Studio News
September 2026
Community Event
Community Cooking Class at Post & Rail, Penola
I was lucky to be invited to a community cooking class event in Penola where the theme was nutritional health and wellbeing for people from an mental health approach.
Facilitated by Skylight Naracoorte and Community Connections ac.care Mount Gambier, a group of people came together to explore ways to improve eating habits on a budget by looking at the practical convenience and viability of innovative food preparation habits as well as exploring more mindful choices when it comes to nutritional eating.
Hosted by Cindy Bunt, she demonstrated the magic that is simple food made delicious, and many of us walked away bewildered and amazed about how ingrained traditional approaches to food preparation that we each learned from our elders, were complicating our modern needs when it comes to food resourcing and preparation; making many of us ready for the upskilling efficiency of Cindy's teachings.
One of the things that can be a barrier to good eating habits is the drudgery of food preparation, and once some new and improved skills are implemented, the preparation becomes easier, time managed more conveniently, the clean-up impact is reduced, and reworking of traditional labour intensive processes gives way to a more enjoyable experience that inspires for further enjoyable culinary instances.
A great day for all involved.
Community Event
Naracoorte & Districts Suicide Prevention Network Seminar
Held at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery and Wild Game Wine Bar, 50 guests attended an annual women's wellbeing seminar which featured workshops and a guest panel following the guest speaker of the night, naturopath Ameeta Gangaram.
With three different interactive wellbeing workshops hosted by Soul Splatter, Lymphatic Flow Therapy and Salt and Sage Botanica, guests were able to choose an experience that was resonating with their current wellbeing interest (art therapy, lymphatic flow therapy or herbal therapy).
Mental health and wellbeing of women during pregnancy, perimenopause, menopoause and post menopause was the focus; offering supportive education and enlightenment for women who statistically in Australia, currently have a suicide rate of 1 in 5 in reflection to the enormous health and wellbeing changes that occur in the 45 - 60 year age bracket.
It was a truly special and uplifting experience to network with other professionals (nurses, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists) during this evening.
August 2026
Community Volunteer Work
Morning tea at St Mary's Nursing Home.
Time is always well spent with people who are confined to their environs and needing variations of social interaction.
On a lovely sunny winter's morning, it was a pleasure to be part of being able to meet some lovely residents.
Conversation covered all manner of topics, from hobbies to pets, farming and travel experiences.
And to see residents who are normally withdrawn, shy and apparently overly quiet, become talkative, smiling, happy and interactive while there, was truly a blessing.
The care givers and staff at the nursing home were so friendly and caring, it was reassuring to see the residents content and proudly show off their resources in the social area.
This is one part of lifestyle routine which I thoroughly enjoy engaging in and look forward to returning again soon to see them all again.
Conscious Creativity Project
Salvaging and recycling an old abandoned canvas into something new.
The cobalt blue was replaced with a navy and forest green.
Foliage tint highlighting layer blocked in.
Salvaging and recycling an old abandoned canvas into something new.
Studio canvas revamp.
Embarking on the journey of salvaging a discarded canvas painting is both an adventure and a chance for transformation.
First, I carefully examine the old artwork, noting its textures and colors, appreciating the story it tells. I then repair the canvas where needed, before lightly spraying it with water to bring the canvas back to tautness and making sure there was no debris to contaminate the paint.
With a fresh coat of primer, I prepare the canvas, creating a blank slate that honors its past while welcoming new possibilities.
Finally, with vibrant strokes and a incremental vision in mind, I paint it, breathing life into the canvas once more, turning what was forgotten and discarded, into something uniquely interesting.
Beechworth Honey Label Competition 2026
Simplicity and elegance with the humble honey bee!
The picture showcases a lively honey bee gently resting among a vivid collection of garden flowers.
Its detailed wings shimmer in the sunlight, highlighting the bee's crucial role in the ecosystem.
The surrounding blooms, radiating shades of pink, yellow, and purple, form a vibrant background that celebrates the beauty of pollination.
This captivating scene embodies the harmony of nature, making it an ideal entry for a honey label competition.
July 2026
Fellowship Guild Philanthropy
Mentorship reaching a milestone!
As part of the Fellowship Guild studio philanthropy program, the past year has been spent mentoring an emerging new author in her first published work.
Helping an elder reach her life long dream, the studio has been working with the Linker Network program in Mount Gambier, as a volunteer life experience mentor for this emerging South Australian author to turn her quality ideas into written concepts as children's stories with an innovative twist.
After much hard work, the drafting manuscripts are now complete and the next stage of final editing for desktop publishing design has begun.
Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival
Penola Coonawarra Arts Design Prize Submission Deadline.
This year, for the Penola Coonawarra Arts Design Prize, instead of one design like last year's submission, it was three that came to being.
There was room for a fourth in the committee's opportunity, but it didn't eventuate for the submission round from the studio.
Again, like last year, the submissions were for a fun challenge and a celebratory participation project by the studio to express support for its community.
June 2026
Wanderlust Retreat
Riverland Escape
This month it was Barmera's turn.
We must have radiated the 'blessing of ex-local' for all the welcoming omens and warm exciting experiences we had that helped us forget tech and screens for a few days.
We stayed in a cute lakeside cabin overlooking Lake Bonney. Stormy weather which was forecast, ended up giving way to a beautiful sunny weekend right from the very beginning!
A leisurely wander over to Renmark for a last minute visit to Mallee Estates for a wine taste at 10.30am ensured the discovery of a delicious Muscato and Muskat. We met the beautiful Eleni, and left with a swag of goodies for our home cellar.
Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival
2027 Poster Competition Submissions - The Brief
"The Festival embraces the visual and performing arts, music, literature, food and wine. The central focus is the arts and incorporates an eclectic mix of performances, exhibitions, and workshops run in conjunction with Coonawarra Vigneron’s showcasing their premier vintages and local cuisine.
The Penola and Coonawarra communities combine their resources to facilitate a weekend that attracts national, state and regional performers and artists.
Penola has a culturally rich atmosphere with historic buildings, parks, a variety of retail shops, cafes and restaurants, which adds to the diverse range of event venues for arts revellers to visit."
May 2026
Fellowship Guild Philanthropy
Volunteer Week Breakfast
2026 is the year for ac. care to celebrate 40 years of service to its community, and with it, several special events have been organised. This month a special breakfast to celebrate it's volunteers, was held at Nalou's Kitchen, Mount Gambier.
As part of the studio's Fellowship Guild philanthropic program, studio principal creative, Jody Arnold, attended in capacity of Linker Network volunteer, to have a conversation with volunteers about the Linker Project in terms of its innovative and invaluable contribution towards long terrm wellbeing of clients.
Creativity Resourcing
Oops! Who let me cook?
The latest creative sensation to arrive and go live, never has there been a better time to tempt your tastebuds with wholesome practical recipes that helps you escape all the chemicals and nasties of processed foods while giving your body the fuel it needs to heal, repair and grow.
Raise your vibration with clean healthy food and explore a range of options through experimentation or take it to the next level by including your friends in taste test challenges.