Get on down to the FREE Burrawang DnA Festival this October 4-5 long weekend to celebrate designers and artisans of the Southern Highlands

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Olsen-Barrios.jpgFamous Robertson artist Carlos Barrios to do a live painting in the Burrawang Hotel – top prize worth $10,000 in the DnA Raffle

Campaign Brief is co-sponsoring the inaugural Burrawang DnA Festival – which is FREE to attend – this October 4 and 5 long weekend, which will celebrate the amazing designers and artisans of the Southern Highlands of NSW.

Centred in the charming village of Burrawang, close to Robertson in the NSW Southern Highlands, the DnA Festival is the brainchild of Patsy Peacock, the former chairman of top creative recruitment company FBI Recruitment. Organised on behalf of the Burrawang School of Arts as a non-profit initiative, the festival will feature exceptional work from over 20 exhibitors across a range of disciplines – from ceramics to weaving; sculpture to jewellery; furniture to art.

CARLOS-PAINTING-web.jpgA major coup for the DnA Festival is that Highlands’ resident and Australia’s greatest living artist, John Olsen (pictured above left with Barrios) has agreed to be the patron of the festival.

It is a major coup for the festival, but more importantly the local exhibitors, to have the support of such an icon and elder statesmen of Australian art.

The Big Saturday October 4 Evening Bash at Burrawang Pub – from 4.30pm

Apart from the exhibition a highlight of the weekend will be a colourful evening of music and great food at the famous Burrawang Hotel, both inside and outside with two amazing live bands: top Highlands blues band Blue Hour Blues and Eleven Eleven Nation, which plays a unique and eclectic mix of blues, world and rock.

Celebrated Highlands artist Carlos Barrios will be painting live in the pub (accompanied by top Robertson acoustic guitarist Dave Shaw and his partner, contemporary singer Monique Goliger) with one lucky raffle ticket winning the painting, valued at $10,000, thanks to Maunsell Wickes Gallery, Paddington. Carlos will start painting at 6pm with the draw taking place at 8pm on the night. Within a few weeks after the event Carlos will complete the painting ready for the lucky ticket holder.

BURRAWANG-PUB-PIC.jpegBURRAWANG-BLUES-BAND.jpgThere will be a fair few Sydney ad agency and production people there so come and join them (if you are let Lynchy know).

Your entrance fee also gives you a great choice of hot food (from 4:30pm) served from stalls in the hotel’s famous courtyard. Tickets are $30 Adult, $15 Children (5-16) with kids under 5 FREE. BUY PUB NIGHT TICKETS HERE

Tickets for the Carlos Barrios painting are $50 each with only 200 tickets to be sold – so it’s a great chance to win. All proceeds go to the not-for-profit Burrawang School of Arts. A combo Adult ticket / raffle ticket is also available. Tickets for the pub night and the raffle are available via the DnA website. BUY RAFFLE TICKETS HERE

Says DnA committee member Beth Macdonald, who owns and operates well-known lifestyle blog baby-mac.com: “It is an opportunity to be introduced to emerging talent and to also be exposed to works from established and celebrated artisans and designers.

“DnA also features a comprehensive programme of workshops, talks, and discussions with select exhibitors and renowned creators and influencers. It is a festival of the beautiful. It is a festival of the unique. It is a festival of old and new techniques; of contemporary design from traditional methods. Above all, it is a festival of celebration. It is Burrawang DnA.”

Beth-Macdonald.jpgMacdonald (left) sees the festival as a valuable addition to the vibrant creative calendar that exists in the Southern Highlands: “This is a festival celebrating the unique talents of local designers and artisans. It is a creative focal point for the Highlands – a one-day festival with diverse but carefully selected exhibitors, talks and workshops. It isn’t just another date on the market circuit but a destination event that will place local emerging and established creative talents in the spotlight.”

DnA is also encouraging exhibitors to take up the opportunity to present a short talk on their work or to participate in a Q&A session. This provides exhibitors a voice beyond their works – to allow them to explain some of their techniques, passions and creative ethos.

Says Macdonald: “This is another way in which we hope to set-apart Burrawang DnA, by engaging with our exhibitors in a more holistic way and thereby creating greater value for both them and for our attendees.

DNA-POSTER.jpg“We have a vision and goal of turning the festival into one of the premier creative events on the calendar. We want our exhibitors to share that vision and join us on that journey.”

Beth’s partner Rob Macdonald is also on the DnA committee, and is the driving force behind the event. Macdonald, who operates his own content and production company The Butterfly Armoury, is an amazingly talented director, writer, shooter and editor, who has produced an incredibly beautiful series of short videos for several of the exhibitors. VIEW THE VIDEOS

DNA-SPONSORS.jpgThe following are confirmed exhibitors: Mr & Mrs Munro (woodwork / furniture / sculpture / basketry), Natalie Miller (weaver), Heidi McGeoch (sculpture / metal / ceramics), Ian Factor (contemporary furniture designer / maker), Michael Yabsley / Wombat Hollow (lamps), Dimity Kidston (tapestry weaving), Ofra Messiah (jeweller), Zoe Olivia Young (sculpture / painting), Brooke MacLean (sculptor), Alison Fraser (ceramics/textiles), Tracy Hopkirk (jewellery), Emilie Patteson (glass artist / illustrator), Julie Pennington (ceramic artist), Helen Factor (contemporary mosaic artist), Susan Williams (ceramics), Freya Jobbins (plastic surgeon/assembler), Tim Anson (found object sculpture), Phil Young (wood turning), Paterson & Salisbury (leatherworks), Torquil Fitch (fine furniture designer / maker) and Gallery Ecosse (artists / mixed hanging).

Workshops and talks so far locked in: Hariett Goodall (ancient twist: contemporary coiled basketry), Alex Falkiner (drawing with thread: Un embroidery), Natalie Miller (weaving with leather), Button Up Designs (resin jewellery workshop), Margaret Connor (introduction to feltmaking) and Freya Jobbins (funky toy face – for kids).

More details on the DnA Facebook page.