Good Egg Gallery cracks it

The Good Egg Gallery has cracked the formula for bringing local artists together in a welcoming space in just its first few weeks of operation.

The gallery opened on July 18 at 345 Mount Glorious Rd, Samford, on the old egg farm in a house that’s more than 100 years old.

It’s a welcoming, light and bright space that features the work of about 20 artists from the region including Eric and Ruth Whisson, Rachael King, Lance Boucaut, Ann and Gerry O’Connor and Shan Wood.

The gallery is artist Deb Pettigrew’s labour of love, a project that’s brought her joy during the building’s transformation and since its opening.

“I’m thrilled to be open and to have had so many people visit,” Deb says.

“You take a punt and you really want it to work … it’s nice to have somewhere that people can afford the art and it’s all handmade.”

What the gallery offers

There are three exhibition spaces, plus a teaching area that could be used as an exhibition space if needed in future

“At the moment, I’ve taking everyone who’s interested in exhibiting and charging just a little bit to cover insurance,”

Deb would love to host an artist-in-residence at some stage and is looking forward to regular exhibitions.

“When we can have exhibitions, I will be hiring out the rooms as needed but keeping core people whose work I’ll keep showing,” she explains.

Art lovers rejoice

Deb says dozens of art lovers have visited the gallery since it opened, and the early feedback has been encouraging.

She sold about $1300 in art on just the second weekend.

“Everyone’s sold something, and that’s really beautiful. It’s nice that everyone gets a bit of a look in,” Deb says.

How it all came together

Deb bought the 18-acre property about 20 years ago, when the old egg farm closed down.

“It’s a beautiful spot on the top of the hill. It’s been a lovely place to live,” she says.

The idea of moving a house onto the site to convert into a gallery crossed her mind about six months before she stumbled upon the Dayboro house, while looking online for her daughter.

She’d previously thought about putting a shed up in the same location.

The house was being used as a doctors’ surgery at Dayboro and was built in the early 1900s for Robert Vellnagel by his brother-in-law. It’s also been a family home, corner shop and guest house during its life and appears as though it was meant to be a gallery.

Deb has it moved onto the site about two years ago, using a couple of rooms to display work during last year’s Samford Arts Trail. Then renovations started.

Born to paint

Deb’s work is also featured in the gallery, and she runs classes there a couple of times a week.

Watching people find a piece of art they can relate to brings her tremendous joy, and she now has a reason to see it on a regular basis.

“I love seeing people come in and say, ‘I want that’. I enjoy doing it and they enjoy having it,” she says.

“It’s nice having something that people can look at and remember and think about each time (they see it).”

The gallery is at 345 Mount Glorious Rd, Samford.

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