Wattle Cottage Art Centre is at the opposite end of our farm to my home studio and is home to my shop, gallery and teaching spaces. The Cottage is part of a complex of buildings that used to be tobacco, storage and processing sheds. Our family were some of the last growers of tobacco in the Bundaberg area and we have retained the infrastructure and equipment to preserve its history. The cottage was restored in the 1990s and operated as a farmstay until around 2010. It is now where you will find my shop and accomodation for overnight stays if you are attending workshops.
323 Gordons Road, Alloway Open by appointment Ph/text 0421674124
Shop/Gallery
Nestled between farmland and natural bushland, Wattle Cottage is the perfect spot to house my work.
Inside you can find my original works, prints, gifts, wearable art and greeting cards. The cottage is set in a beautiful rural landscape on the family sugar cane farm, with plenty of places to sit and relax in nature Why not bring a picnic basket and find a spot to lunch or pick up a coffee or cuppa from Alloway Farm Market on the way to Wattle Cottage.
Open by appointment by calling or texting on 0421674124
Workshop Spaces
"The Shed" studio space set in the historic tobacco industry buildings, can be used for larger workshops, dance/yoga or art groups either upstairs indoors or in the downstairs open air space. During the cooler months you can also use the beautiful Lotus Belle tent for your small workshop groups, circles or overnight stays. Wattle Cottage also houses a small meeting room suitable for meditation and mini workshops, and a beautiful veranda which is wonderful if you just want to sit and relax with a book and a cuppa.
The Cottage itself, once a farmstay, still maintains accomodation for retreats and overnight stays during workshops. For hire information email HERE
The view from our upstairs workshop space
In My Home Studio
My home studio is situated in our cottage on a sugar cane farm in Alloway, in the Wide Bay Region of Queensland. I have surrounded our home with beautiful forest like gardens. If I could I would spend most of my time outdoors, but I am sensitive to heat and struggle in our hot, humid summers.
After spending years squashed into a small room with no place for a large canvas, I've finally got the space of my dreams. Sliding glass doors from my studio allow access to a screened-in corner of our veranda . It is perfect. I've got my connection to the outdoors whatever the weather, space to work, space to meditate and a corner for a nice cup of tea while I dream up more ideas. And when it is too hot, I can close the glass door to take advantage of the air conditioning whilst still being able to gaze out into nature.
My indoor space now boasts plenty of light for filming my workshops and storage for all of my supplies. Hector's old leather chair still has its place just inside the door.