THE ORIGINALS

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An exhibition celebrating the lives  and artwork 

of our founding members from the 1950s on. 

 

DOWNLOAD CATALOGUE

 

WATCH THE SHORT FILM ACCOMPANYING THE EXHIBITION
 

In the early 1950’s, a group of local Beaumaris painters, two sculptors and a potter asked a friend – architect Charles Bricknell  - to design a place for them to meet and make art. The name of convenience – Beaumaris Art Group or BAG – stuck.   
 

Bricknell designed and built the original Painting and Drawing studio -  just two rooms with no windows and a unique barrel-vault skylight. It became a haven and outlet for many hundreds of artists in Bayside.  They were largely young families, often new to the area, who sought community and connection in a beachside suburb that was still considered quite remote  from metropolitan Melbourne.   
 

In 1977, with the addition of the Pottery Room, designed by architect John Thompson, Beaumaris Art Group now offered the only purpose-built pottery space for miles around.     
 

Since then, it has been home to a community of local people intent on making, creating, discussing and appreciating art and design in the community. The likes of Howard Arkley, Arthur and David Boyd, John Brack, Ola Cohn, Valda Cuming, Clifford Last, Patrick McCaughey, Clifton Pugh, Fred Williams, Lewis Miller and more have walked through its doors to learn, to teach, to enter or judge its exhibitions. 
 

Over the years, teachers of great repute have taught at BAG and many luminaries of the art world have spent time within its walls. Some are represented here, alongside an extraordinary range of media, styles and genres produced by students and teachers of all ages. 
 

In 2025, with the opening of our refurbished and extended building, a corresponding new vitality has emerged in the group and an exciting new chapter for BAG has begun. At the same time, we thought it appropriate to celebrate a small selection of BAG members works, the vast majority of works by women, representing more than 70 years of students’ and teachers’ productivity. 
 

THE ORIGINALS

31 May-13 July

Beaumaris Art Group

84 Reserve Road, Beaumaris

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OPENING HOURS
MON /TUES / THURS / FRI 10AM-4PM

WED 10AM-1PM

SAT / SUN 1PM-4PM

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