Amanda Bromfield: The Women of Hill End

Amanda Bromfield: The Women of Hill End

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery (BRAG) presents Amanda Bromfield: The Women of Hill End – an exhibition paying homage to the past and present women of the historic regional NSW town.

Made from earthenware and hand-sourced ochre from the Hill End region itself, Bromfield’s objects create and reinforce the female narrative that runs strongly through place. Individual women are recognised for their everyday contributions to both the historic and artistic landscape and are rejoiced and celebrated as The Women of Hill End.

In February 2021 Bromfield completed a month-long artist residency at Murrays Cottage in Hill End. The residency enabled Bromfield the opportunity to immerse herself in the history and culture of the close-knit community of the town. Her research discovered the herstories of women who moved to Hill End during the mid-1800s, the women who were the silent foundations on which a town with gold rush fever was built. The women who laughed and cried, married, and suffered marital abuse, raised, taught, and grieved children, helped, supported and tended their families and their community, and made art.

During her time in Hill End, Bromfield joined the contemporary women in their daily rituals, from the walking group and yoga at the local hall, to morning coffees and chats at the local store. Through intimate conversations and listening to stories of past and present generations, the women let her into their lives, their homes. They became her friends.

Bromfield has sculpted earthenware BRS clay to tell this timeline of stories and to recreate the colours of the geographic landscape on which these stories are set. Rich yellow and brown ochre hues are produced from low heat firing. A rich, red ochre slip, made from natural deposits discovered whilst at Hill End, is painted on before the initial bisque firing to produce an orange, brown glaze, which forever binds the artwork to Hill End.

Opening Friday 15 December, 6pm