The 2023 Donnelly Verandah Residencies – Tim Burns, Sarah Thornton-Smith, Sarah Elson, Annette Peterson, Ross Potter and Nic Compton2023-04-04T03:20:01+00:00
  • Photograph of Donnelly River Verandah and Plein Air paintbox and parrot
  • Donnelly River Village plein air nocturne painting - Michel Camus & Ken Wadrop
  • Photograph of Donnelly River Village plein air nocturne painting at the General Store - Ken Wadrop

The Donnelly Verandah Residencies

6 – 30 June 2023

Donnelly River Village is on Pibelmen Noongar Budjar.

The Donnelly Verandah Residencies provide an opportunity for artists to immerse themselves in the unique Karri Forest at Donnelly River where imposing old-growth Karri-stands dominate a 1950s mill town. Artists undertake a residency for just over a week allowing them time to develop ideas, grow their art practice or create new work. They stay in one of the 35 cottages in the village with the intention that the forest surroundings will provide a ground for creativity and artistic development.

Well-known Western Australian artists Tim Burns, Sarah Thornton-Smith, Sarah Elson, Annette Peterson, Ross Potter and Nic Compton will take part in the seventh annual verandah residencies at Donnelly River Village in June 2023.

A Perth-based exhibition of works produced by this year’s artists in residence will be held at Earlywork in South Fremantle on 15-24 September, 2023. Please check back for updates and more information.

Winter at Donnelly is wood-smoke misty mornings and star-filled winter nights. On ancient land, surrounded by state forest, the 1950s mill town’s thirty-five workers cottages, boarding house and workers club each have verandahs that overlook the central stand of magnificent Karri trees. If wintery conditions keep artists to their cottages, these verandahs offer a sheltered outlook to the natural environment. The original steam mill, school, butcher shop and general store add unique architectural notes. Tame kangaroos, emus, possums, kookaburras, magpies, parrots, blue wren and other wildlife wander through the village and visit cottages. If the weather is fine and artists are looking for a change of scene, heading into the surrounding forest along any of the many bush trails offers new aspects at every turn, including a deep forest lake surrounded by majestic trees. We hope the Donnelly environment will provide a place of contemplation and inspiration for the artists-in-residence.

For accommodation bookings contact
Donnelly River Village PHONE: +61 (8) 9772 1244
or visit the website: donnellyriver.com.au

Latest News

Artists talks, workshops, paintings and exhibitions

A glimpse into Donnelly

Tuesday  4:30pm "Rules for residency: respond to surroundings on impulse. Follow impulse. Start two new works each day. No rethinking. Complete all works later." [...]

Ben Sherar, managing the weather

Ben Sherar's emails from Donnelly continue the wintery theme, "It's been pretty cold…". As well as working on the verandah, in the village and in nearby Bridgetown [...]

Referencing Great Uncle Hal

A few more sketches from Donnelly. I'm trying to reference some of my great uncle Hal Missingham's 'Bush images' re style and medium as a loose "conceptual [...]

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The Donnelly Verandah Residencies

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