Artists prepare for long weekend rain parade

The Farm Margaret River is abuzz this week with artist-in-residence Sandy McKendrick in full-time creation mode on the large puppet for Carnival Parade and Showcase, assisted by artists Kirsty Szandtner, Jen Stevens, Clara Kotai and Jillian Somerville.

As one of the major sponsoring partners of the Carnival, The Farm’s Workshop shed has become a daily hub for the artists.

“The Farm’s co-director Helen Taylor-Mack and her family have been major patrons of the project across the last two years, and the large Workshop space has allowed for a large scale puppet to be made indoors,” said Artistic Director, Margot Edwards.

Meanwhile, Margaret River’s Kirsty Szandtner has created blue wren costumes for Mikku Schwenson’s Core Dance Collective and will dance with Therese Colman’s Burlesque troop of flying Galahs.

Plant specialist Jen Stevens is highly respected for her immense knowledge of native species, and has created beautiful costumes for the whirling eddies of Wooditjup Bilya – the central river image of the Parade.

Jillian Somerville has been busy tie-dying t-shirts with natural based indigo and onion skin dyes. Margaret River’s Quilting and Sewing group are stitching Jillian’s felted leaves with the word ‘rain’ to be sewn to the t-shirts as Carnival logos by Nina Suriya. The t-shirts and her handcrafted boat earrings will be available to buy as a fundraiser at Carnival Showcase at the HEART sound shell.

In 2023, Sandy McKendrick collaborated with Cowaramup artists, Cara Ratajczak and Michelle Bretherton’s ‘Weaving Stories of Boodja’ project in the creation of the beautiful Cowara bird, which will now help lead out the Parade performance with the Cowara kids.

‘The River’, a long, netted creation full of mini animal sculptures, has been created by the Nannas Who Mend, led by Nirala Hunt.

Dancers from Tutu Dance Company will delight the crowd with their watery moves and costumes, and Margaret River Circus School will create a whirlpool of fun.

Britta Sorenson has created a huge Rain Umbrella of woven rags with 14 local women at The Chapel in Witchcliffe. It will feature as a standing installation in the Parade; while Caralynn Hoft’s Witch of Witchcliffe sculpture holding her basket of herbs will make a rainbow for the colourful Margi Pride contingent.

Gypsy Rhythm troupe led by Cowaramup’s Rita Montgomery will be dancing in their magnificent red tail cockatoo costumes. From Mirrambeena, a fun-rolling wheelchair bath of bubbles because “who doesn’t love a bath when the rain fills the water tanks,” said Activities Coordinator, Megan Hodgson.

And the latest addition of large creations, loaned by theatre artist Sky River with Artzability, have crept out of the studio of their co-creator, weaver and sculptor, Cynammon Aeria, in the form of large marsupial and frog puppet heads, who will come back to life for the Parade with the Parents for Climate.

Carnival Parade and Showcase will take place on Wallcliffe Road and the HEART outdoor space on Saturday May 31, from 3pm to 5pm.

The event is funded by the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, Arts Margaret River, The AMR Mail, Margaret River Lions Club, Loosegroup Productions, Melting Pot Glass Studio, Zani Place Artists Retreat and The Farm.

Organisers are still seeking donations from business and community sponsors to find the last $2000 of funding needed. Please contact Margot Edwards 0420 940 123 if you are able to help.