Bloom - the new activation at The Gladstone by the new Creatives in Residence, ArtUp - celebrates growth and invites you to explore themes of plants, roots, resilience, ageing and becoming through contemporary art and design.

Particpating Artists

• Anna Blatman

• Kerrin Samuel

• Jade Armstrong

• Tina Burge 

• Maya Grkow

• Barry Robertson

• Shelly Lazar

• Nah Bananas

• Toby Wundheiler

• Lily Wundheiler

• Kirtana Bharathi

• Nicola De Rosbo-Davies

• Randeep Sith Zem Rost

• Sue Armstrong

• Thea HuWarren

Step inside a colourful new exhibition where art, flowers and creativity come to life. Discover a vibrant collection of original paintings, ceramics, sculpture and photography inspired by flowers, growth and the beauty of the natural world. Bloom showcases a much-loved established Melbourne artist alongside a fresh new generation of emerging artists whose careers are just beginning to flourish and bloom.

Featuring emerging artists working across painting, sculpture, installation, photography, textiles and object-based practice, ‘Bloom’ explores nature, resilience, memory and the journey that shape us. Whether you're searching for your next favourite artist, looking to add something special to your walls, or simply after an inspiring afternoon out, Bloom is for you.

Gallery Opening Hours

• Thursday, 4pm-7pm

• Friday, 4pm-7pm

• Saturday, 1pm-4pm

• Or by appointment

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A program of public talks, workshops and events

To compliment ‘Bloom’, the team from ArtUp have a full program of talks, workshops and events. The program is designed to engage with residents, invite new audiences into the gallery, deepen engagement with the exhibition and give participating artists opportunities to share their practices and skills. The program includes:

• Curator’s Gallery Tour - Sat, 22 Aug, 2pm - 2:45pm, FREE
  Go beyond the artwork labels and discover the stories, materials and creative ideas behind the exhibition. Join ArtUp Co-Founders and Curators of Bloom, Kerrin Samuel and Jade Armstrong, who will introduce you to the work of the 15 participating artists, sharing insights into their practices and the many ways they interpret the exhibition’s themes - from organic roots, flowers and changing landscapes to personal growth, ageing and renewal.

• Sugar Blowing Demo - Sat, 29 Aug, 2pm - 2:45pm, FREE
  Step into the sweet world of molten sugar! What happens when sugar becomes sculpture? Join Melbourne artist Jade Armstrong for a free live sugar blowing demonstration at ArtUp and watch as molten sugar is transformed into delicate, translucent sculptural forms.

• Sugar Blowing and Edible Flower Art Workshop - Sun, 30 Aug, 1:30pm - 3pm, or 4pm - 5:3pm, $135.00 + booking fees
  In this hands-on workshop, artist Jade Armstrong will guide you through the unique art of sugar blowing - a sculptural technique like glassblowing, but with sugar. You’ll heat, shape, and inflate your own delicate sugar sculptures, learning the science, history, and symbolism behind this surprising material.

• Into Stillness :: An Immersive Sound Bath - Tue, 8 Sep, 6:30pm - 7:30pm, $25/$30 + booking fees
  Step away from the noise of everyday life and enter an immersive multi-sensory sound bath created by artist Jade Armstrong. At the centre of the experience is an original soundscape composed by Jade and informed by neuroaesthetics and research into rhythm, repetition and neural oscillations. Designed to support relaxation and meditative attention, the recorded composition will create a gentle foundation for layers of live resonant sound.

• Impatient Sketching >> Nature’s Patterns - Fri, 11 Sep, 5:30pm - 6:30pm, $20/$25 + booking fees
  Join artist Jade Armstrong for a playful, pressure-free workshop designed to loosen your hand, quiet your inner critic and (re)discover the pleasure of drawing.

  Impatient sketching uses speed, repetition and simple creative constraints to help you draw before your judging mind catches up. Through a series of quick exercises, you’ll experiment with timed sketches, continuous lines, unexpected prompts and intuitive mark-making.

• Menditation ---- visible mending - Sat, 12 Sep, 1:30pm - 3:30pm, $20/$25/$30 + booking fees
  Learn how to mend and care for the items you already own, including garments, towels and everyday textiles, while embracing a culture of repair over replacement. Through simple, beginner-friendly techniques, NahBananas will guide participants in repairing well-loved items and giving them new life. The workshop also considers mending as a reflection of how we interact with one another - reminding us to care for ourselves, each other and our communities.