P&C publishes Artbook

Instead of its annual Art Show, Scarborough Public School has released a showcase of 35 amazing Northern Illawarra artists

The Scarborough Public School P&C are masters of reinvention.

In 2020, when Covid stopped their Art Show, parents came up with The Tea Towel Project, printing art on organic cotton cloth. Now they’ve made an Artbook, showcasing acclaimed local artists such as Tanya Stubbles, Diana Wood-Conroy, Ashley Frost, Anthea Stead, Heather Froome, Anh Nguyen, Christine Hill and Nikki Main. Money raised will fund the school’s Art Literacy program,

The two parents who’ve played a big role in publishing the Artbook both have strong creative backgrounds themselves. P&C president Michelle McCosker is a textile artist and freelance web designer who is studying to become an art therapist, and P&C member Melissa Barnard is a cellist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

They kindly took time to answer questions.

Whose idea was the Scarborough Artbook?

Melissa: We came up with the idea to produce an Artbook and an accompanying website – a smaller catalogue-based fundraiser, to try to keep the “art spark” alive in Scarborough and to bring in some much needed funds for our small school, especially since we have been unable to run the popular Scarborough Art Show for the last two years due to Covid. We didn’t want to lose either our Art Literacy program for the kids at school or our school’s long connection with the community of exceptional artists in our local area, so this was an effort to make something good happen in these unpredictable times. We were especially keen to offer people a real book, something tactile and beautiful to have, as so much has been purely online in the last two years.

Michelle: After hearing the news that the Art Show was to be cancelled again this year I had a cold winter swim in Austinmer pool and pondered: surely with every great challenge there is a corresponding and perfect solution? Maybe even more than one? The idea for the book just sort of revealed itself. What if people could still see the artworks, but in the comfort and Covid-safety of their own home? This could work in a lockdown, and would be a lovely keepsake. I really loved the contrast of having a tangible mini-exhibition in a traditional book format but combined with a newer digital purchasing process. The constraints of printing a book meant that we could not show as much art as we would hope to so the solution to that challenge was to have an accompanying website where we could show more artworks from each artist.

Tell us how it all came together.

Melissa: It’s been quite a journey for the few of us involved! We have had a crazily short lead time to make a plan, have it approved within our small school budget, approach artists, collate artist information and high quality photographs of their artworks, design, layout and proof a book... plus design and activate a website so that sales can be made through QR codes that link to a webpage for each artist. For my part it’s been a very new kind of work but I’ve enjoyed it immensely. It’s been a pleasure to see all the beautiful art coming in and to work alongside Michelle with her boundless positive energy, ideas and artistic skills and also designer/ parent Fraggle with his technical and design skills.

Michelle: It’s all very well to have an idea for something, but for that idea to actually take shape and become manifest it needs time and energy poured into it. I have loved every part of working with Melissa - she is a sparkly delight. Other parents have also offered their time and skills - Fraggle with his exceptional eye, Jenny Bouwer, Kate Tracey, Sam Nuttall, Jasmin Tarasin and Amanda Bennett. Our school Principal Chris Hopkins, and the teachers and kids at school have done their part too. I feel some of the best things that come out of community projects are the strengthened connections between people. This year, perhaps more than any other year so far, we have needed community building projects in order to survive the effects of a very long lockdown. I think the only challenges we have had on the project have been time and money – working to a very tight budget and having a very short amount of time to put it all together. I will admit, I have done more than a few all-nighters, especially when building the website!

In curating the works, what mood did you aimed to evoke?

Michelle: Jasmin Tarasin, a parent and filmmaker, actually had the stroke of brilliance in titling the book Between the Mountains and the Sea. This is such a beautiful and apt title on so many levels as it is the first line of the Scarborough School song, and for me it evokes an almost nostalgic atmosphere. It feels beautiful, mysterious and romantic. I wanted to capture this mystery on the cover which is why when I saw Kurt Sorensen’s photography I knew it was perfect. The misty and soft tones he has captured in his photographs remind me of those beautiful and slightly eerie days we have here sometimes, where a cloud sits right down over the escarpment, or the sea mist rises up and over the coast in the afternoon after a hot day.

How have the school’s children been involved?

Melissa: Oh, this is one of my favourite things about the book! We sent along copies to school of some of the photographs of the artworks for the kids to reflect on and write about. Their comments are in turn beautiful, hilarious, charming, perceptive, thoughtful... we think it really adds a personal dimension to the book and it really shows art literacy in action. We are so impressed with the level of the kids writing and with how comfortable they are looking at and thinking about art, given the school’s history of the Art Show and the teaching work of Gabrielle Adamik who runs our wonderful Art Literacy program.

How has the Artbook fundraiser grown since its inception?

Michelle: The idea has grown as more parents have come into the fold. This is what I love so much about working on community projects. An idea will begin like a seed, and then will grow in ways one can never foresee as people bring their different skills and ideas to offer! I love this process and I see it as a type of magic. It is part of what drives me to invite people to work with me on things.

Last year we ran the Tea Towel Project, whereby local artists gave us permission to print their work onto tea towels and we sold these through local shops. The shops were such a positive and driving force that I really wanted to work with them again. The idea to ask if we could sell our books through them arose and from there the idea to also exhibit works with those that had the space seemed a logical next step. I am sure there are ways that the project can grow even more… we will see!

How has the Artbook changed the way you see the world around us?

Melissa: Having spent the last two months frantically emailing, organising and proofing artworks and text for the book it’s been pretty busy, however there has been a strange and wonderful side effect! Driving along the coast road doing normal things I suddenly see the paintings, the landscapes and the textures in front of me, as so many of the works in the book are local landscapes or locally inspired. It’s a reminder that looking at art really does open your eyes and mind to seeing the beautiful, the curious and the special all around you. We hope this book, website exhibition and sale will inspire people in this way. They can take this feeling home by buying a book and perhaps some art and in doing so will be supporting our amazing local artists and art education for our kids. It’s a win-win situation!

Michelle: I agree with Mel. Whenever I drive along Lawrence Hargrave Drive and gaze up at the beautiful escarpment, I feel like I’m in a Kate Broadfoot painting.

To buy the book or buy artworks, visit the website.