From July 13 – September 18, The Riddoch Art Gallery in partnership with Walkway Gallery in Bordertown will present Telling Tales, an artist-led, community project, capturing stories from the Limestone Coast region.

Local artist Jo Fife and Adelaide based, former Mount Gambier artist, Sera Waters, are asking all current and past residents of the Limestone Coast, from Mount Gambier to Bordertown, to contribute a small embroidered patch that captures their experiences and knowledge of this region.

These patches will be sent back to The Riddoch Art Gallery where the artists will go through each one and put them all together, to create one work with many voices, to capture a different, but important story.

“I am fascinated by little known histories and insights people and communities have about the places they live. History books don’t reflect this kind of insider knowledge. With the Telling Tales project, we hope to celebrate local community tales, a richer version of this region,” – Sera Waters.

This opportunity is a chance for anyone with links to this region to share insights, knowledge, and tales from past happenings, passed along knowledge, family histories, regional species, weather events, mysteries, and much more.

“I am really excited to be working on this community art project. Many families have had a connection with this region for generations and have stories of their own family happenings that have been handed down from one generation to the next. I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s stories in stitch!” – Jo Fife.

The finished artwork will be exhibited alongside the Country Arts SA touring exhibition Sera Waters: Domestic Arts in both The Riddoch Art Gallery and Walkway Gallery in 2021.

For those curious about the project, you can find more information here, and also follow the progress on the Telling Tales Facebook page. You can register for the project by contacting either The Riddoch Art Gallery or Walkway Gallery via email, phone or in person. Everyone who registers will receive a stitch pack which includes blue and green threads, 22 x 22cm canvas, needle, instructions and return envelope.

This project is supported by Country Arts SA.