Running for 15 weeks over summer, Art Space 2515 will showcase the works of 25 emerging and established local creatives, providing the public the opportunity to peruse and purchase works from some incredible talents who call the Illawarra home.

The brainchild of Austinmer-based photographer Judith Russo, the gallery was born after Judith recognised a need for more space for creatives to display their work in the Northern Suburbs – a realisation that stemmed from personal experience.

Forced to revaluate her path this year when her successful events photography business was hit hard by the impact of COVID, Judith began waking before the sun and heading to the water as a form of release. She soon developed a passion for catching that morning light on film, and after collating a body of work, started researching spaces where she could exhibit and sell her photos.

“I had a thriving events photography business and then COVID came and… basically, overnight I had nothing. The anxiety of it all during that initial lockdown, and having the kids at home, and homeschooling, and the rest… I needed something just for me, so I started waking up at sunrise and taking photos,” Judith says. “From there, I started to look into how I could make a living from my landscape photography and realised how hard it is for anyone who is not a recognised or prestigious artist to showcase their work. That’s how the idea started to take shape.”

Also hyper-aware of the many wonderful artists live in the Illawarra and the thriving creative community here, Judith began investigating ways she could help. She put a call-out on local Facebook pages to see if creatives would be interested in exhibiting at a pop-up gallery and was immediately inundated with positive responses.

“It was crazy how much interest I got,” says Judith. “It just reaffirmed that this idea had legs! Amongst the artist community, there are people who have exhibited in galleries in Sydney and bigger venues, but there are also people, like myself, who haven’t – and perhaps who don’t have the experience or support to be able to do so. So I wanted to create a space which gives creatives, of all experience levels, the opportunity to exhibit and sell their pieces. And when I put out word on Facebook and received so much interest, it just confirmed I was on the right track.”

Judith went about securing a spot in Thirroul’s old Salvos store, kindly donated by Thirroul Plaza, and has since donated countless hours to transforming it into a gallery-worthy space, which will proudly display the thoughtful and thought-provoking works of some of the region’s finest. With three to four artists exhibiting each fortnight, and opening nights for the commencement of each new show, there is much for the community to look forward to in the coming months. The first three artists off the ranks are Daniel Breda, who as well as installations, creates vibrant, abstract large-scale works, Alison Lawther, an impressive figurative acrylic painter, and Judith herself, whose land and seascape photography capture so well the beauty of this coast we proudly call home.

Steering the ship with a steady hand, Judith will also be responsible for the curation of shows, something she is very excited about. “The walls are massive, so I’ve had to curate the shows so that the artists exhibiting together complement each other, which has been a big learning curve to me,” she says. “It all comes from the heart, it doesn’t come from experience – it comes from me looking at the work and seeing what works together. It’s really exciting and I hope people enjoy it.”

Open Wednesday to Sunday, Art Space will also offer a unique co-run experience, in which the artists will all contribute one day of their time during their respective shows, providing the community the opportunity to chat to the artist directly about their works.

Supporting the local community is the core of this positive project. And after what has been a year that’s seen so many struggle, Judith hopes Art Space 2515 can provide a little light as we close the page on 2020.

“I want this to be a really successful venture that will support the creative community,” Judith says. “2020 has been pretty shit, and people in the arts have certainly suffered. My hope is that the gallery will provide an inclusive and welcoming space, which brings happy vibes and lots of energy to Thirroul. Let’s end the year on a high.”

Art Space 2515 will be open Wednesday through Sunday 10am-4pm, with opening night events every second week 6-8pm.

Thirroul Plaza 282 Lawrence Hargrave Drive Thirroul NSW 2515

If you’re an artist looking to exhibit your work, please get in contact with Judith 0410 710 242 or email hello@artspace2515.com.au and follow along here.