we’re almost there!
Sorry that it has been a while between updates. There hasn’t been too much report until now.
The gallery is now fully painted. The sign writing has been ordered and the sound system is in. There is still a bit of cleaning to do and a couple of items of furniture to purchase; but we’re almost there!
After incessantly emailing and calling the council planning department during the past three days, I found out today that there were no objections to my application – hooray!
Unfortunately, they haven’t been clear with what the process looks like from here. All they have said is that they will aim to get to it by the end of next week. I’m not sure what ‘it’ is but hope that it is the issuing of the permit.
Fingers crossed, we’re still on track to open our doors in mid-May… most probably Wednesday the 18th.
Until then, we have at least two more artists to introduce you to; in addition to Marie-Lise Laviolette and Karin Zeller.
we’re getting closer
We hit another major milestone on Saturday. We finally finished the construction phase of the gallery fitout!
The walls are up and rendered (thanks to www.casafico.com); the studio/storeroom is finished; the hanging rails are up; and the lighting is fully installed. It has been a very long road to get here, but we’re done. And who would have thought that the hardest part of the job would be hanging the hanging rails? They had to go into solid concrete, and that meant a hammer drill and lots of persistence.
There are still six things to do to get the gallery ready for opening.
- Final coat of paint
- Install a sound system
- Install a projector
- Buy some furniture
- Get the sign writing done
- Clean, clean, clean
These are all minor things that I hope to have completed within the next couple of weeks.
The advertising process for the planning permit ends this coming Thursday. So it will still be a couple of weeks before that comes through, provided there haven’t been any insurmountable objections!
creative spaces
If you an artist looking for studio space, gallery space, or a space to share with other creatives, then please check out Creative Spaces.
The Creative Spaces website is designed to help you find a suitable and affordable space to develop, exhibit or perform your work.
Spaces are for hire, lease, to share or to occupy for a short period of time. Creative Spaces is a digital resource that provides information on spaces across Victoria. It is a joint initiative of the City of Melbourne and Arts Victoria in partnership with RMIT’s Design Research Institute and the Future Focus Group of the Committee for Melbourne.
And yes, one hundredth gallery is listed!
another couple of steps
Maybe I was in corporate for too long, or maybe I just like being thorough. Or perhaps I’m a little over-excited as we get closer to opening the gallery. Either way, I have been conducting more rigorous UAT (that’s User Acceptance Testing) of the hanging system and of the paintings that will hang from them.
Results thus far are very positive.
All works in these photos are my own, and will only adorn the gallery hanging rails if there is spare space; or if I get desperate for an income.
let the advertising begin!
Unfortunately, I am not referring to any fun type of advertising. The advertising I elude to is the advertising of my application to the council to change the use of 49 Porter Street, Prahran from an office space to a gallery space.
After 80 days, the council have finally printed this fluorescent yellow sign for me to stick in my window to let my neighbours and nearby residents know about my cunning mission to help exhibit aspiring and emerging artists.
I’m pretty sure I could have put the sign together in less than 80 days. In a pointillist style with a 0.01mm fineliner. Whilst playing the piano. With my hands tied behind my back. Standing on my head. In the dark.
The fluorescent yellow sign needs to be up for at least 14 days. The council have also sent letters to 110 of my neighbours and nearby residents to let them know of my application and their right to object… all at a direct cost (to me) of $600 (+ the original application fee of $502). The purpose of this exercise? To give my neighbours and nearby residents the opportunity to object to my dastardly plan.
Seriously though, this is all a part of the process and the most important thing for us to remember is that we are on our way!
and the window winner is…
The tribe has spoken, and after a total of 20 votes there was a tie between window option 2 (silver on black + silver) and window option 5 (silver on black + black).
Rather than flip a coin to decide to between the two options, I decided on a more considered approach. Which window would be look best during both day and night? I think option 2’s silver writing on a dark background would work better than option 5’s black writing on a dark background.
And so we have a winner… window option 2! Thank you for your votes!
another small step
Okay, I’ll admit that I am starting to get excited by the smallest things when it comes to the gallery. During the past weekend, we made another small step towards completion.
With four walls now fully prepared, we installed the hanging rails. I subsequently got carried away and then hung three pictures. After all, I needed to check that they worked!
The walls, hanging rails, and lighting have all come together just I had imagined, and the gallery is now really starting to take shape.
I heard from the council yesterday and they have said (again) that advertising (of my permit) should start soon, which means we’re about 6 weeks away from opening. Happy days!
signage – i need your help!
Whilst my planning application is still caught up in the webbiest web of the reddest of red tape, I am still progressing with getting the gallery ready for its grand opening.
A part of this, I would really like to finalise the sign writing by the end of this week. I’m planning on keeping it very simple so as to not obstruct any of the work that will be hanging in the window. Whilst the font is also not yet decided, it will also be simple and easy to read.
I need your help with colours. Here are 5 examples that I mocked up using MS Paint. The text is the same in each photo; the only difference is the colour scheme. You can click on an image to make it larger. Which do you like best? Please help by voting below!
Voting is now closed.
exhibitions, walls, lights, and a door
With the exception of the council planning application, we are gaining some wonderful momentum at one hundredth gallery!
Exhibitions
We have at least three new online exhibitions opening this week! Pete Goodlet’s second exhibition ‘The Beauty is in the Moment’ launched this morning; a second exhibition by Wolfgang Glowacki launches tomorrow; and a new exhibition by artist/photographer Mark Harman will open on Wednesday.
Another five artists are currently preparing their exhibitions so we may have even more new art for you after Wednesday!
Walls
The walls are almost finished! We worked through most of Saturday to put up the final coats of render on all but one wall. I will be sanding and painting them this week, getting us one step closer to completion.
Lights
The lights are in and are working brilliantly. The flexibility of the system is wonderful with multi-directional lighting units and the ability to put them wherever they are needed.
The front window lights have been installed on a timer so that they can be on most of the night; and the interior lights have been installed on a sensor so that we can minimise our electricity use and carbon footprint.
A Door
One of the most exciting things that happened last week was that I hung a door… all by myself. A door! Not only did it fit in its doorway, it swings and even opens and closes. I was never very good at woodwork at school so this is a huge achievement for me (and was also a huge surprise!). Okay, you can all stop laughing now…
The council planning application
No progress to report.