Welcome to The Nugget

A 24k gold newsletter about Castlemaine's people and events

November 01, 2024

βœΏβŠ°π–‘Όπ–₯§π–€£β€ MEET A LOCAL ARTIST ❀𖀣π–₯§π–‘ΌβŠ±βœΏ

Sam β€œrarely without her paintbrush or linocut tools” Baring

Sam Baring has learned the hard way that art is a healer.

β€œIt’s as good as popping pills,” she says, sitting in the sun outside her studio.

Studying and practicing art pulled her through a long recovery from a near-fatal accident in 2021.

β€œI was on life support. I lost the use of my right leg. I was practically dead, I suppose.”

In fact, the decision was made to take Sam off life support. β€œThey turned off the machines, and that was when I woke up,” she says.

Sam knew that learning new things would help her brain recover, so she took art classes at Castlemaine Community House during her months-long rehab.

Sam learned linocut with renowned local printmaker, Helen Seligman and now invites others to practice with her in her well-appointed home studio.

Sam has opened her studio to the public, for a donation, so everyone can have the chance to lose themself in the experience of creating art. "I supply all the materials and you get the opportunity to explore and have time that is dedicated to you.

"I have had so many different kinds of people use the studio. One woman lost her child recently. She started out only working in black and white, and then eventually moved to colour.”

Sam is happy to guide people or give them space to experiment with the huge variety of materials on offer from charcoal to spray paint. And do ask her about her connections to Mick Jagger, the British royal family and Ned Kelly.

β€β™‘πŸ‘€ Fact of the week πŸ‘€β™‘β€

Queensland’s iconic XXXX beer actually started here, in Castlemaine. 🀯 Brothers Nicholas and Edward Fitzgerald started the Castlemaine Brewery in 1857. They went on to become straight-up beer barons and expand nationwide, eventually settling in Brisbane, the current site of the Castlemaine Perkins brewery and the home of XXXX.

Why all the Xs? The brothers marked their barrels with Xs to indicate strength and quality. Castlemaine XXX Sparkling Ale was released in 1878. The brothers iterated on the receipe and released their enduring XXXX beer in 1924.

When the OG brewery closed in Castlemaine in 1925, it was among the oldest industries in the district, with many employees having worked there for much of their careers.

Ahoy! A very old bottle of XXX by Castlemaine Perkins.

⊹˚. β™‘.π–₯” ݁ Λ– NOVEMBER EVENTS ⊹˚. β™‘.π–₯” ݁ Λ–