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By Liane Arno
WHEN I first met Meg Viney (was it 10 years ago when she was already in her 70s?) she told me she had one big project in front of her, saying, “I think that might be my last.”
It hadn’t taken me long to work out that she was an energetic woman and I looked across at her and we both knew without saying anything that she was kidding herself.
She has often felt that the creation of art and the positive effect on well being go hand in hand. A few years ago she thought she would try to get a grant to run a series of workshops. She was unsuccessful. She was encouraged to drop the bit about the well being and have another crack at applying.
WHEN I first met Meg Viney (was it 10 years ago when she was already in her 70s?) she told me she had one big project in front of her, saying, “I think that might be my last.”
It hadn’t taken me long to work out that she was an energetic woman and I looked across at her and we both knew without saying anything that she was kidding herself.
She has often felt that the creation of art and the positive effect on well being go hand in hand. A few years ago she thought she would try to get a grant to run a series of workshops. She was unsuccessful. She was encouraged to drop the bit about the well being and have another crack at applying.
In 2025 it worked and she held her first of a series of 10 workshops. She has held the workshops again this year through the kind sponsorship of the Bass Coast Community Foundation. Full classes had participants learning everything from drawing, claywork, felt making, paper making from plant fibres, printing onto felt and basketry. Fellow artist Susan Hall helped out in the colour theory class as well as guiding the participants through a session on painting and another on printmaking.
Meg Viney helps others uncover the skills they didn’t know they had.
Not only did they create some amazing pieces of work but each person also commented on how good it was to work in such a relaxed, yet energetic environment, appreciating each other’s works, cross collaborating – and how good it was for their well being. Don’t you love it when unintended (but known) consequences are revealed?
For some attending it has meant life changing consequences through unrealised artistic skills surfacing through the guidance of the tutors.
When I press Meg (because she doesn’t want to say) she reveals that she thinks of herself as the midwife to other people’s creativity, giving birth to new lives of creative expression and self‑discovery. Through her gentle insistence and intuitive mentoring, she helps others uncover the skills they didn’t know they had – guiding them to shape their own stories into their artworks.
Come along to the opening at 1pm on 30 August, 2026 at ArtSpace to see some remarkable works and experience the joy of hearing people proudly say “I made that!”
You can find Meg’s and Susan’s work at ArtSpace anytime or through their own websites www.megviney.com and www.susanahall.com.au.
For some attending it has meant life changing consequences through unrealised artistic skills surfacing through the guidance of the tutors.
When I press Meg (because she doesn’t want to say) she reveals that she thinks of herself as the midwife to other people’s creativity, giving birth to new lives of creative expression and self‑discovery. Through her gentle insistence and intuitive mentoring, she helps others uncover the skills they didn’t know they had – guiding them to shape their own stories into their artworks.
Come along to the opening at 1pm on 30 August, 2026 at ArtSpace to see some remarkable works and experience the joy of hearing people proudly say “I made that!”
You can find Meg’s and Susan’s work at ArtSpace anytime or through their own websites www.megviney.com and www.susanahall.com.au.
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