B-Known, Issue 7, Feb-Mar 2010

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With its second summer series coming to a close next month, Artmix’s “Sundaze in the Park” has again proven to be a popular way to spend an afternoon.  Held at Norman Point in Tin Can Bay on the second Sunday of the month, the free concerts draw an audience made up of people from throughout the region, all ready to enjoy the eclectic mix of talent on offer. 

Created by Cooloola Coast residents Kym Parker and Audrey Mates to help address the lack of live music in the area, Sundaze’s popularity has demonstrated the community’s enthusiasm for more cultural events.

Committed to showcasing local talent, this series’ line-up has included Gympie High School student Caitlyn Shadbolt, musical storyteller Jason Carey, and 16 year old Hayley McFarlane who opened the first show of the summer.  Popular bands such as The Floating Bridges, The Dave Flower Band, and Brisbane’s The Delta Monarchs have headlined throughout the series, with the range of music on offer proving appealing to the range of ages in the audience.

Along with the array of live music on offer, Sundaze has been an opportunity for several local artists to demonstrate their talent.  Tin Can Bay local Maree Edmiston-Prior used  December’s concert to carry out her fourth site-specific art display.  With the Norman Point foreshore as her “canvas”, she used formwork and hard-packed wet sand to create a fleet of tiny boats, which were then gently washed away as the tide came back in.

A Sundaze staple has been Eumundi artist Bob Gammage, who creates his “artscapes” on-the-spot, then auctions them off at the end of the day.  Bob encourages his audience to wield a paintbrush and participate in his paintings.  The artscapes capture the scenes of the day, and the hotly-contested auctions are testament to their popularity.

Funded by local business sponsorship and by the sale of raffle tickets on the day, Sundaze has become an event not to be missed by local lovers of music and art.  With a free kids’ circus corner, lots of shady trees, plenty of cold drinks for sale, and the always popular sausage sizzle also on offer, there truly is something for everyone on the day. 

Rainbow Beach resident Renee Zaks was thrilled to win the

auction of artist Bob Gammage's artscape of the day

So bring your chairs, your blankets and your picnic baskets and come on down to Norman Point on Sunday 14 March 2010.