St George Art Awards 2014

People’s Choice Prize 2014

The winner of the People’s Choice Award was unveiled at the Museum & Gallery on Friday, 
5 December 2014. Over the past few months, visitors were able to vote for their favourite artwork in all of the categories of the St George Art Awards. Over 180 people voted and the votes were tallied up revealing a stand-out favourite. A few visitor comments were also singled out as being particularly thoughtful and creative and will be rewarded with prizes. 

Images: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery

Warhorse Metamorphosis, by Adam Galea, was awarded the prize at the People’s Choice Presentation & Party. Visitors caught a glimpse of the talented, young artist accepting his award and were able to have a closer look at the most popular piece. The piece also pleased the judges and had previously been awarded the St George 3D Art Prize.

Adam Galea and his Warhorse Metamorphosis
Image: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery 

Many visitors voted for this artwork including a 2 year old, whose mum wrote: "Chosen by my 2 year old daughter. She says she chose it because:'It's scary, it looks like Harry Potter*, it has pockets*'. 
I think it's because it reminds her of the centaurs (she has seen pictures)!

Musical entertainment by student of Vicace Piano Studio
Image: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery

Guests were treated to live music during the evening from students of Vivace Piano Studio whilst enjoying some refreshments and enjoying the artworks in its final week.
The St George Art Awards are on show until 14 December 2014. Don’t miss your chance to see Warhorse Metamorphosis for yourself!   

St George Art Awards 2014

What's your favourite artwork?

This year the St George Art Awards finalists’ exhibition shows much diversity. The artworks include sculptures and paintings, ranging from different sizes and colours but still linking to the main theme of 2014, which is ‘Transformation’.

Another Element by Sandra Sacilotto

Amongst the great artworks, Another Element by Sandra Sacilotto immediately caught my eye as the dark figure and contrasting colours made it stand out. Personally, I think it illustrates the struggle of people in modern society (in this case a young male) and the choices they have to make about the paths they wish to pursue. The brilliant portrayal of a young male in a hoodie suggests a troubled person as they walk towards the darkness of the tunnel. The medium of this artwork is acrylic on canvas resulting in a clean, polished look. The dark parts of the artwork significantly contrasts with the white light outside the tunnel, symbolising how darkness can be all-consuming. 

When you observe Another Element ask yourself, what is the man walking away from?

By Stella, Museum & Gallery work experience student

Regeneration by Christine Jeyachandran

I found it difficult to pick a favourite artwork because so many of them were amazing and extremely detailed, but one artwork stood out to me, and I could relate it to the theme of transformation straight away. 

Regeneration by Christine Jeyachandran shows the transformation of bushland: when a fire burns the shrub to ash and then it regenerates into the green leafy land that it once was.

The most noticeable aspect of the artwork was the different shades of red used, which contrasted dramatically with the white walls. As well as this, I could also see a change occurring and that the artwork wasn't just portraying one thing. This change stood out to me and this is why this is my favourite artwork.

By Anna, Museum & Gallery work experience student

Who will win the People's Choice Prize?

People’s Choice presentation and party

Friday 5 December 2104, 5.30pm for 6.00pm start

Join us for the announcement of the People’s Choice Prize of the St George Art Awards 2014.

Enjoy musical entertainment by the students of Vivace Piano Studio.

Free event, please book your ticket on the LMG What's On page

P.D. James 1920-2014

The hugely popular writer  Phyllis Dorothy (P.D.) James has died at the age of 94. She was well known for her series of novels featuring the policeman and poet Adam Dalgliesh who made his debut in Cover her Face.(1962) She has also written the dystopian novel The Children of Men, which was adapted into a film staring Clive Owen, Julieanne Moore and Michael Caine in 2006. Her final novel  Death Comes to Permberley, was a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice but featuring a murder mystery. Made into a BBC television series it premieres on the ABC this Friday 28 February.

As well as pursuing her writing career, James led an interesting and varied life. She had a long career as a civil servant, working at one time in the forensic science section of the Home Office. In 1991 she was created a life peer as Baroness James of Holland Park and sat in the House of Lords. From 1988 to 1993 she was a governor of the BBC. One famous story from her time there reounts that on a tour of the BBC Television Centre she visited the set of Doctor Who and refused to leave until she'd had her photo taken with the story's monster!

She wrote about the craft of detective fiction and shared her personal thoughts and observations on one of the most popular forms of literature in her book, Talking About Detective Fiction.  In an interview in 2013 James said she was working on another novel as it was, "important to write one more." Her many fans may get to enjoy her work one last time.

St George Art Awards 2014

What's your favourite artwork?

Written by Iris, Hurstville Museum & Gallery volunteer

The St George Art Awards finalists’ show has a wide variety of different artworks, such as sculptures and paintings, ranging from colourful to black and white, and from big to small. Each of these artworks is unique in its own way and can captivate the eyes of any audience.

Selfie in Excess, by Amy Dynan, particularly appeals to me as it is a reflection of how people in society (mainly teenagers) are now taking pictures of themselves. It reflects our current society and culture. The black and white colour scheme stands out to me as it appears old-fashioned yet with a contemporary feeling at the same time. The medium of this artwork is charcoal powder printed on paper creating the black and white effect of the artwork. The white background makes the feature image stand out. Selfie in Excess is intricately detailed, with each accessory that the figure is wearing drawn with great care. The tones and shading are quite nicely blended together. It appears to be a photograph as Amy Dynan has succeeded in producing a very realistic artwork that looks like an actual ‘selfie’.

Selfie in Excess is a contemporary artwork with much attention to detail. It can appeal to many audiences as it is a reflection of today’s culture and society, allowing it to be easily understood by everyone.

Selfie in Excess by Amy Dynan
Image: Hurstville City Library Museum & Gallery collection

Don’t miss your chance to see Selfie in Excess and many other great artworks at the St George Art Awards on show until Sunday 14 December 2014. 

Vote for your favourite before Sunday 30 December 2014 and come along to our People’s Choice Presentation & Party on 5 December 2014 where we will reveal everyone’s favourite works.

Hurstville City Library off to Lugarno

Book giveaway at Mortdale Station  2012

Hurstville City Library turns 50 this year and to help us celebrate half a decade of continuous service to the community why not  not join us at Chivers Hill Shopping Centre, Lugarno on Monday 24 November between 2.00- 4.00pm.
We'll be giving away free books, information packs and letting you know about the wide range of materials and services available at your local library.



Dami Im and the Allman Brothers band together on the same website?

How is this possible? Isn’t there a slight age gap and a difference in musical stylings, not to mention the outfits? Well, Greg Allman was with Cher at one time, so I’ll bet he wore sparkle when the boys weren’t around.
You can download songs from these artists and many more from Freegal music with your Library membership. Visit our website for more information.
http://lmg.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/e-Library.html

ST GEORGE ART AWARDS 2014

WARHORSE METAMORPHOSIS

Adam Galea's Warhorse Metamorphosis in the St George Art Awards 2014 exhibition

To transform into something out of convenience, quite literally a soldier and a horse combined... Such an amazing thought, but perhaps not the most practical – Adam Galea

The theme of Transformation in this year’s St George Art Awards brought us an array of creative and intriguing works. The winner of the St George 3D Art Prize, Warhorse Metamorphosis by Adam Galea, was a most deserving and thoughtful piece.

Adam Galea is a very talented, emerging young artist who has achieved great success in 2014. Since completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the National Arts School in 2010, Adam’s sculptures have received popular acclaim in a number of exhibitions. Recently, another sculpture in the Warhorse series was featured in the Hidden exhibition at Rookwood Cemetery, and also at Clarkes Point Reserve, Woolwich, in Harbour Sculpture. Earlier in 2014, Adam was the winner of the Rockdale Outdoor Gallery Art Prize for his work Home Shell.

We are very excited to have Adam’s work on display at the Museum & Gallery. The St George Art Awards are on show now until Sunday 14 December 2014. 

Don’t miss your chance to see Warhorse Metamorphosis for yourself!

To read about the St George Art Prize winner, Motion of Light by Hadieh Afshani, visit our blog here

Show us your #bookface!

Hurstville Library Museum & Gallery are jumping on the #bookface bandwagon!

To celebrate Hurstville Library’s 50^th birthday and the 75^th anniversary of the Library Act, we want you to show us your bookface.

What is a bookface you ask? Put very simply, it involves you finding a cover of a book that in some alternate universe, could replace your face. The more creative, the better!

To get involved, take a photo of you and your bookface and post it to Instagram or Twitter. Use the hashtag #bookface and tag @hurstvillelmg so we can what you come up with.

Hurstville LMG will share the ones that made us smile on our social media sites – so get posting! 

Need some inspiration? Take a look at some of the examples Hurstville Library staff had too much fun taking below.

Hint: Come in to Hurstville Library and have a look through our biography section. There’s lots of famous faces that could be your #bookface!

Terms & Conditions

1. The promoter of this promotion is Hurstville Library Museum & Gallery of 12-22 Dora Street, Hurstville NSW 2220 (“Promoter”).

2. To post a submission, entrants must use the hashtag #bookface and tag @hurstvillelmg

3. By posting a submission to Hurstville Library Museum & Gallery’s Instagram or Twitter account, entrants agree to allow the Promoter to repost their submission on the Promoter’s and Hurstville City Council’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, the Promoter’s websites (http://lmg.hurstville.nsw.gov.au; www.hurstville.nsw.gov.au ) and within the Promoter’s electronic direct mail (EDM) communication pieces.

4. All Submissions will be the property of the Promoter. The Promoter may use the name and any photos from the Submission for promotional, marketing and publicity purposes without compensation. By participating in this promotional event, each entrant assigns to the Promoter the whole of the copyright in their entries and, to the extent permitted by law, waives his or her moral rights in respect of it. Each entrant warrants to the Promoter that his or her entry does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any person.

5. The Promoter and its associated agencies and companies will not be liable for any loss (including, without limitation, indirect, special or consequential loss or loss of profits), expense, damage, personal injury or death which is suffered or sustained (whether or not arising from any person’s negligence) in connection with this promotion.

6. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered or associated with Instagram or Twitter.

St George Art Awards 2014 winners announced

On Friday 17 October the crowds gathered at the Civic Theatre, Hurstville Entertainment Centre, to congratulate this year’s finalists and to attend the official opening of the St George Art Awards 2014 exhibition. 

Visit the St George Art Awards website to see all winner and highly commended artworks.

Hadieh Afshani was awarded the St George Art Prize 2014 for her stirring oil painting Motion of Light. Hadieh emigrated from Tehran to Australia in 2006 and her most recent works explore the journey of self-discovery experienced by migrants. Motion of Light considers the moment when a space becomes a place of meaning. Hadieh plays with the notion of light in many of her works, and the warm glow emanating from the centre of the image, with the faintest silhouette of a figure, hints at the decision to accept the challenge of transformation in a new, unknown place. 

St George Art Prize 2014 Winner Hadieh Afshani - Motion of Light

There is a fantastic variety of responses to the theme of transformation on display at Hurstville Museum & Gallery and Hurstville Library. Visit us before 14 December 2014 to have a look!

To book for the St George Art Awards public programs go to the LMG What’s On page. 

"And the winner is..."

 

 

 

 

Australian author Richard Flanagan has won the 2014 Man Booker Prize for Fiction for his novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Described by the judges as being "profound and often harrowing," Flanagan's novel is about Australian soldiers working as POWs on the Burma Railway. Flanagan is the fourth Australian to win the prestigious award; the others being Thomas Keneally for Schindlers's Ark (1982), Peter Carey for Oscar and Lucinda (1988) and True History of the Kelly Gang (2001) and DBC Pierre for Vernon God Little (2003).

 

The other novels shortlisted for this year's award are:

• To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris
• We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
• J by Howard Jacobson
• The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee
• How to be Both by Ali Smith

All of which are available at Hurstville City Library.



Author talk: Steve Sailah at Hurstville Library

 Steve Sailah, former ABC foreign correspondent and two time Walkley Award winner for excellence in journalism, will be discussing his debut novel, A Fatal Tide at Hurstville Library. 
It is the story of Thomas Clare and his best friend Snow who find themselves on the blood soaked battlefields of Gallipoli in an attempt to track down his father's murderer. This powerful tale of murder and mystery will appeal to both fiction readers and history enthusiasts. 2014 is the centenary year of Australia's participation in World War 1 and Steve's continuing interest in trying to understand what it was really like for young men to leave home to become a part of The Great War provides a fascinating insight into his writing.
 During his twenty-six year career with the ABC Steve  befriended several of the last Gallipoli veterans when he accompanied them to the battlefields on the 75th anniversary of the first ANZAC landing. His interviews with six of them were released as an audio documentary, Stories from Gallipoli.

Thursday 11 September at 7.00pm         
Hurstville Library
cnr Queens Rd and Dora St, Hurstville

Free event: Bookings online here

Enquiries: 9330 6142

Book available for sale and signing.

                               

Selling an American Dream: Australia's Greek Café

I remember Parry’s…it was the place to be

Hurstville Museum & Gallery would like to thank everyone who responded to a public call out for memories of Parry’s milk bars in the local area. We had an overwhelming response from the community, which demonstrates the significance of milk bars as part of people’s social and daily life.

A snapshot of the many great stories, and some of the photos and memorabilia we received, are on display in the Local Studies cabinet at Hurstville Library until 28 September 2014.

Here is a sneak peak of the display!

 

Ron Heffernan still remembers how Mr Parry would toss the milkshake in an arc from the metal container in one hand into the glass in his other hand without spilling a single drop. It was like a performance and people would love to watch him do it.

Customers enjoying a milk shake at Parry’s in Caringbah, Easter, 1970s.

The shop was initially set up by Jim Parry (Panaretos) in 1958. In 1968, the two brothers, Peter and Bill Cassimatis and their families, took over and ran the business for the next 35 years.

Images courtesy of the Cassimatis family.

Also, don’t forget to visit the exhibition at Hurstville Museum & Gallery:

Selling an American Dream: Australia’s Greek Café, a touring exhibition from the “In their own Image: Greek-Australians” National Project, Macquarie University, Sydney.

On display until 28 September 2014.

Join us and celebrate Greek culture with musical and dance performances on our Greek Culture Sunday

Date: Sunday 21 September 2014

Time: 2.00pm – 4.30pm

Cost: Free!

Bookings not essential, but desired: (02) 9330 6444 or www.trybooking.com/FCHA

Family Story Time in support of 60 Minutes for MS Friday 22 August 6.00pm

 

Join us for a special all-ages family storytelling performance at Hurstville Library on Friday 22 August at 6:00pm. Talented performer Bronwyn Vaughn will delight children and adults alike with her new show “My Fine Feathered Friends”, a delightful story incorporating story, song, music, dance and puppetry. Please book online or at the library in advance – tickets are for children only, but parents are welcome to attend. This event supports “60 minutes for MS” and we encourage everyone attending to support this cause by donating online.

 Bronwyn Vaughan is simply mesmerising. Her unique style of storytelling is highly theatrical, characterised by drama, action, humour, wit, intelligent engagement and involvement. She uses a wide array of theatrical tools – movement, music, song, dance, puppetry, traditional and contemporary musical instruments, and compelling characterisations – to create a rich and rewarding theatrical experience for young audiences.

 When Ms Peacock falls asleep in the park, a passing bird lays an egg and flies away. Ms P wakes to find the egg on her head, and she knows what she must do. She keeps it warm and dry and, when it hatches, takes on the task of raising the bird, teaching it all it needs to know through stories.

 

This delightful and whimsical performance is based on stories about birds from a variety of cultural sources – Chinese, African and Australian – and explores the world of birds, looking at birds’ song, flight, intelligence and problem solving, as well as broader themes of freedom and captivity, bravery, ingenuity, friendship, and the close bond between humans and animals.

 

 

 

 

 

Free Music Downloads - Top Ten

 

Freegal is our free online music collection.  As a Hurstville Library member, you can download up to 3 songs per week for free.

Just go to the library website and click "Download Music".  Have your library card and pin handy to log in.  Once you are signed in you can search for your favourite artists, albums and individual songs.

You can also stream up to 3 hours of music and save songs to your play list.  Why spend your hard earned money on your private music collection when you can get it for free?

Freegal Top Ten Downloads:

1.  Blackout - Bonnie Anderson
2.  Ghost - Ella Henderson
3.  Que Sara - Justice Crew
4.  Ugly Heart - G.R.L
5.  Turn Down For What - DJ Snake & Lil John
6.  Waves - Mr. Probz
7.  Up Down (Do This All Day) - T-Pain feat. B.o.B
8.  Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Paloma Faith
9.  Sail Away - Taylor Henderson
10. Gladiator - Dami Im

ReadingHour, Tuesday 19th August, 6-7pm

 

Hurstville library is celebrating #readinghour this Tuesday 19th August, with a great selection of ebooks, audiobooks and e-magazines for adults, children and young adults on Pinterest



Popular titles like ‘The Hunger Games’, Anh Do’s ‘The Happiest Refugee’ , Michael Connelly’s ‘Harry Bosch Series'’, Nora Robert’s the ‘Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy’ and 'Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries' by Kerry Greenwood are available for members to borrow and read on their computer, tablet or smartphone.

This #readinghour, discover the fun and convenience of reading eBooks and audio books to your children on a tablet or smart phone. Popular children’s authors like Jean Ure, Nicola Davies and the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series by Jeff Kinney, are available to download in audiobook format from Oneclick. The very popular 'Ivy and Bean' and audio book versions of the 'Geronimo Stilton' series are also available through Overdrive.

 

 

 

Reading together with your child has so many benefits: reading to your child for just 10 minutes a day, helps develop literacy skills and it doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking.
#love2readAU ambassador, author, mum and founder of Kids' Book Review’, Tania McCartney juggles motherhood, a writing career and sharing books with parents and children.

 

Selling an American Dream: Australia’s Greek Café

Guest talk about milkshakes & ice cream sodas

Effy Alexakis and Leonard Janiszewski, co-curators of the nationally touring exhibition, ‘Selling an American Dream: Australia’s Greek Café’. 
Photo by Effy Alexakis, from the ‘In Their Own Image: 

Greek-Australians’ National Project Archives, Macquarie University.

Would you believe that milkshakes were originally a health food? Their ingredients included fruit, cream, butter, eggs, chocolate, honey, caramel, malt, yeast – and rum – but no ice cream or artificial flavours were added.

Milkshakes were popularised through milk bars. And you might be surprised to learn that milk bars originated in Sydney in 1932 as the brainchild of a Greek known as Mick Adams (Joachim Tavlaridis) – not in the United States as many people believe.

When Adams’ milk bar, the Black and White 4d.Milk Bar, opened it attracted over 27,000 customers in the first week alone! Traffic had to be halted in the then non-pedestrian Martin Place.

Leonard Janiszewski and Effy Alexakis will reveal how Adams’ refreshment revolution quickly became an Australian – and international – food-catering icon in their guest talk:

Shakin’ the World over: The Greek – Australian Milk Bar

Sunday 24 August 2014, 2.30pm

Ages: All welcome

Cost: Free

Bookings essential: www.trybooking.com/FCHA

Hurstville Museum & Gallery

14 MacMahon Street, Hurstville

Selling an American Dream: Australia’s Greek Café

“Every time you drink a Coke, enjoy an ice cream or sweet chocolate treat, go to the cinema, or listen to the latest popular music hit, you can thank Australia’s Greek cafés.”

-Leonard Janiszewski and Effy Alexakis

Hurstville Museum & Gallery is hosting a touring exhibition from the “In their own Image: Greek-Australians” National Project, Macquarie University, Sydney.

This photographic exhibition, curated by Effy Alexakis and Leonard Janiszweski, explores an important chapter in the development of Australian culture. Greek cafés were known for their introduction of American sodas, ice-cream sundaes, milkshakes, hamburgers, milk chocolate and hard sugar candies, into communities right across Australia.

Leonard Janiszewski and Effy Alexakis tell us more about the first modern Greek Café in Sydney:

“In 1932, Mick Adams (Joachim Tavlarides), opened Australia’s first modern ‘American-style’ milk bar, the ‘Black and White 4 pence Milk Bar’ in Sydney. The ‘milk bar’ was created by Adams based upon his observations of American drugstore soda bars – he had visited the United States two years earlier. In Australia, the Greek-run oyster saloon and soda bar/sundae ‘parlor’ had placed prime importance on sit-down trade for meals, drinks and desserts. American drugstore soda bars emphasised quick stand-up and bar-stool bar trade (soda drinks, milkshakes and sundaes) over sit-down meal trade. Adams firmly took up the American soda bar catering emphasis and highlighted the milkshake.

Seating capacity in Adams’ premises was restricted to just six small two-seater cubicles along one wall, the main feature being a long hotel-style bar with soda fountain pumps and numerous Hamilton Beach electric milkshake makers (imported from the United States). No cooked meals were offered. On the first day of opening 5,000 customers frequented the milk bar, and as many as 27,000 per week then began to patronise the establishment. Other food caterers were quick to adopt the idea and within five years of the opening of Adams’ original Black and White Milk Bar there were allegedly 4,000 milk bars in Australia; most were Greek-run. Food caterers in Great Britain and New Zealand were also quick to embrace the concept.”

Black and White 4d.Milk Bar exterior, Martin Place, Sydney, NSW, 1934.

Mick Adams is pictured here with children from the Dalwood Health Home.

Photos courtesy L. Keldoulis, from the ‘In Their Own Image: Greek-Australians’ National Project Archives, Macquarie University.

Selling an American Dream: Australia's Greek Café will be on show at Hurstville Museum & Gallery from 2 August – 28 September 2014

Don’t miss the exciting public programs and book in here

Enhance your business skills at Hurstville Library

Hurstville Library is launching a series of talks designed to assist small ,home-based and future business owners within the local government area. Kicking off these talks will be well known business expert and trainer Adrienne McLean, founder of her own business, The Speakers Practice.

Adrienne will present, Increase Your Visibility-6 Ways to Promote Your Business, which will cover:

• the need for businesses to innovate
• up to date methods and practical approaches
• using a framework of 6 marketing strategies.
• ideas to keep your business front of mind.

With her experience of growing up in a family business, working in the corporate and small business sector plus building her own business, The Speakers Practice, Adrienne offers an enthusiastic and practical approach to the benefits of presentation skills development, learning to promote yourself and building a successful business. She is also a regular presenter, blogger and contributing author to business publications. 

This evening will also be a great opportunity to meet with staff and find out more about the range of resources and services available at Hurstville Library that will help you grow your business .



Hurstville Library
cnr Queens Rd and Dora St, Hurstville
Miles Franklin Room
Thursday 31 July, 2014 at 7pm
Bookings: online at the library website or in person
Enquiries: 9330 6142
Fee: $5

 

.