69 SMITH STREET GALLERY


69 SMITH STREET GALLERY - An artist run initiative Located in the heart of Fitzroy’s arts precinct, 69 Smith Street Gallery provides opportunities for the professional development of visual artists who work in a wide range of art forms. The gallery also promotes public appreciation and understanding of contemporary visual art through critical debate. Primarily a rental venue, its exhibition program includes invitational, solo and thematic group exhibitions. In 2007 the gallery required video and sound equipment which is free to use by the artists exhibiting. > View Gallery Equipment This document will open up in a blank window as an Adobe PDF.

Merle Parker Chair	Merle has been involved with 69 Smith St, since 1998 and as a Committee member since 2000. After graduating from Swinburne University, she worked for many years as a graphic artist and assisted with the running of an offset printing business. Merle also worked as a Puppeteer making the puppets, props and performing for preschool children. In her spare time Merle also assists students in producing folios for entrance to Tertiary education.

Sophie Shelley Gallery Coordinator	Sophie Shelley stepped up as Gallery Coordinator in early 2008. Sophie studied Fine Art at Newcastle University and graduated in June 2007. After a student exchange with RMIT University, she returned to Melbourne in 2007 to live and practice her art. With a background as an interior administrator and as a gallery assistant, Sophie has worked at a number of Melbourne's festivals and galleries including Next Wave and ACCA.

Taarati Taiaroa-Smithies Exhibition Coordinator	Taarati, a graduate from Elam School of Fine Arts in Auckland, New Zealand landed the role as Exhibition Coordinator early 2008. Working in a variety of media such as sculpture, printmaking, drawing and sound, the conceptual base of her work develops from historical and cultural constructions, networks and myths. Taarati has experience working as a mentor at University for Maori and Pasifika students within the Fine Arts faculty. Taarati will return to Elam School of Fine Arts to complete her honours degree in 2009.

Veronica Hodgkinson Treasurer	Veronica has been a member of 69 Smith Street since 2005 and joined the committee as Treasurer in 2007. Since graduating with an advance Diploma of Photography from the Photography Studies College she has exhibited in many group shows. Her passion is in alternative and traditional photographic process. > photospace.com.au

Michael Cuthbert Secretary	Michael is a retired Art and Craft teacher who majored in painting. He has been painting most of his life and had his first solo exhibition in 2004 at the 69 Smith Street Gallery. Michael applied for the position of secretary after reading about the vacancy in the gallery’s newsletter.

Ulrika Holmlund
Website Coordinator

Ulrika has been a member of 69 Smith Street since October 2005 and acted as Exhibition
Coordinator for 12 months during 2006-07. Her main focus in her art practice is video
installation, but she also works with photography and sculpture. Born in Sweden, she studied
Fine Art-painting and later continued her studies at RMIT University in Australia, where she
received her BA Honours in Media Arts 2005. She has exhibit work in Australia, Europe and
USA. In 2006 Ulrika founded VOYEUR-International Video Collective, a Melbourne-based
artist run information bureau dedicated to the worldwide distribution of contemporary video
art via the internet reporting on emerging and established video artists.

> voyeurcollective.com
> ulrikaholmlund.com

Denise De Keyzer
Committee Member

Denise has been a member since November 2006 and acted as Exhibition Coordinator for 12 months during 2007-08. She has studied graphics, illustration, design and photography at Melbourne School of Art. Her passion is drawing and painting the human form.

Gabrielle Bates
Committee Member

Gabrielle joined the 69 Smith St committee in December 2004. She has been working with painting, sound and video installation for fifteen years and has taught art at the universities of Sydney and Newcastle in NSW. Gabrielle curated The Ellen Mileo Art Prize in 2006 and a number successful group exhibitions at 69 Smith Street Gallery, one of which raised funds for cancer research.

> gabriellebates.com

Philip Ingman Committee Member	Philip has been on the 69 Smith Street Gallery committee since October 2006. He produced the gallery's newsletter and media releases during 2006-08, and was a copyeditor on the publication 'Making Space'.

Marianne Little Committee Member	Marianne’s art training in the 60’s included painting, sculpture and textiles. Her work as an art/craft high school teacher continued to widen her skills. Marianne is now focusing her attention on papermaking, some painting and sculptural book arts.

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