The Orange region in NSW sits smack dab between Parkes and Bathurst, due west of the Blue Mountains. It’s one of those rolling-green-hills kind of places, where every postcard vista looks like it’s been painted in watercolours. With the help of Orange360, we sat down with local artist, gallery owner and coffee fiend, Madeline Young, to get the low-down on everything Orange. Brace yourself for orchards. Lots of orchards.

Written by James Shackell

Q & A with Madeline Young for THIS PLACE

Madeline Young is the Director of The Corner Store Gallery and is also one of the exhibiting artists for our upcoming group exhibition THIS PLACE. Find out more about Madeline’s recent body of work.

In July earlier this year I was invited to be interviewed for a brilliant new podcast the Rural Compass by Samantha Meurant.

The Rural Compass is dedicated to bringing you an interview each week with women living and working hard in rural and remote areas across Australia. Sam and I had a chat about how the gallery came about back in 2014, a few tips for artists and other small business owners living in regional areas and talk about other great women in business that inspire us. Have a listen!

Recently we held our first Abstract Watercolour Workshops here at The Corner Store Gallery. A small group of students were taught the basics of watercolour and created their own abstract artworks. We made colour charts, colour swatches to inform our final works, practised different blending techniques, mark-making and some other experimental exercises.

Tucked away behind The Corner Store Gallery is a room filled with art and craft supplies. Since we moved into our new home behind the gallery I’ve been lucky enough to inherit this little room as my new studio and craft room, much to my husband’s delight (no more painting on the kitchen table). I feel incredibly lucky to have this space, it’s right off the gallery so while I’m at work I can hide away and keep my practice alive.

The first show at the gallery in April 2014 - "Pop-Up Art Show".