General 2 — Wollombi Valley Arts Council

Old Fireshed Gallery

The Old Fireshed Gallery was converted into a much-needed gallery in 2003, when the Rural Fire Service moved to their new fireshed. Since then it has been a popular and successful exhibition space for local artists, and some from further afield. A new exhibition is held every month. It is an artist - run venue, with the WVAC only requiring 10% of gross sales, and hence very popular.

Our current exhibition …

‘meme pas peur’
CHANTAL MAHONEY

25 Oct. - 9 Nov, 2025

« Même pas peur » Mahoney’s 13th solo exhibition, explores resilience and the courage to confront fear, transforming it into strength and connection
Chantal Mahoney is an Australian artist born in France. After graduating from the National Art School in Sydney, she established her first studio in Mosman, where she became an active member in shaping the Headland Park artists’ community on the former military sites managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. Eight years ago, her deep love of the Australian wilderness led her to open a second studio in Wollombi. Her work is held in collections across Australia and internationally.

*‘Wildflowers of Nurrewin’*

‘FLIGHTS OF FANCY’
PAM SAHM RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION

Opening celebration Sat. 15th November 3pm - 5pm
Exhibition hours 10am - 4pm Fri - Sun
16th - 30th November 2025
OLD FIRESHED GALLERY
WOLLOMBI

Pam’s Biography:
1950 -1953: Studied National Art School in Sydney, majoring in Illustration
1953 - 1955: Worked at Martin Boyd Pottery as a decorator
1974 - 1976: Studied National Art School printmaking
In 1955 after marrying, my husband Bernard Sahm and I travelled to Europe over a two-year period. We worked at Gutenhaide Ceramics in Stuttgart, Germany for six months and then spent one year working with Harry and May Davis at Crowan Pottery in Cornwall. We returned to Mosman in 1957.
Throughout the early seventies I returned to the National Art School and attended evening classes in drawing, painting and silk screen printing. Having discovered silk screen printing I decided to make that my method of expression.
In 1980 my husband and I established workshops in the country environment at Murray’s Run and moved there permanently in 1988. The country environment had a profound effect on the imagery used in Bernard’s ceramics as in ‘forest forms’, whereas I was inspired totally by the picturesque sight of our wetland lake, home to all sorts of waterbirds including swans, pelicans and cormorants. I was also taken with the many parrots such as the quintessential Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo.
These images and the Australian landscape continued to inspire me for many years to come.

*Morning Flight*

We will continue with Life Drawing classes…

To register, please send an email to artscouncil@wollombi.org.

Old Fireshed Gallery Calendar 2025

4 January - 9 February: ‘THE DREAMING’ - Peter & Katie Williams & family

15 - 23 February: ‘NATURE’S PALETTE - Annette & Keven Rowlison

1 - 16 March: ‘NEW WATAGAN WORKS’- Mandy Davies

22 March - 6 April: Wollombi Ceramics Group Exhibition

12 - 20 April: ‘ABSTRACTING THE LANDSCAPE’ Fiona Bateman and Michael O’Sullivan

26 April - 4 May: PAINTINGS and MOSAICS

10 - 25 May: Stephen Coburn

31 May - 15 June: ‘FIBRE ARTISTS PLUS WOOD’ Bruce Abbott, Lyn Abbott, Ken Hall

21 June - 6 July: ‘WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW!’ Kerryn Raco & Stephanie Vella

12 - 27 July: ‘TAOTOCS’ The Artists of the Old Church Studio

2 - 17 August: - ‘METAL STONE PAINT Sheree Roberts, Giles Tester and Ross Fletcher

23 August - 7 September: Paintings by Julia Francis

13 - 28 September: ’CHANTILLY’ Jennifer Little and Heather Mason

4 - 19 October: EMERGING ARTISTS AWARDS

25 October - 9 November: ‘Meme pas peur’ Chantal Mahoney

15 - 30 November: ‘FLIGHTS of FANCY’ Pamela Sahm retrospective

6 - 21 December: WVAC Artists

2025 Exhibitions

'Great Galah' - Annette Rowlison 50x40cm Acrylic on canvas.jpg

'Graze' Ink on canvas Annette Rowlison 40x30cm.jpg

'Foragers' Keven Rowlison Oil on canvas 82x61cm (1).jpg

'Lookout' Oil on canvas Keven Rowlison 80x60cm.jpg

'Stop it double drummers, you are hurting my ears' - Pencil on paper - Fiona Bateman.jpg

'Nebula 2' Fiona Bateman Oils on canvas.jpeg

'Predawn' - Michael O'Sullivan 81.5x 10.7cm Acrylic on canvas.jpg

'Candles' Michael O'Sullivan Acrylic on canvas 92.5x11.2cm.jpg

'Flooded Gums, Coonamble NSW' Winner Singleton Art Prize 2024- Kaye Lovie.jpg

'Poppies in the Field' - Carole McDonald.jpeg

'Homage to Hundertwasser' - Mary Francis.jpeg

'Spoonbills feeding - on Millfield Wetland' - Marilyn Miller.jpeg

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Wollombi flyer advertising 2025 copy.jpg

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2024 Exhibitions

'SOUL and SPIRIT' by Peter and Katie Williams

In Your Element Art Exhibition Part 1.jpg

In Your Element Art Exhibition Part 2.jpg

'Secret Water Hole Hidden in the Bush #1' Acrylic and copper wire 30x30cm $120 - Gavin Barlow.jpg

'Still Life at Carol's' - Penny Walton.jpg

'Black Chinned Honeyeater' - Penny Walton.jpg

'Threatened Birds of the Hunter' - Penny Walton.jpg

'Des Hommes Reconquis Par La Mer' - Jennier Little

'Les Hommes Doivent Reverde la Nature' - Jennifer Little

'Having a Conversation' - Susanna Chen Chow

2023 Exhibitions

EMERGING ARTIST AWARDS WINNER
Janelle Goldman 'Valley Sunset' — EMERGING ARTIST AWARDS WINNER Janelle Goldman 'Valley Sunset'

HIGHLY COMMENDED - Polina Karuso 'Death Adder'

COMMENDED - Giles Tester 'Foggy Dawn in Valley'

Susanna Chen Chow Fireshed 2023 Invitation-v2.jpg

Laguna Collective Exhibition 2023 -1.jpg

'The Geometry of Innocence' - ILYAS PAPANTONIOU

'Homestead at Lightning Ridge' - Debbie Barry

Detail of rock surface, mixed media - Fiona Bateman

'Willy Wag Tail' - Painted stainless steel by Stephen Coburn

'Ducks priesting Brook' - Ink on paper by Stephen Coburn

'A Fragile Peace' - Stainless steel & mild steel by Stephen Coburn

'Napoleon at sunrise' Oil on board by Stephen Coburn

'Light in the Cosmos' - Acrylic on canvas by Sioux Garside

'Blue Heartshell' - Barium glazed stoneware

'Earth Spirits' - Shane Shepherd
EARTH ELEMENTS EXHIBITION — 'Earth Spirits' - Shane Shepherd EARTH ELEMENTS EXHIBITION

'Still Life with Banksia' - Amanda Broberg

'Still Life with Flannel Flowers' - Amanda Broberg

2022 Exhibitions

'Goanna' from 'FAMILY' Artists-in residence 2022 Peter and Katie Williams

'Wreath' Sterling silver - Christine M. Finch DISCOVERY exhibition

'Let the rivers run' - Christine M. Finch

'Musings of the Countryside' - Christine M. Finch

'The three faces of Margarite' - Christine M. Finch

'Reflections of Waaway - Rainbow Serpent' - Sarah Gordon

'Underground rivers of the Pilliga' - Sarah Gordon

Laguna Collective 2022 flyer white final compressed.jpg

'Still life with Kurrajong pods' - Linda Wilkinson

'Mother Earth Dreaming - Judith Franklin

'Turning wheels, big holes and dram lines' - Sheree Roberts

'Of things we find magical' - Sheree Roberts

'FANCIFUL' Exhibition Susan Myerson & Heather Campbell

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2021 Exhibitions

'GIRRI GIRRA' An exhibition by TIM SELWYN

TAOTOCS: The Artists of the Old Church Studio

'INTERMITTANCES' An exhibition by Chantal Mahoney

'FEMME FANTASTIC' An exhibition by Katrina Rose and Jackie Mare

2020 Exhibitions

Although Covid -19 created quite a few challenges in 2020, we managed to hold 13 exhibitions, two of which were online. Sadly, ‘Paintings & Mosaics’ was cancelled after only a few days, due to lockdown.

'OUR LIFE' Salamah Stewart & Hadijah Munting

'THE PLACE BETWEEN' Penny Walton and Caroline Peddie

2019 Exhibitions

As you can see from the flyers below, local artists and crafts people display a diverse range of their talents and skills at the Old Fireshed Gallery. If you’re a potential exhibitor, book early as this popular gallery is always in demand.