Saturday 27 June 5pm-7pm
Studio8 Currumbin

Join contemporary artist Meli Axford for an intimate and deeply personal artist talk exploring creativity, identity, reinvention and the emotional journey behind her Pool Series, now in its seventh year.

“For years I thought I was painting swimming pools. It turns out I was painting something else entirely.

Over the last few years I've done a lot of work to understand my own psychology, emotional patterns and creative process, and through that work I began to realise that my paintings were telling me things long before I consciously understood them.

In this artist talk I'll be sharing the story behind that discovery.

We'll talk about creativity, identity, late beginnings, self-doubt, motherhood, neuroscience, personal growth and how art can become a surprisingly powerful tool for understanding ourselves.

If you've ever wondered why you're drawn to certain things, how creativity shapes us, or whether it's too late to become more fully yourself, I think you'll enjoy this conversation.

I'd love to see you there.”

Known for her vibrant figurative paintings that reimagine the Australian landscape through the lens of family, memory and the female gaze, Axford will speak candidly about her unconventional path into art - from a working-class upbringing in regional Queensland and a long career in technology, to becoming a nationally exhibited painter whose work explores love, safety, visibility and freedom for women and girls.

Part memoir, part creative reflection and part conversation about contemporary culture, this evening will move beyond the surface of the paintings to explore the psychological and emotional forces that shaped them. Axford will discuss how painting became a process of self-discovery, and how meaning in her work often emerged long after the paintings themselves were made, what she now describes as “her subconscious speaking to her through paint.”

On the surface it's an artist talk, but the truth is it's really about the journey I've been on over the last few years.

For most of my life I genuinely thought I was doing fine. I didn't realise how many of my behaviours, reactions and beliefs were actually coping mechanisms I'd developed much earlier in life. They helped me get through things, but they were also getting in the way of the relationships and life I wanted to create.

A big turning point for me was beginning to understand the science of how our brains work and realising that we're not fixed. Through a combination of neuroscience, personal development and, surprisingly, my art practice, I started to see myself much more clearly.

One of the things I'll talk about openly is how this affected my relationship with Bob and the girls. Some of the most important growth I've experienced came from being loved enough for someone to hold me accountable for behaviours that weren't serving me. Looking back, I can see that what felt difficult at the time was actually an act of enormous love.

Painting became part of that process. Long before I understood what was happening consciously, my subconscious was expressing itself through the work. The paintings helped me uncover things about myself that I couldn't yet put into words.

The talk is about creativity and art, but it's also about reinvention, identity, relationships, emotional regulation and the idea that it's never too late to become more fully yourself.

Friday 26 June 5.30pm to 7.30pm
Studio 8 Currumbin

Join us for the opening night of AFTERGLOW, a vibrant and emotionally resonant group exhibition bringing together the work of artists Meli Axford, Trish Tait, Sue Axford and introducing Janette Lindores.

Set within the beautiful Studio 8 Currumbin space, AFTERGLOW explores colour, memory, materiality and the emotional traces that remain after moments of connection, transformation and care. Spanning painting, ceramics, textiles, glass and sculpture, the exhibition brings together four distinct creative practices united by a shared sensitivity to atmosphere, surface and storytelling.

The exhibition will be officially opened by acclaimed artist Ben Smith, whose contribution to the Northern Rivers creative community has helped shape the region’s contemporary arts culture.

Opening night drinks offer an opportunity to experience the exhibition in an intimate and celebratory setting while meeting the artists behind the work. Guests are invited to wander through the exhibition, enjoy conversation and refreshments, and immerse themselves in a richly layered visual environment where colour and material become emotionally charged.

Meli Axford’s large-scale figurative paintings explore themes of love, safety, visibility and freedom for women and girls through vivid poolside landscapes that balance realism with abstraction and cinematic colour. Alongside these works, Trish Tait’s hand-built ceramics and watercolours create quiet conversations between object and image, while Sue Axford’s sculptural stone pieces and enamelled glass vessels bring texture and tactility to the exhibition, and Janette Lindores’ textile works add richly layered surfaces shaped through embroidery, stitching and hand process.

AFTERGLOW is both visually immersive and deeply personal — a show about what lingers emotionally after experience, and the ways creative practice can hold memory, vulnerability and joy.

Whether you are a collector, creative, designer, curator or simply someone who loves being surrounded by art and conversation, we would love you to join us for an inspiring evening celebrating contemporary practice, connection and community.

Drinks and light refreshments provided.

All welcome, please let us know if you plan to come to help with catering.

Saturday 27 June | 5–7pm
Studio 8 Currumbin

Join contemporary artist Meli Axford for an intimate and deeply personal artist talk exploring creativity, identity, reinvention and the emotional journey behind her Pool Series, now in its seventh year.

Known for her vibrant figurative paintings that reimagine the Australian landscape through the lens of family, memory and the female gaze, Axford will speak candidly about her unconventional path into art - from a working-class upbringing in regional Queensland and a long career in technology, to becoming a nationally exhibited painter whose work explores love, safety, visibility and freedom for women and girls.

Part memoir, part creative reflection and part conversation about contemporary culture, this evening will move beyond the surface of the paintings to explore the psychological and emotional forces that shaped them. Axford will discuss how painting became a process of self-discovery, and how meaning in her work often emerged long after the paintings themselves were made, what she now describes as “her subconscious speaking to her through paint.”

The talk will cover:

• building a creative practice later in life

• overcoming fear and self-doubt

• navigating creativity alongside motherhood, work and relationships

• the role of vulnerability in artistic growth

• how childhood experience shapes creative identity

• developing a visual language through curiosity rather than strategy

• the symbolism of the pool within her work as a space of safety, care and freedom

• the evolution of the female voice across visual art, music and popular culture

• how contemporary artists can use both painting and social media to challenge traditional gatekeeping and create more direct cultural conversations

Axford will also speak openly about the realities of pursuing a creative life outside traditional pathways — including rejection, late beginnings, balancing financial pressures and learning to finally claim the identity of “artist” after decades of feeling unable to do so.

At the heart of the evening is a message that resonates far beyond painting itself: creativity does not belong to a select few, and it is never too late to begin.

This talk will particularly resonate with:

• aspiring artists and creatives

• late bloomers returning to creative practice

• women navigating identity, visibility and self-worth

• anyone feeling the pull toward a more meaningful or expressive life

• people curious about the emotional and psychological dimensions of creativity

Honest, insightful and emotionally resonant, this promises to be an inspiring evening about creativity, persistence, vulnerability and the transformative power of making work that tells the truth.

Guests will also have the opportunity to experience the AFTERGLOW exhibition within the beautiful Studio 8 Currumbin space following the talk.

Spaces are limited.

Saturday 27 June 11am-1pm
Studio8 Currumbin

Join artists Meli Axford, Trish Tait, Sue Axford and Janette Lindores for a relaxed and inspiring two-hour collage workshop held as part of the AFTERGLOW exhibition program at Studio 8 Currumbin.

Designed for all experience levels, this playful and intuitive workshop invites participants to explore colour, composition, texture and storytelling through collage and simple embroidery techniques. Using a curated selection of papers, magazines, painted materials and mixed-media elements, you'll create your own unique artwork, then add hand-stitched details to bring texture, depth and personality to the finished piece.

The workshop is an opportunity to slow down, experiment freely and reconnect with creativity without pressure or expectation. Meli, Trish, Sue and Janette will guide participants through simple collage and stitching techniques, along with creative prompts designed to unlock ideas and encourage personal expression.

All materials are provided, including embroidery threads, needles and collage materials, as well as lunch—just bring yourself and a willingness to play.

Whether you're a practicing creative or simply curious to try something new, this workshop offers a beautiful way to immerse yourself in colour, conversation, making and mindful handwork.

Spaces are limited.