With the school holidays behind us, spring has certainly sprung here in Burringbar. The Mulberries are bringing in the birds, the new calves are popping up in the paddocks, the garden is taking off (weeds included!) and there’s plenty happening at the gallery, too.
We’ve had lots of new arrivals in store, with more interesting pieces coming through all the time. There are also a few exciting things happening behind the scenes, including two exceptional sculptures arriving this week and a new category coming to our website.
Two Exceptional Carved Stone Ganesh
We’re expecting two large carved stone Ganesh sculptures to arrive this week, standing approximately 1.2 to 1.3 metres tall.
Superbly carved, these impressive pieces are believed to be from Java and date to around the 1850s.
We get pretty excited when pieces of this magnitude and antiquity come into the gallery. They’re not everyday finds and to come across something with this sort of scale, craftsmanship and history is one of the best part of this work.
Ganesh, the Hindu deity associated with wisdom, new beginnings and the removal of obstacles, has been depicted in sculpture for centuries. These two pieces have a wonderful presence, and we’re looking forward to getting them into the gallery and sharing them with you.
It’s always interesting to think about the history behind pieces like these — where they came from, who made them and the places they’ve been before finding their way here to Burringbar.
Introducing Books and Collections
We’re also very pleased to be adding a new category to our website: Books and Collections.
Recently, we had the enormous privilege of purchasing the entire Mr T. D McKellar collection of books, paintings and ephemera. This has been a particularly meaningful acquisition for us, following two years of working and spending time with Mr McKellar and learning about his collection, travels and his extraordinary knowledge of antiques and collectables.
Mr McKellar oversaw the transfer of his much-loved collection into our care, and we feel very fortunate to have been entrusted with it.
From the 1980s onwards, Mr McKellar has been a significant supporter of the arts in this region, as well as a passionate collector and philanthropist founding the creative studios, arts spaces and community hub known as The Epicentre in Belongil Beach, Byron Bay in 1984 -(2003). He assembled what we regard as one of the most important collections of Northern NSW artworks in the world, reflecting decades of interest, knowledge and dedication to the region's artistic history.
His interests extend well beyond paintings and is a true bibliophile, with a love of books and a deep interest in culture, art, architecture, archaeology, history, gardening and much more.
Our new Books and Collections category will allow us to share this part of the collection with a wider audience. Featuring a selection of antiquarian books, lithographs, prints and other exquisite publications, the collection will be available to explore and purchase both in store and through our website. There will be plenty to interest collectors, readers and anyone with a passion for art, architecture, history and the wider world of culture.
We’re looking forward to making these books available and gradually introducing this new part of Burringbar Gallery.
Plenty More to Discover
Alongside these significant arrivals, there are lots of new things in store, with a mix of interesting objects, decorative pieces and one-off finds. If you haven't seen our lighthouse fresnel glass panels or the James Kutasi 'Stone Settee' in store yet they are truly magnificent.
Part of the fun of the gallery is that there’s always something different coming through the door. We never quite know what the next find will be, which is a big part of what keeps things interesting for us.
It’s a busy and exciting time for us, and we’re looking forward to sharing more of these new arrivals over the coming months.
Keep an eye on the website as we introduce the new Books and Collections category, and come in for a browse next time you’re passing through Burringbar. We highly recommend our neighbours Teakwood Cafe for awesome coffee and beverages and an excellent breakfast, lunch and snacks menu.
We’d love to see you.
See you soon at Burringbar Gallery.