Chris Byrnes

In 2016 to mid 2017, I worked as an administrative volunteer at the (then) Newcastle Community Arts Centre (NCAC). Under the auspices of Miss Wendy Molly Peacock I undertook administrative tasks to assist the running of NCAC; later joining the crew of the NCAC gallery and exhibition programme. The gallery functioned with a professional team of Ahn Wells, Leslie Duffin, Vicki Gerritsen and myself at that time. Earlier Lorraine Palmer (a NCAC artist on site) had been the gallery blogger and she taught me the IT /Web stuff of writing stories about the artists. Introducing interesting stories about the work and the artists added another dimension to the space with appreciative comments in support of my writing often from the artists themselves.

I remember at a meeting at Gallery 139 discussing the last prize exhibition to be held under NCAC premises. Well I am a great thinker and ideas person and I proposed we go out with a bang and invite someone of the caliber of Wendy Sharpe to be the judge. Wendy Peacock pulled it off, connecting with Wendy and I know with the physical help of Anne Caddy and her husband, who drove to Sydney to collect Wendy and drove her back the same night so Wendy could leave for overseas.

Working behind the scenes at gallery openings, my quiet support for artists, gave me confidence to have my first solo exhibition at NCAC. While the information you gather behind the scenes can be useful it also can be difficult to digest and incorporate into one’s own art life, that is the more tedious, unpredictable nature of being a fine artist in the business world. Even more significant than one’s art abilities, COURAGE is the most important thing and I did find that during my time with NCAC; going on to have another exhibition of my work; to win the Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize twice (category Photography and Experimental) and be a finalist on at least one other occasion in the past. Extending my practice beyond photography my works were a finalist in the Newcastle Club Painting Prize and a recent semi-finalist in same. While my blog stories are no longer online I know they opened up opportunities for the general public to gain knowledge and insight into the life of an artist.

I am currently preparing to exhibit in Barcelona, Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne and in local group shows this year before undertaking a research project in London and my first camera tour of Scotland.