Successful launch

The launch last Saturday of Rene's new gallery Centred Art was an even greater success than he could have wished. Friends came and helped with making canapes, served drinks, created flower arrangements and generally supported the day's proceedings.

A local Aboriginal speaker, Eddie, did the 'Welcome to Country' and spoke very eloquently of the feelings emoted by the art, plus he commented on the respectful way they were displayed. The Dutch Consul, performing the opening ceremony, read a prepared speech plus joked with various persons assembled in the space. Our local state member of parliament and the chairman of the Brisbane Airport Corporation (a Schipol company) were part of an estimated 75 people who filled the gallery with excited chatter and colour. The throng viewed the exhibition, and later bid on three donated paintings from art centres in Central Australia. The auction raised $3000 for the local group helping indigenous youth find their cultural heritage in urban Brisbane.

At the close of the day many paintings in the exhibition had also been bought, and along with this the gallery's reputation for being an ethical attempt to market indigenous art to the metropolitan market was launched.

A lot of friends stayed over for dinner and drinks on the deck upstairs. Our last guests left just before 2am, and this writer plus his wonderful but tired partner headed for bed, happy and content with what was the culmination of eighteen months work.

Upon rising the clean up was done quickly and we managed lunch at The Full Moon Hotel at Sandgate, this week voted the best hotel (pub) in the whole country. Three friends staying over was reduced to just one, and the evening was spent just chilling out.

In life one has to work hard to make friends and above all to keep them. We are truly blessed with friends who are not only lots of fun and totally fascinating to be around but also dependable. Yes, I'd like to gush more, but they know how much we love them all, and they'll all be reading this so, "thanks folks, thanks!"

Three friends got to the opening the day after arriving back from four months in Europe. It was so lovely to see them. Another got back from Central Australia to his home in Sydney and then turned around at 4am next day and drove 13 hours to Brisbane to be with us (and his lovely lady Gina). What an honour! Rene was truly taken aback by the success of the whole day, and I have to admit I was a little too. He's worked so very hard for weeks and weeks to get this business off the ground, plus we had to have the house finished in time too.

Our builder attended the opening along with his lovely partner. He received many compliments on the build of the house, and we received many positives about the design and decorating. It still has a little way to go, and the grounds have a LONG way to go, but I have to admit the house has a very comfortable feel about it. It is gallery below and home above and we are both very proud of it.

In a fortnight Rene and I head off to Canberra for a weekend of arts, flowers and friends. I'll also be on vacation for a fortnight during which time Rene's sister and her partner arrive from The Netherlands. After their beach wedding on North Stradbroke Island (Straddie) they are heading off with Rene to Central Australia where Rene will take them around for a week, then they'll head off to Sydney and Melbourne, dropping back in Brisbane a fortnight later. Rene will stay on a few days in Alice Springs and I'll stay here, work, manage the gallery and generally have 10 days to myself.

My friend Kit has got tickets for the Australia-Qatar football match on October 15 here in Brisbane. I haven't been to a football match since the three we went to during the 2000 Olympics. This is part of the qualifying round for the Asia Pacific section of the World Cup. Thanks Kit for going to all this trouble. It'll be lovely to attend this sporting event.

This weekend we're off to the monthly Sunshine Boys card night, this month at Coolum Beach. We're staying over at a friend's apartment at Maroochydore so it should be lots of enjoyment. The following weekend I'm off to my niece's wedding on the beach at the Gold Coast. Rene is staying home for the gallery and then he's going to an art show opening here in Nundah. The next day there's the Nundah Festival, our annual suburban local fair, with a need to network and meet more locals. Incidentally, today there came out the first edition of 'Nundah Life', a glossy local magazine with two mentions of Centred Art in the first issue.

I haven't even mentioned my work....that must be a good thing. I'm finding five days a week seems to fly, I enjoy it, that has to be a good thing. Hope you are enjoying whatever you are doing. Until next time......