage Grants Program through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal) and the Adelaide Hills Council Community Grants Program. We will also be approaching Arts SA and local businesses to suppliment grants funding with sponsorship, discounts and/or donations. Grant applications are currently being assessed and results will be posted when they become available.

the Support ... We needed to demonstrate to ourselves and to funding bodies that we had community support for the arts initiative. Support letters have been received from Lights of Lobethal SA; Adelaide Hills Council; Lobethal Heritage Association; Cindi Drennan of Illuminart; Lobethal Primary School; Rotary; Lobethal Bierhaus; Adelaide Hills Market and Restvale Lobethal & District Aged Homes Inc.

the technology ... Our next challenge is solar lighting - another journey of discovery! The design for the lighting will need to be in place prior to laying the paving.
We are currently researching the best approach to lighting.

"Most works of art, like most wines, ought to be consumed
in the district of their fabrication"

The path to public art ...

2010-09-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a blog about the projects initiated by the Lobethal Community Association. We are currently on a journey into the realm of public art.

Our 'village square' is looking tired. Surrounded by the heritage buildings of the Onkaparinga Woollen Mills, Mill Square is begging for rejuvenation. As you enter our town, you are currently confronted with an overgrown garden bed, filled with weeds and aging Hebe bushes.

Current view of Mill Square as you enter the town.

Imagine if ... when entering our town you saw a contemporary artwork, sympathetic with it's heritage setting, reflecting the town identity and created by the local community. That's our vision - the destination of our journey!

Image digitally created by artist, Samantha Bell.

The key feature of the artwork will be metal work Lantern Sculptures illuminated by solar lighting. The sculptures represent the town's long association with the iconic Lobethal Lights Festival.

But wait...there's more. At the foot of the sculptures will be several mosaics created by members of our community. Using the symbol of hands, the central mosaic will be a celebration of community participation in staging the Lobethal Lights festival for the last 7o years. It will also articulate the values of giving; cooperation; family and friendship; inclusivity and peace underpinning the festival. A sawtooth design will be incorporated mirroring the roofline of the industrial buildings behind the ‘arts plaza’. This will serve to anchor the design in its setting/immediate environs and contribute to a sense of place.

Concept design for central mosaic - created by artist, Victoria Harrison

Follow our journey on our blog and see if we do eventually reach our destination.