Women of Montsalvat: Story Gathering Session

HELP US UNEARTH THE STORIES OF MONTSALVAT’S FOUNDING WOMEN

If you knew, or have a connection to the women who were fundamental to the founding and development of Montsalvat, you are invited attend this free story gathering event. 

Montsalvat is seeking your stories and information about our founding women, focusing predominantly on the time between 1934 and 1960.

Montsalvat is proud to be one of six chosen organisations for the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program. As part of this program, the Women of Montsalvat project aims to uncover the untold stories of the women who contributed to the construction, arts practice, and culture of our unique artist community. The stories we uncover will ultimately contribute to the creation of a sculpture to sit at the entrance of Montsalvat in celebration of our founding women artists. 

Montsalvat, in partnership with Butterfly Studio and Singing Herspace is running this story gathering session to collect historical facts, stories, memories and anecdotes about the founding women of Montsalvat.

This story gathering session will include live music, refreshments and art elements.

What to bring

Bring your historical facts, family stories, anecdotes or memories, photographs, art works, jewellery, mementos, newspaper clippings, documents or journals. Of interest is anything that might give an insight into the quirks, personalities and creative works of the women of Montsalvat. Tall tales and stories of questionable historical truth that might illustrate their unique characters are welcome.

There will be a photographer/scanner at the session to make copies (with the owner’s permission) of artworks and photographs.

Please note: The purpose of the story gathering sessions is not to vote on which women are represented by the sculpture or in what manner they will be represented.

About the Consultants: Butterfly Studio

Butterfly Studio are designing and running Montsalvat’s story gathering sessions. Butterfly Studio was created to address the far-reaching effects of the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009 on the community of Christmas Hills and its neighbours. The Studio’s role continues today, both in a community engagement capacity, and as a thriving community art studio.

Butterfly Studio’s all-women consultancy team is comprised of community and cultural development experts, professional artists, community art project managers, practicing art therapists and professional writers and editors.

Butterfly Studio creates environments where discussion can be open and honest and where imagination is sparked and nurtured. Their events are always designed to include an arts activity or creative experience for participants.

About the Performer: Cath Rutten

Cath Rutten, who will be performing at the in-person sessions, is a multi-disciplinary artist, singer/songwriter and educator based in North Warrandyte. In the past several years she has focussed her song writing on telling the invisible stories of women in our history through her project Singing Herspace. Over the course of this year, Cath will be using the women of Montsalvat research as inspiration for a new musical composition to be performed at Montsalvat in 2026.

The Victorian Women’s Public Art Program is funded by the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund and run in partnership with McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery. McClelland supports contemporary artists to develop, create and present their work, and manages a range of programs to commission artwork.

Montsalvat would like to thank The Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP, Minister for Women, the Victorian State Government and McClelland Gallery for this opportunity.