The Yarra Valley is world renowned for its amazing natural beauty, and the great chance it provides to take a short break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Less is known however of the diverse creative community that calls the Yarra Valley home.
This community of artists regard themselves as the luckiest people in the world to live in a region that provides constant inspiration for their creativity. However, the introspective nature of creating art has often kept these local gems hidden in studios away from the public eye.
Yarra Valley Open Studios (YVOS) offers locals and visitors alike a rare insight into the creative process by allowing the public to visit artists in their studios to see at first hand what inspires them, and what makes them tick. Tucked in amongst tall trees,fern gullies and mountain ranges you will find painters, ceramicists, textile artists, sculptors, photographers, mosaic artists, jewellers, glass artists and more - often working from unique and fascinating spaces.
This year's YVOS event is already being hailed as a 'step up and beyond' from previous years, with over 40 artists participating.
Oakridge winery is providing their beautiful restaurant and cellar door to house the official Group Exhibition.
The restaurant will open early for an 'Open Studios' inspired breakfast on the weekend of the event (Sept 13 & 14, 2014) giving visitors a chance to view original artwork and plan their weekend studio visits using the YVOS guidebook or iPhone app
A second 'group show' will be held at The Memo Gallery in Healesville. 'Prelim' will exhibit a rare collection of preliminary sketches, studies, plans, visual diaries, models and maquettes that artists use to inform their work.
artist at work
This intriguing exhibition helps highlight the many hours of work and research that goes into a final piece of artwork. It's a peek behind the curtain for many that will visit YVOS – a rare opportunity to find out more about local artists.
ceramics and textiles
Guide Books available late July from retail outlets across Melbourne and the Yarra Valley including Yarra Valley cafes, Shire Offices, information centres as well as yvopenstudios.net.au
Yarra Valley Open Studios 13th & 14th September, 2014
Group exhibition at Oakridge Winery August 23 to September 2014.
864 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream
'Prelim' at The Memo Gallery, August 20 - September 17, 2014. Healesville Memorial Hall: 235 Maroondah Highway,
Stay up to date with YVOS via yvopenstudios.net.au, facebook.com/yarravalleyopenstudio, instagram.com/yarravalleyopenstudios
