Address: Studio Gallery

“The World of Words” stands as an embodiment of cultural pride, an effort to share the wisdom and beauty of Islamic art with the world. Through Halima’s vision, we are encouraged to see beyond preconceived notions, to appreciate the art form for its inherent grace and significance.

In the realm of Halima’s artistic prowess, the canvas becomes a portal to a mesmerizing world – “The World of Words.” Through her exquisite Arabic calligraphy artworks, Halima extends an invitation to all, beckoning them to explore a universe inspired by ancient Islamic art. This series transcends mere visual aesthetics; it is a profound journey into the depths of meaningful words, each stroke echoing as a silent whisper of the soul.

Halima’s inspiration draws from the rich tapestry of Islamic art, breathing new life into a centuries-old tradition. The result is more than just visually stunning; it is an immersive experience, where words become vessels of profound meaning and beauty. In a world saturated with noise, “The World of Words” stands as a sanctuary for contemplation, a space where one can listen to the silent echoes of the heart.

The series is a testament to Halima’s commitment to unravelling the intrinsic beauty of Islamic art. Beyond the brushstrokes, she weaves a narrative that defies stereotypes and challenges misconceptions. Each carefully crafted word becomes a bridge between cultures, inviting a global audience to appreciate the elegance and depth found within Arabic calligraphy.

As the ink flows, so does a river of wisdom, carrying with it the heritage and cultural significance of Islamic art. Halima’s artistic odyssey is not merely about creating beautiful visuals; it is a conscious effort to share the soulful whispers embedded in each word. Through her work, she endeavors to dismantle stigmas associated with Muslims and Islamic art, replacing them with a celebration of the profound messages encapsulated within her creations.

In a world hungry for connection and understanding, “The World of Words” emerges as a beacon, offering a space where diversity is not only acknowledged but celebrated. Halima’s art transcends boundaries, fostering a deeper appreciation for the universal language embedded in Arabic calligraphy.

Step into the enchanting world Halima has crafted, where each word is a doorway to a cultural legacy and a testament to the power of art in breaking barriers. It is an artistic odyssey that encourages us to not only witness but immerse ourselves in the beauty of “The World of Words.”

PLEASE NOTE our lift is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs. Wheelchair access to levels 2 and 3 of the arts centre is currently unavailable.

Opening event: February 8, 2024. 6pm

Daily opening times:
Feb 6 – Mar 11, 2024

Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm

Closed on weekends

2023 was an interesting year. Half the way through the year I moved into my new studio at the Salamanca Arts Centre. This move has had a significant effect on both how I paint and what I paint. After more than five decades of painting it is still fascinating and exciting to see my work continue to change and evolve. The paintings in this exhibition, all painted in 2023, are from both before and after my move to the new studio.

PLEASE NOTE our lift is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs. Wheelchair access to levels 2 and 3 of the arts centre is currently unavailable.

Daily opening times:
29 November – 12 December, 2023 (Sidespace Gallery)
10am – 4pm

14 December, 2023 – 28 January, 2024 (Studio Gallery)
10am – 4pm

Pivotal.  Definition;  big moments and little moments of clarity that provide us with new perspectives and opportunities for change.

PIVOTAL, big moments and little moments of clarity that provide us with new perspectives and opportunities for change.

Works in watercolour, gouache and graphite featuring the everyday, a feather, a bird’s nest, to the rare and uncommon, the tiny Tasmanian Red Handfish.

We take much for granted and in doing so, we devalue it.  This response is not necessarily intentional, but life is busy, and there is an assumption, an acceptance what we view about us will always be there.

We live in pivotal times.  Do we need to reconnect; do we need to find ‘enchantment’ in the simple and uncomplicated to rediscover balance?  I think so.  

As Author Katherine May writes in her latest publication ‘Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age’ – ‘Our sense of enchantment is not triggered only by grand things; the sublime is not hiding in distant landscapes. The awe-inspiring, the numinous, is all around us, all the time. It is transformed by our deliberate attention. It becomes valuable when we value it’.

Featuring works by Nolan Art K-12 Students, this annual exhibition features ceramics, sculpture, fashion illustration, oil and acrylic painting, and drawing.

Opening event: October 13, 5pm

Daily opening times:
5 – 24 October, 2023
Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm / Saturdays 11am-3pm / Sundays CLOSED

Phillip England explores the nature of the photograph as image object using the arcane, wet plate collodion tintype photographic process, which draws attention to its own materiality as much as it does to the subject in front of the lens.

In IMAGE / OBJECT Phillip England explores the nature of the photograph as image object, using a medium that draws attention to the physical photograph itself as much as it does to the photographic subject, subverting our tendency to confuse the two.

The tintype, also called the ferrotype or melainotype, was invented in 1856. It consists of a thin layer of photographic emulsion (traditionally collodion) coated onto a blackened sheet of metal. This plate is exposed directly in the camera and developed immediately while still wet. The resulting negative image appears positive against the black support.

The tintype greatly democratised photography because it facilitated, for the first time since the invention of photography, the production of cheap and durable photographic portraits and scenes.

The 21st century revival of the wetplate collodion tintype technique exemplifies a reaction to the digital, high-tech “perfection” of contemporary photography and represents a return to authentic, hand crafted, analogue image making. The beguiling materiality of a tintype is rarely encountered in modern photography.

The arcane, antique chemical process of tintypes renders contemporary subjects with an altered psychology of space. Tintype portraits in particular have an arresting power that haunts. The long exposure times Phillip uses force the sitter to concentrate on their own stillness and gaze, investing the photo portrait with gravitas and an ineffable aura.

With the works in this exhibition, Phillip investigates the potential of analogue photographic techniques, which once were so potent, precious and ceremonial, to say something new, important and alchemical in an age of ubiquitous digital and infinitely computer-manipulatable imagery.

The works comprising IMAGE / OBJECT span the eight years the artist has been practicing this technique and include still lifes, landscapes and portraits.

Daily opening times:
Friday 12 May – Sunday 25 June 2023
Mon – Fri 9AM – 5PM

Sonder – noun. the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as one’s own

SONDEROUS is an annual showcase of works by Salamanca Arts Centre’s Resident visual artists, with works created as part of their Studio practice.

The works presented range in mediums including but not limited to photography, painting, collage, printmaking and more.

Featured Artists:
Catherine Arsaut
Halima Bhatti
Emma Bingham
Hannah Blackmore
Michaye Boulter
Belinda Casey
Katherine Cooper
Antoinette Ellis
Phillip England
Joe Fazackerley
Jamin Kluss
Donna Oakford
Julie Payne
Emily Snadden
Linda Veska
Richard Wastell

Friday 31 March – Wednesday 3 May 2023
Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm
Sat – 9am – 3pm
Sun CLOSED

Rivulets and tarns define pathways in landscapes that we can trace.

Rivers, tarns, rivulets and lakes define pathways in country that we can trace.
Vital information for maps, natural waterways are integral to  human  experience of ‘landscape’.
They are co-opted to become highlights on bushwalks, playgrounds for paddlers.
Our natural waterways are capillaries of ecosystems providing for all life.  So much so, that the metaphor of living waters transcends different cultures. Do we cherish them? Water, ‘pure’  water is a sacred thing. It is a dynamic landscape that we seek to carry our woes away. These oil paintings celebrate waterways  in Tasmania/Lutruwita.

Opening Event
Friday 3 February 2023
5:30pm  7:30pm

A whimsical, analogue, photographic reciprocation, along the river Seine, of the 1801 French voyage of exploration to Terra Australis and Van Diemens land led by Nicolas Baudin.
By SAC Resident Artist Phillip England.

“The French voyage of discovery, led by Nicolas Baudin to Australia, including van Diemens Land in 1801 produced some iconic artwork depicting the marine and terrestrial flora and fauna they saw, the coastlines they mapped and the First Nations people they met. The voyage departed from Le Havre, the mouth of the Seine River which flows through Paris.  My 2021 UTAS Rosamund McCulloch studio residency at la Cité internationale des arts in Paris became an artistic reciprocation of this voyage; an antipodean search for signs of life on the Seine river and documentation of my exploration of the river as it moves through Paris and where it meets the sea at La Havre. 

I used monochrome, medium format film, exposed in a lensless panoramic pinhole camera, at sites along the Seine in Paris and at its mouth at Le Havre to evoke the water colour panoramas of Australian coastlines produced by the Baudin voyage artists Lesueur and Petit. The long exposure times required in pinhole photography remove human figures from the landscape, evoking the legal travesty, Terra Nullius, which drove European occupation of Australia, an already occupied land.

While in Paris, during a one week residency in the Ithaque gallery/darkroom, I made silver-gelatin photographic prints from a selection of these pinhole panoramas. 

I also used instant film photography (Polaroid) to produce a series of triptychs at locations along the Seine River and I employed bleach reversal chemistry on medium format film photographs to produce monochrome, medium format positive slides, which are exhibited individually in light boxes. 

The works in Terra Nullius reflect two predominant themes in my practice: 1) how the materiality of analogue and antique-process photography alters the psychology of space in imagery and 2) finding constructive emotional responses to humanity’s loss of close connection to the natural world.”
– Phillip England 

Opening Event
Sunday 13 November 2022
2:00pm – 4:00pm

Featuring works by Nolan Art K-12 Students, this annual exhibition features ceramics, sculpture, fashion illustration, oil and acrylic painting, and drawing.

Simplicity and Serenity.
A collection of ceramic sculptures created to evoke a sense of calm, by Resident Artist Melly Frank.

“Meditation has become a vital practice in my life. It lessens feelings of overwhelm and helps greatly in bringing me back to a sense of focus, balance and calm.

With the knowledge that meditation has helped my mental health immensely, I feel compelled to create work that is inspired by the practice.

The act of hand building with clay for me is also a meditative practice. The tactile process slows my mind allowing it to become intensely focused on the task at hand, leaving no room for intrusive unwelcome thoughts and feelings.

My hope is that when you observe my sculptures, you may stop and take a quiet moment to perhaps experience a sense of calm yourself.”
– Melly Frank