What We Have Done and
How We Do It
 

“I am eternally grateful for their support, without which many aspects of NERAM would not have been funded.” Joe Eisenberg, Director, in an interview for Country Style magazine, 2002

“I would like to thank Packsaddle for its continued support of NERAM and its collection. It is certainly very exciting to have the means to purchase new works for the collection.” Caroline Downer, Director, 2011

2020 marks the 35th year of Packsaddle.

To mark the occasion we have received tributes from two of our greatest supporters, Barry Pearce and Philip Bacon.

Barry Pearce FUniSA, Emeritus Curator, Art Gallery of NSW writes:
”It is hard to believe that only about fifteen years ago a profound collective anxiety arose amongst New England citizens when the local council intimated that a debt burden might lead to the closure of NERAM. This was a relatively young regional art museum; then housing the Hinton and Coventry collections, as it still does, and much more.
However hovering in the background was the growing Packsaddle group, whose enthusiasm and belief somehow reassured one that the survival of NERAM would eventually break through, and the museum could proceed once more to build upon its rich core collections. During that period of slow resurrection I became friends with two of the group – Glenda Kupczk-Romanczuk and Moira Lloyd. 
We met for lunch in Sydney early March 2012, and I suggested we look at Margaret Olley’s last exhibition with Philip Bacon at Sotheby’s nearby in Woollahra.
Margaret had been painting in a frenzy the previous year to meet Philip’s deadline, but died before she could see it to conclusion. The triumph of this delayed, blazing energy of a show however was its inclusion of her greatest masterpiece, The Yellow Room triptych, a large-scale composition which without doubt gave her entrée into the modernist Pantheon with her most beloved French painters Bonnard and Vuillard. I felt this work should be acquired by a major public museum, but now retired, I was out of the game. Who should acquire it? 
The answer was staring back with the reaction on the faces of Glenda and Moira as we stood in front of the triptych. I introduced them to Philip, an art dealer and Olley friend of great cultural distinction as well as philanthropist extraordinaire who understood better than anyone the inspiration Margaret took from Howard Hinton’s philosophy of giving. A strategy of payment was put in place, it all made sense for NERAM, and the rest is history.
I made a very tiny contribution towards the fund-raising campaign for the  triptych by agreeing to escort a group of four Packsaddle members on a tour of some famous art sites in Sydney. This was soon after the famous jigsaw fund launch in August 2012. On a beautiful early Spring day I set out with Moira and her husband Peter, and Lynne Walker and Richard Bird, and couldn’t have been happier with such a warm, intelligent group of art lovers. 
We visited Wendy Whiteley’s garden, and Margaret’s house in Duxford Street, one of the last chances to see the original interior of the artist’s wondrous chaos and the actual, impossibly small yellow room. But perhaps the ooh-aah moment of the day came standing near Sydney Harbour Bridge at Milson’s Point to look up and take in the breathtaking motif of Grace Cossington Smith’s spectacular painting, The Curve of the Bridge. 
The question thus arose, if the funding for The Yellow Room triptych was raised successfully, which artist should be considered next, especially one not represented in the collection? The answer bounced back once again, this time from the Bridge; Cossington Smith, another female painter equally indefatigable in her quest for a modern vision and its impact on contemporary society. And Philip, together with the proven commitment of Packsaddle, were the ideal agents for a matching sequel.”

Philip Bacon AM, Philip Bacon Gallery, Brisbane writes:
”Armidale generally and NERAM specifically were amongst Margaret Olley’s favourite places in Australia.  She loved coming to visit her relations, the Wright family, at their property “Wallamumbi”, and of course she adored the gallery in town, housing as it did the collection of her friend and mentor, Howard Hinton.  It was Olley who introduced me to the delights of NERAM, and I was always interested in what was going on there.  And there seemed to be a lot going on, both good and, occasionally, not so good.  Amongst the very good were the activities of that  amazing group of avid supporters, the Packsaddle group. The model they employed, an annual selling exhibition of works sourced from around Australia, was astonishingly successful, with the profits raised being channeled into various projects that the gallery needed support for.
My particular involvement was with the fund raising efforts to acquire Olley’s great late work, “Yellow Room Triptych”, a Packsaddle initiative.   
Needless to say, with the boundless enthusiasm and unbridled energy of the group, the money was raised in a pretty short time, and I had one of the best weekends of my life in the company of the Packsaddle gals at the gala dinner and accompanying festivities when the goal was reached, and the work was safely on NERAM’s specially painted walls.
 I was very honoured when I was asked to help source a Grace Cossington-Smith for their latest endeavour, to acquire for the collection a suitable work of this major artist, who  strangely was not already represented in the NERAM collection.
It was a delight to be back in regular communication with Glenda and Moria, as we worked to find a museum quality painting that could do justice to the artist, and the collection she was joining.
The only negative aspect was my inability to come to Armidale for the presentation, something I was longing to do.
But there will be other projects, other opportunities to join the Packsaddle mob at the gallery, to celebrate together their extraordinary achievements and love of art.  
I can’t wait...”

Donations & Sponsorship to New England Regional Art Museum - NERAM

Over its 35 years Packsaddle has made significant contributions to the gallery including:
1987 Hanging wires and hooks
1988 Mobile scaffolding and NERAM’s first computer
1989 Restoration work on oil paintings and Hinton works on paper
Purchase Solander boxes
1990 Part of curator’s salary
1991 Conservation work on Hinton collection and purchase of a Laser printer
1992 Insurance for travelling exhibitions and valuation of donated works
1993 Paintings trolley and external cladding for part of the building
1994 Construction work on Packsaddle Studio
1995 More work on Packsaddle Studio
1996 More work on Packsaddle Studio
1997 Opening of Stage 2 of NERAM and Packsaddle Studio
1999 Fees for valuations of donated works plus light fittings
2000 Upgrade of hanging wires and hooks
2001 Recarpeting offices and acquisition of Alun Leach Jones carpet
2004 Printing press
2005 Contribution to travelling exhibitions from AGNSW and MCA,
plus valuation and insurance of donated works.
Light fittings
2008 Part payment - new lighting system
2012 Renovation of the Packsaddle artist’s living quarters
2013 New hooks for hanging system
2014 Display cabinet and temporary frames
2015 Donation to Adopt an Artwork Fund-Raiser
Esther Paterson “The Yellow Gloves” and Nora Heysen “Eggs” 

2013 Artist’s Residence renovations
2016 Lighting upgrade at NERAM plus contribution to Packsaddle Studio and Pad
2017 Contribution to Helen Dangar Memorial Bursary
Contribution to the purchase of a printing press for the Black Gully Printers
2018 Adoption of seven artworks for conservation
2018 Sponsorship for EMANATE exhibition of best graduates’ work from the National Art School 2018 Funding for the Packsaddle Lecture Series to be held annually:                                            
• F T Wimble Lecture (prints and printmaking)
• Howard Hinton Lecture (early Australian art)
• Chandler Coventry Lecture (contemporary Australian art)
2019 Funding for the Packsaddle Lecture series

Artworks Donated to NERAM

The majority of the works came from the Packsaddle exhibitions or were purchased by agreement with the director.

 “At the end of an exhibition Beverley would say: ’it’s such a shame to let this go back...
we’ll give it to the Collection.”  These days we adhere to NERAM’s strict acquisition policy.

1989
Idris Murphy, Lakes South Coast, Charcoal & ink on paper
Alun Leach-Jones, Revisited Objects, Silkscreen
Fred Cress, Ripples, Lithograph
1990
Roy Jackson, Bower Bird, Acrylic on canvas
Roy Jackson, Hidden Calf, Acrylic on canvas
Salvatore Zofrea, An Odyssey
1991
Ron Lambert, Up Front for Ian, Oil on canvas
1992
Suzanne Archer, Chirikuutsi, Acrylic on paper
Joyce Allen, Death in the Dump
1993
Peter Sharp, The Mulberry Tree, Oil, enamel and oil stick
Mostyn Bramley-Moore, Harbour, Oil on canvas
1993/4
Mostyn Bramley-Moore, Pedestal, Oil on canvas
Christopher Hodges, N.Y.N.Y.
Aida Tomescu, OM III, Sugar lift & aqua tint etching
Aida Tomescu, OM IV, Sugar lift & aqua tint etching
John Peart, Fragments & Shadows, Oil on canvas
Brian Hartigan, Untitled, Oil stick on paper
Kath and Len Shillam, Cormorant (Memorial for Afra Smith), Bronze
1995
Suzanne Archer, Red Spill, Acrylic and Gouache on paper
David Fairbairn, Yellow Pathway
Christopher Hodges, Loose
Graham Kuo, Nautica #5, Nautica #7, Nautica #9
Joyce Allen, The Wall, Linocut
1996
David Fairbairn, Yellow Pathway, Mixed media
Suzanne Archer, Red Spill
Christopher Hodges, Loose (No 3), Acrylic on paper
1997
Denese Oates, Rattled
Albert Irvin, Untitled
Bernard Ollis, View—Mt Oberton, Oil pastel on paper
1998
Geoff Le Gerche, The Fitzroy
Max Miller, Knight’s Hill
John Beard, Study for Tiger
Fred Cress, Ripples
Henry Mullholland, Still Life, Gouache on paper
John Beard, Adraga, Silkscreen (suite of seven)
1999
Liz Cumming, Seascape, Oil on canvas
Roy de Maistre, Study for Boat Harbour, Oil on board
Norman Lindsay, Study for Apollo’s Vanguard, Pencil on paper
Norman Lindsay, Study for Happiness, Pencil on paper
Norman Lindsay, Study for Guarded, Pencil on paper
2000
Daphne Wallace, Clay Pan Waterholes, Oil on canvas and mixed media sculptures
2001
Rue Abdul, Gelora I (Odyssey), Collograph in black ink
Rue Abdul, Gelora II (Odyssey), Collograph in red and black ink
Alun Leech-Jones, Carpet
2003
David Strachan, Untitled #, Oil on masonite
2004
Works from Chandler Coventry estate, Lawson Menzies Auction
Ross Laurie, Untitled VII, Acrylic on paper
Peter Sharpe, Dogma, Acrylic, oilstick and collage on paper
Geoff Le Gerche, Riversleigh Monument, Etching and aquatint on paper
Gunther Christmann, Untitled, Oil on canvas
George Balyek, Suspended Vertication, Acrylic, wire & rope on board
Sandra Leveson, Pantry Study, Acrylic on paper
Nigel Thompson, Untitled
Gunther Christmann, Smash, Oil on canvas
Michael Essen, I once rang, Graphite on paper
John Davis, Untitled, Mixed media
Joe Szabo, Untitled, Charcoal on paper
Marea Gazzard, Great Lakes II, Pastel and pencil on paper on canvas
Max Cullen, Untitled, Monotype on paper
Glen Murray, Untitled #1, Mixed media paper collage
Glen Murray, Untitled #3, Mixed media paper collage
2006
Angus Nivison, Glimpse, Acrylic and charcoal on canvas
Angus Nivison, Working Drawing for Glimpse, Acrylic and charcoal on paper
2007
Daphne Wallace, MinMin Lights on the Plains, Oil and linseed oil on canvas
2008
Marea Gazzard, Janus IV (Memorial - Beverley Wright), Clay
2011-2013
Margaret Olley, Yellow Room Triptych, Oil on Hardboard
2016
Jorg Schmeisser print from Basil Hall
Jonathan Larsen set of boxed prints
Elisabeth Cummings, charcoal Interior 1980

2019
Adopt an Artwork Program: adoption of seven artworks
2020
Grace Cossington Smith Hydrangeas 2023 Adopt an Artwork Program: adoption of three works: Vida Lahey, untitled (woman reading)
Fred Leist, Summer Moon
Alessia Kane, Glass and Fruit
And any conservation work required on a work by Elioth Gruner, donated by the Fulloon family - a generous gift from the family of Packsaddler Liz Fulloon. Acquisitions for the Neram Collection: Looking Northwards; Isabelle Devos (Frances Keevil) The Buckets after Gloucester Buckets; Stuart Boggs (Frances Keevil)

The Yellow Room Triptych
We are proud that the initiative to buy the Yellow Room came from Packsaddle

One of the inspired fundraising ideas for the Olley project was the jigsaw.
A large reproduction of the YRT was cut into jigsaw puzzle pieces, many in ‘whimsy’ shapes the same as some pieces of the furniture in the painting. These pieces were given a value according to size and prominence ranging from $80 to $5,000.
Conceived by Richard Bird, and executed by David Windeyer, both long time Friends of NERAM, the puzzle appeal attracted a wide range of Armidalians. Garden clubs, book clubs, schools, businesses, families and individuals flocked to NERAM to acquire their ‘own piece’. Over $45,000 was raised in five weeks.

How We Do It

Selecting Our Prints

Our prints come from a number of sources: Janie Miller arrives with folders of wonderful work, individual artists send in works and contact with the Sydney printmakers adds more to our choice.

Unpacking

“Every year, absolutely every year it's panic stations. You don't know if the galleries and the artists will get their work in on time. ...You breathe a sigh of relief when Allinghams come with the truck.” Pat Elkin

Framing

This is one of the big jobs where we put upwards of 100 prints into temporary frames. It requires patience, a meticulous approach, a precise hand and a good eye.
NERAM has a large number of temporary frames – and we use them all, plus we borrow the temporary frames from UNE.

Hanging

This is also a massive job achieved with the help of a band of dedicated hangers, Packsaddlers and gallery staff.

And then it is on to Opening Night