Rich in history: An art exhibition like no other

Men and women sipping wine and Devonshire tea while admiring art and pottery inside a grand home rich in history from Australia's golden era. Jazz music played in the background as chatter echoed through the halls that know more stories than any of us could ever tell; and hors d'oeuvres were served while some retired to the sitting room or library to relax on the antique furniture. It was almost like stepping back in time for this year’s Parkes Painting Group’s and Parkes Potters’ annual art exhibition, held for the first time away from the Coventry Room and at The Buchanan (1894), a 131-year-old Victorian mansion in Hill Street. Running over three spectacular days, including a first class opening night on Friday, 19 September, it was by far the two groups' biggest response they've had for an exhibition. Hundreds of guests didn't let the opportunity pass them to explore this iconic home, with organisers welcoming 170 people during the opening and making the experience rather cosy. In total 480 visitors passed through the doors over the three sessions - Friday night and Saturday and Sunday and they sold 165 Devonshire teas across the weekend. "It was a huge success," Parkes Painting Group president Kerry Davies said. "Opening night was our biggest ever. "We didn't know what to expect, the best case scenario is what we got. "We knew how many were coming for the opening but we didn't know how the weekend would go. "We averaged 160 people each day, it worked out for the better." Nineteen artists and 13 potters had works and pieces on display during the exhibition, many of which were for sale. Kerry and her committee tallied a total of 24 paintings sold over the weekend, which worked out to be about one third of what was on show. And 18 pieces of pottery sold. "It was a pretty good result for sales," Kerry said. For Kerry her highlight was on opening night. "I was the red spotter (organising the sales) and I had six people waiting," she said. "The whole place was packed and I was trying to get through, and thinking I had to get back to these people because they all wanted to buy something. "It was the fun of it all, the buzz of the place - there was music, there were lots of things happening." They sold 680 raffle tickets across the weekend too. "So we'll discuss what to do with the money," Kerry said. "We've been wanting to get tutors in for workshops because that never happens." The following people are the winners of the raffle, for which all prizes were donated by the artists: First prize - Gai Baker won Allan Wright's oil landscape painting. Second prize - Margaret Tom won Ann Olson's gum leaf vase. Third prize - John Short won Elsie Mahon's pottery poppy arrangement. New owners of The Buchanan 1894, Steve Lindsay from Peak Hill and David Johnston kindly offered the location to the art groups, making the successful evening and weekend possible. Now boutique accommodation and open to guests, Steve and David bought the mansion that was previously known as Balmoral in March 2023 and restored it beautifully. Parkes Painting Group and Parkes Potters Group would like to thank their sponsors Evolution Mining Northparkes and McDonald's Parkes and Forbes for their support of the event.

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