Introducing
The Grand Old Dames of Ballarat
by Charmaine Channells
Exhibition Opening
Saturday May 2nd
2pm to 4pm
The Old Butchers Shop Gallery
Soldiers Hill, Ballarat
Continues weekends 12 to 4pm until 24th May, or by appointment
Ballarat’s iconic buildings
re-imagined as portraits
The Grand Old Dames pay homage to iconic Ballarat buildings as imagined interpretations of their personas. Dignified identities as portraits with architectural ornament integrated within. A small recognition of the result of human vision and prowess, embedded in the streetscapes that make Ballarat special.
The Grand Old
Dames of Ballarat
As a child, my mind’s eye would wander the curves and edges of decorative items
The carved leg of a table, repeating patterns on wallpaper, aesthetic delights of age-old buildings. I am still the country kid who ‘looks up’ in cities noting transitions between historical decorative periods and marvelling at the architectural motifs achieved by human hands. Simple or elaborate, beauty in design is one thing, mastery in creating, is another.
These buildings were created with care and flair for development of the city, their purpose and beautification for generations to appreciate. They are what makes the city identifiable but does require observation with intrigue, to see them in context to understand their uniqueness. Through creating each Dame, a relationship began, both of us asking the audience to observe and contemplate details around them, in architecture and in life. Detail shifts confusion to clarity, curiosity into knowledge and transforms the ordinary into the exceptional.
Are you the custodian of a Grand Old Dame? Would you like to see her personified in portraiture? Speak to Charmaine about commission.
About the Exhibition
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The exhibition opens on Saturday May 2nd from 2-4 pm with drinks and nibbles. The exhibition closes on May 24th 2026.
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The exhibition will be shown at The Old Butchers Shop Gallery at 112 Seymour Street in Soldiers Hill, Ballarat. See Google Maps link below.
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Weekends 12 to 4pm or otherwise by appointment, any other time. The exhibition will be visible through the windows during other days. Charmaine will be available for conversation during opening hours.
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There are 8 gold framed, gouache on paper portraits, approximately A1 size.
In addition, a life-size, realistic sculpture, Dame Fortune- Ballarat, a representation of Ballarat as a Grand Old Dame of Victoria.
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All works for sale are Price On Application (POA). Please contact Charmaine on charm@treasuresmith.com.au to find out more information or to make your purchase.
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Charmaine will be in attendance during all opening hours to chat about the exhibition and her work.
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You can use the buttons found here on the website or email her via charm@treasuresmith.com.au
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”
- Thoreau
Charmaine Channells
The Artist
Photo by Sonia Macak
A fine jeweller by profession, Charmaine is an emerging artist whose practice is grounded in a lifelong appreciation of meticulous skill. She is inspired by original masters of design and their levels of accomplishment. Where beauty and detail is applied to objects of fancy or function, simple or ornate and become lasting legacies.
Originally from rural Western Victoria, she was influenced by farming resourcefulness, the ingenuity of the men in her family and her mother’s eye for aesthetics. Qualities that guide her work today.
Her fascination for decorative arts led to an apprenticeship with Thomas Jewellers, Ballarat, following her HSC. Under the expert tutelage of Viktor Masinskas, she honed her skills in precious gem set jewellery. A highlight during second year, was placing second in the Victorian Workskills (now Worldskills) competition, 1988 and an industry award the following year.
Backpacker travel including participation on an archaeological dig in Israel, highlighted, from 2000 years ago, the need for human expression and adornment through artisanal skill.
Later years, in NSW, Charmaine worked with antiques and attained a Diploma of Gemmology. Further study in fine art and design, expanded her artistic capabilities. She earnt awards from the International School of Colour and Design (ISCD) and a nomination for Design Institute of Australia, Graduate of the Year Award, (NSW), 2009.
On returning to Ballarat in 2010, Charmaine has worked locally and exhibited small artworks in group exhibitions. After numerous career interruptions, she picked up the paint brush to experiment with a long held ‘twinkle’ of an idea and the Grand Old Dames appeared!
A treasuresmith is a creator or curator of rare and precious things; not just a collector, but someone who crafts or discovers beauty, meaning or value where others might not see it.
treasuresmith
About treasuresmith
treasuresmith is the broader expression of Charmaine Channells’ practice, extending beyond jewellery into bespoke metalwork, restoration, and collaborative design.
With a deep understanding of materials, construction and decorative detail, Charmaine can work across a wide range of disciplines to create and restore functional and ornamental pieces. Her approach is grounded in listening carefully to what someone needs, then designing or crafting something that complements their work, their object, or their story.
treasuresmith opens the door to collaboration with other makers and specialists in designing custom elements. Working alongside other artisans to create bespoke components or accessories for their projects.
Her work also extends into restoration and repair, particularly for collectors of small antique and sentimental objects. Charmaine brings care and precision to pieces that hold personal or historical value.
At its heart, treasuresmith is about thoughtful making, whether that’s collaborating on something entirely new, or giving new life to something that already exists.
The Old Butchers
Shop Gallery
112 Seymour Street
Soldiers Hill VIC 3350
BALLARAT
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