We’re very excited that our lovely local artist friend Louisa Bufardeci will be offering a 6 week program of drawing classes in the community shed on a Saturday in Term 1 and Term 2 this year.

The classes are designed for all abilities from beginners to more experienced artists, and will focus on building up participants observational drawing skills. They will explore things like perspective and composition using objects at hand (perhaps you’ll walk away with some fabulous drawings of power tools and handsaws!).

The classes could be ideal for high school students who are doing art, or anyone else who would like to come along and join in a low cost art experience.

If you have a burgeoning interest or simply enjoy company while you create please book yourself a place here.

The course costs $90 for 6 weeks (only $15 a week) and includes Louisa’s tutoring and all materials. Term 1 starts on Saturday 13 February.

Do you have a new phone that you don’t understand, want to learn how to sell on ebay or would like to learn how to use skype, your email, or any other technology that eludes you?

You can meet face to face (masks on if necessary) and be shown one-on-one how to tackle the problem with the help of volunteer tutor, David.

His patience and knowledge are endless.

This is a free service that is supported by the Be Connected program. Please call on 9499 7227 when we return (we’ll be back on deck after Australia Day) to book in for 1 hour x 4 Wednesdays at either 10am, 11am or 12pm.

And, if you need more help after the 4 weeks are up, or you get a new device, or build your confidence to explore more of the online world but need a few tips, you can book in again!

Jen Neille has been teaching in our shed and building art in the garden spaces at Alphington Community Centre for a little while now.

So we thought you might like to know a little more about her!

I asked Jen how she came to be an artist and how she found her way here.

Jen said that she has never been a traditional girl. Instead she won prizes for her art and her efforts at sport. She loved science and still does today. She explained that when she was small her family went to church and because she hated to sit still, her mother brought things so she could draw and colour. From there she explored all her interests in art, including drawing and painting, and then branched out into sewing, fashion styling, landscaping (which was part of her family business), renovating houses and mosaicking (which she learnt at Traralgon Neighbourhood House - her intro to neighbourhood houses!).

Jen originally attended Traralgon Neighbourhood House with her children, but she ended up teaching there. And in doing so she discovered a passion for teaching women.

It was in 2010 when she was working in bushfire relief in the West Gippsland region that she met Laurie Collinsa metal sculptor who would become a friend and teacher to Jen. In 2015 Jen took Laurie up on his offer to show her how to use a welder and Jen went to Jindivick twice a week to learn and create with him. Here is a link to explore Laurie’s art.

It was a couple of years ago, when Jen was living in Kew, that she heard that there was a shed space opening in Alphington. And so she popped by and talked with Leanne during a community lunch - and from that conversation Jen ended up working with us. We have been so lucky to have Jen sculpt signs and make art as well as teach here at ACC.

She is now teaching our Women in the Shed program, that empowers women through practical projects involving timber, tiles and metal. The program is open to beginners on Monday and those with some knowledge of tools on Tuesdays.

And in 2021 we are also offering an additional class for women of all skill levels on Thursdays with Maylei (another creative out).

You can find out more about the program and enrol here.

For many of us, 2020 was the year to embrace online services and connections. At ACC we’ve been super pleased to have built up our digital presence in the neighbourhood via our newsletter over this time. And we’ve also been joining in other online local connection networks so that we ourselves know what’s going on.

Facebook pages such as Mums in Darebin (for parent support), Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes (for both the hoarders and the minimalists/disposers, those that hate waste) and the Northcote Good Karma Network (another swap and share network) are all rippers. As is the Fairfield 3078 Community Group for local info.

Then we’ve also signed up to Nextdoor Alphington, which is a local networking site that communicates via emails. This is quite handy for knowing what’s going on in the ‘hood (why is the fire truck on Grange Road?) but also for finding local tradies.

Like Matthias Weber, who brought our outdoor kitchen space together. He lives round the corner, and we subsequently found out that his young family have been playgroup attendees with us - which is always nice!

Anyway … once just a little sink, our new community shed kitchen now boasts a bar fridge and BBQ spot, storage and an all purpose stone benchtop.

We love it. Thanks Matt! If you too need something done you can contact him on 0423 045 493.

And if you are keen to build more local online connections, we hope some of the sites mentioned might be interesting to you too!

The Alphingtones are a long-standing local choir. It is likely that you have seen them performing at events such as the Wetlands Festival. They bring cheer with their voices to many local occasions, including our annual Christmas Carols (which we sadly couldn’t run this year)!

If you have a penchant for singing and you are thinking that joining a choir could be your thing, why not contact Kate here.

The Alphingtones choir meets on a Thursday night at ACC at 8pm. Weekly sessions cost $12.