Mannum artists shine during 2026 SALA Festival
Exhibitions are on at the Arnold Dock Gallery and Mannum Gallery and Gifts this month.
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August is SALA month across South Australia, bringing artists and their work into galleries and community spaces, and there is plenty of creativity on display around Mannum.
Mannum Community College students are taking part in the 2026 SALA Festival with Luminescence, a collective student exhibition on display at the Arnold Dock Gallery – at the Mannum Visitor Information Centre on Randell Street – throughout August.
Meanwhile, the newly established Mannum Gallery and Gifts, which opened in May on Randell Street, is already providing a space for local artists and the wider community.
Mannum Progress Association chairperson Carol Carini said Mannum Creative Communities, an artists’ subcommittee of the association, had decided not to participate in SALA this year.
The group was focused on establishing and running the new gallery, along with organising workshops and regular exhibitions.
Instead, Mannum Gallery and Gifts is presenting its August exhibition, Connected Minds, from August 1-31.
The group exhibition features Carol Carini, Rebecca Cooke, Joanne Dalwood, Christine Denman, Joan Harty, Jan Klose, Sandie Kuehne, Angelee Theodoros and Karen Woodhouse, showcasing a diverse range of artistic styles and mediums.
The gallery also features the Val Cox Exhibition Wall, named in memory of a former leader of Mannum Creative Communities and a local artist.
The wall would showcase a different artist or group of artists each month and was already fully booked for the rest of the year, Ms Carini said.
Local artist Rebecca Cooke is exhibiting The Morning Whistler, an acrylic on canvas inspired by the birdlife visiting her garden.
The work features a native noisy miner surrounded by elements inspired by local flora, including bright pink proteas, together with colourful patterns and imaginative elements.
Cooke said two pieces from this month's exhibition had already sold.
Another artist, Deb Lynch, was at the gallery when Murray Bridge News visited, sharing her eco-printing work with visitors while wearing her own creations.
Eco-printing uses natural pigments from leaves and other plant materials to create permanent prints.
Plant materials are bundled with fabric or paper and then steamed or boiled, creating unique designs.
Lynch sources recycled clothing made from natural fibres such as cotton, linen, wool and silk.
Her plant materials come from the local area, her own garden and other parts of South Australia, including eucalyptus, onion skins, blackberry leaves, rose, maple and oak.
One of the younger artists featured at the gallery is 15-year-old Mannum photographer Mason Mirabito.
Mason, a student at Mannum Community College, has lived at Mannum for two years after growing up in small towns along the Murray River.
He has been doing fine art photography for around 11 months and began shooting on 35-millimetre film last year.
His photography book, Deliberation, explores the idea of thinking before acting and being deliberate in both art and everyday life.
The project began with an art class assignment, where students were asked to create an artwork and explain its meaning.
Inspired by a photography book given to him by his parents, Mason decided to create his own book.
Shooting on film became part of the concept because film cost money and took more time than digital photography or using a phone.
The photographs in Deliberation were taken at Mannum, Kangaroo Island and Ouyen.
Mason is a member of the Murraylands Community Photography Club, which meets regularly at the Murray Bridge Library.
Club member Glenn Power said it was exciting to see what the 15-year-old had achieved while developing a passion for traditional film photography.
There will be plenty more art to look forward to
Although Mannum Creative Communities was sitting out SALA this year, Ms Carini said the group planned to participate in SALA 2027, with the aim of using the entire Mannum Gallery and Gifts space for the festival.
August activities at the gallery will include a free mixed-media collage workshop with Ms Dalwood on August 18, an alcohol ink painting workshop with Ms Dalwood on August 21, an open studio on August 25, and a bracelet-making workshop with Ms Carini on August 29.
The gallery is open Friday to Monday from 10am to 4pm, and Tuesday from 10am to 3pm.
