We would also like to acknowledge…
Scott Pollock
The Artists of the Round Yard Inc. came into being because of Scott Pollock. During his tenure as Manager of Retford Park he envisioned a creative group based on site. An artist himself, Scott wanted to support the arts, but he also saw ARY as a fitting tribute to James Fairfax AC, a great collector and philanthropist.
Now Scott is thriving (as he always does) as Cultural Facilities Manager for the local community of Narrabri and North West NSW. He’s developing a range of cultural activities in this role, and once again he’s motivating people to be creative and think bigger!
Thank you, Scott, for the wonderful opportunity you gave us at Retford Park, and for your trust in us to stand on our own feet now that you’ve moved on.
Peter Baron
6 September 1950 – 15 November 2020
We’d also like to acknowledge artist and friend, Peter Baron. Peter helped us create the Artists of the Round Yard Inc. in 2017/18 from the ground up. He sat on our Executive Committee, and exhibited with us for the first three exhibitions. We want to thank Peter for all he did for us right from the beginning. Our group benefitted from his many skills and contributions, including his beautiful three-dimensional designs of our exhibition spaces at Retford Park, the round yard, gallery, and stables. We use these to prepare every event.
Thank you, Peter. We’ll miss you.
Peter loved the birds in his garden and often painted them. He wrote:
“Giving is actually what has been given to me. I have been surprisingly gifted by the birdlife in the Southern Highlands that has adopted me. I am constantly reminded that the co-existence between ourselves and wildlife is the essence of life.”
Mark Kelly
Mark Kelly joined the group in 2019 initially as a photographer.
Mark has honed his skills by working on sculptures since picking up a plasma torch as a lockdown project. With a background in engineering and photography, Mark can draw from these skills when creating unique work. He finds inspiration in nature and prefers weathering and stainless steel, often combining them.
Mark’s journey has taken him into larger scale works and competitions, so he has taken a break away from exhibiting with ARY at this time.
Mark has developed our IT backbone and helped us problem solve many conundrums over the years and we will miss you tremendously!
Picture: Mark, with ‘Odin’s Eye”, his 2024 entry in Mudgee Sculptures in the Garden
If you would like to follow Mark’s journey,
Instagram: mkmetalart
Website: www.mkmetalart.com.au