Blackwood River Arts Trail Inc.
We endeavour to provide opportunity for public engagement with local artists from the Blackwood River Valley region of Western Australia, showcase artists' work, enhance marketing opportunities and provide access to new audiences and collectors. Develop cultural offerings that will enliven regional communities and bring consumers to local businesses, by facilitating multi-community events culminating in an arts trail through the Blackwood river region and a catalogue of participating artists.
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The Blackwood River Arts Trail attracts the participation of artists from multiple disciplines including painting, photography, ceramics, mosaics, textiles, sculpture, jewellery, illustration, creative writing, music, theatre, dance and film. Artists and artisans from any creative discipline are invited to participate.
The trail has grown both in numbers and in its reach – 2023 BRAT included 30 venues across the Nannup, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Donnybrook-Balingup and Boyup Brook shires and had over 60 artists showing their works to 6000 plus visitors and locals.
In a beautiful, printed guide, we include information about various art, sculpture and mural trails found in local towns, other events, music performances and workshops that are on during the trail. This means visitors will have a range of things to do, and our handy listings and advertisements in the guide will allow them to plan a great getaway in our region.
Our BRAT 2026 Committee
Liz Janney
Chair
Liz has spent the last two decades living in The Kimberley and has just moved to the Nannup region. In Broome she operated a tourism business introducing people to the creative side with her art tours and also self published a tourism booklet. Through Kimberley Arts Network (KAN) she was involved in the Open Studios and is hoping to bring her knowledge to the Blackwood River Arts Trail.
Bev Bagby
Vice Chair - Boyup Brook Town Coordinator
Bev Bagby has been an exhibiting artist since 1992, first exhibiting in QLD Arts Council Gallery in Dutton Park. Since then she has exhibited regularly, most recently in New Zealand in Wellington at The Academy of Fine Arts; also in Whangarei and Northland galleries with watercolours, pastels, oils and acrylics.
A large part of Bev's practice is teaching and since residing in Boyup Brook, she has regularly taught drawing and painting at the Community Resource Centre. Bev was also an Artlink tutor with Arts Council in Queensland.
Inspiration is drawn from the landscape with some works being representational and others combining ethereal elements drawn from the spirit of the land.
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Steve Goble
Treasurer & BRFF Coordinator
Claire Connelly
Donnybrook Coordinator
Steve is a retired electrical engineer and now works part time as an ambulance transport officer in Manjimup. He is also a volunteer ambulance officer in Nannup, secretary of the St John WA Nannup subcentre, treasurer of Nannup Community Cinema Incorporated, treasurer of Blackwood River Arts Trail Inc. and joint coordinator of the Blackwood River Film Festival with Miranda Free artist
Claire is thrilled to join the Blackwood River Arts Trail (BRAT) committee for 2026. A long-time advocate for the arts in her community, she has played a key role in promoting creativity through:
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Coordinating diverse exhibitions
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Organizing and implementing community art projects
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Teaching and facilitating arts and crafts sessions
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Active membership in the Donnybrook Arts and Crafts Group and the Donnybrook Town Team
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Contributing to the Donnybrook Artisans Shop
Claire hopes that the experience and insights she’s gained over the years will enrich the BRAT journey and help foster a vibrant, inclusive celebration of local arts and crafts.
Miranda Free
Nannup Coordinator
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Lyn Willett
Boyup Brook- Minutes Secretary
Nikki Powell
Committee Member
Laurie Bullied
Bridgetown Coordinator
Miranda Free is an Australian artist who paints landscapes, people and still life. She originally trained in science, education and communications before deciding to focus on her art career. She is a contemporary realist who often works from life, mainly using oils to produce her works. She now spends time between her studio gallery in Nannup, Fremantle and Brisbane. She has exhibited widely in many solo and over 50 joint and group exhibitions in Australia and internationally, undertaken several artist residencies, been a finalist in a number of prestigious art awards, as well as founding and coordinating the Blackwood River Arts Trail (BRAT) during its initial tenure. It is now an established event covering four shires in the southwest region of WA and she returns to the committee as Nannup Town Coordinator in 2026
As part of the Boyup Brook Tourism Association Inc., Lyn readily took up the chance to join the Blackwood River Arts Trail Inc. committee. Like tourism this was a chance to promote our artists and artisans, and our wondrous district.
Lyn is an organiser over the previous four years she has organised, Blooming Wild Weekend with Art on Abel from The Little Art Gallery, Walk on the Wildside, a trail around our district’s quirky collections and the Blooming Wildflower tour. During 2020 Lyn secured funding for world renowned artist Sobrane, who grew up in Boyup Brook to paint a mural on theold railway goods shed building.
While working at the Boyup Brook CRC She co-ordinated the Boyup Brook Art Awards during the Country Music Festival.
Nikki has always had a career in the Arts,starting in graphic design before swiftly moving into Musical Theatre and then film as an actor, writer and director. Alongside her Theatre career, Nikkki has always engaged in making art in various forms, including costume and set design, painting, and even hair and makeup design. Now, Nikki enjoys the luxury of having time to focus on her art as well as help connect people with the other artists in this beautiful corner of the world. Nikki appreciates all genres, but her favourite is miniatures, creating dolls, dioramas, and dollhouses with a unique twist. Nikki has been instrumental in establishing and curating small Galleries in Perth and Bridgetown and is now curating The Little Art Gallery in Boyup Brook.
I am lucky to have a large studio/gallery on the north bank of the Blackwood River in Bridgetown that I open on adhoc basis. Other than this I have exhibited occasionally at a cellar door in Margaret River and in group exhibitions in the south west. My one foray into commercial gallery space has been the lovely Gallery Aura in Kojonup ( worth a visit ).
My recent focus has been on contemporary figurative works and abstracted landscapes.
The figurative works often incorporate stencilling and gold leaf elements with my early interest in graphics and illustration coming through.
The landscapes are generally an exercise in moody colour harmonies. I am also drawn to painting still life works that can range from the vibrant and graphic to the quite literal and conventional.
I have an ambition to delve into large abstracts and experiment with making my own paint.
Jean Stasse
Balingup Coordinator
Jean is excited to be on the Committee for the Blackwood River Arts Trail for 2026.
Previously, Jean worked for approximately 20 years as a teacher in schools in Busselton and Bunbury. teaching Indonesian language, Art and Social Sciences. Other work included being Senior Project Officer for Rockingham Community Youth Support Scheme, and before that, working as the Education Officer in Greenough Regional Prison.
Since retiring, she has spent time in various part time activities. She has been a member of Toastmasters for a year, a student mentor at Balingup Primary School for a year,
a Support Worker with CamCan and then Mable, until starting up the Balingup Art Gallery with a few local friends in 2024.