Artist Louise Hearman visited the Mission on the 15th of September 2011 and brought photographs in colour of her artwork painted in 1987/88 in the Norla Dome. She shared some background information about how she created the artwork: Louise arranged with O'Brien Glass to have the glass panes donated to replace the steel plates once covering the skylight. She painted the entire ceiling of the Dome precariously balancing on scaffolding. The walls were made as canvas panels and then put in place. She angled some of them to create openings so when you entered the Dome you were totally encased in her work.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that time.Series of 7 colour photographs scannedlouise hearman, exhibitions, cultural events, norla dome, 1988, cottage, flinders street, melbourne, elephant room

Louise Hearman used the Norla Dome and painted a mural which had taken her around a year to complete. The exhibition called Elephant Room was shown from May 1988. The work was vandalised in June 1989 and subsequently demolished.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that timeBlack and white flyer with dual lengthways ribbings on the back side, possibly indicative of an intent to fold the flyer in three.The Elephant Room You are invited into the dome at the “Mission to Seamen” building, no. 717 Flinders St (ext), painted by Louise Hearman. Opening night Thurs May 28th 6 pm - 9 pm Visiting hours 11am -6 pm Tues to Sun from May 29th to June 11th Or by appointment ph (03) 328 1400 a.h. Sponsored by: Australian Council, Crown Hire, Art Stretchers Oliver-Davey Glass and Box Archer Emery.cultural events, exhibitions, paintings, artists, norla dome, 1988, louise hearman, elephant room, flinders street, melbourne

Louise Hearman used the Norla Dome and painted a mural painted which had taken her around a year to complete. The exhibition called Elephant Room was shown from June 1988. The work was vandalised in 1989 and subsequently demolished.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that timeBlack and white copy of a newspaper article, printed on A4 paper.The sky’s the limit for modern Michelangelo Because it was there . . . Melbourne artist Louise Hearman in the domed gymnasium of the Mission to Seamen - Picture: ROSS DUNCAN THE dilapidated pool halls of Melbourne’s Mission to Seamen are an unlikely setting for a budding Michelangelo. But when Louise Hearman came across the one-time mission gymnasium she could not resist the urge to create a fresco. It did, however, take a little persuading for the Anglican Church, which still owns and operates a mission in the 61-year-old building, to agreee to house a minor Sistine Chapel on their premises. A year of labour later, Hearman has had no complaints about the great swirling sky or huge oil paintings which now adorn the empty 11-sided room. Instead she is constantly visited by old sailors and passers-by who are thrilled to discover the unusual architecture and artwork. “When peoiple come here it’s a real discovery. It’s something they find for themselves,” she said. Her pictures are neither religious nor symbolic, merely outpourings to create an atmosphere. “THere are lots of things I’d like to say but I’m not saying them in my paintings. “There are no messages, they don’t have any political statement. Life was a little more comfortable for Hearman than her renaissance predecessors. After struggling with cumbersome scaffolding to reach her “canvas” she discovered the modern wonders of the scissor lift. She does not look on the work as a huge achievement. However, it may all be for nought. Unless money is spent to restore the building the paintings she has created will crumble and die - Deborah Stone The Australian Tuesday 10 May 1988louise hearman, elephant room, norla dome, exhibitions, 1988, melbourne, flinders street, ross duncan, cultural events

Louise Hearman used the Norla Dome and painted a mural painted which had taken her around a year to complete. The exhibition called Elephant Room was shown from June 1988. The work was vandalised in 1989 and subsequently demolished.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that time.Black and white copy of a newspaper article, printed on A3 paper.It’s Louise’s masterpiece, come heaven, hell or high water Report: SARAH TURNER PICTURE: LEIGH HENNINGHAM When her Little Bourke St studio was pulled down to make way for a carpark, artist Louise Hearman, above, contacted The Seamen’s Mission in Flinders St to see whether she could use their cottage. They agree. But neither knew what it was going to lead to. When Hearman saw ‘the Elephant Room’ at the mission, a big domed room, she felt she “just had to do something with it”. She applied for and was granted a $3250 grant from the Australia Council, with which she was able to buy the necessary scaffold and paint, and then set about transforming the room. Now, a year later, her masterpiece is complete. Hearman emphasised the the mural doesn’t represent “heaven and hell”. Rather, she said, “people should make their own interpretations”. She said it was “not particularly heaven and hell, it’s not particularly anything”. And there is “no narrative” to the mural. It “just developed with the building”, out of whatever images and feeling Hearman had at the time. Sadly though, Hearman said the mural was likely to fall off the walls and domed ceiling unless the room was waterproofed - water damage is a serious problem at the mission. louise hearman, norla dome, exhibitions, 1988, elephant room, flinders street, melbourne, leigh henningham, cultural events

Louise Hearman used the Norla Dome and painted a mural painted which had taken her around a year to complete. The exhibition called Elephant Room was shown from June 1988. The work was vandalised in 1989 and subsequently demolished.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that time. Vogue Living published an article about the artwork in the Dome. This is one of the few colour images of the artwork.Laminated A4 colour photograph published in Vogue Living in November 1987Vogue Living November 1987 135cultural events, exhibitions, paintings, artists, norla dome, 1988, louise hearman, elephant room, flinders street, melbourne

Louise Hearman used the Norla Dome and painted a mural painted which had taken her around a year to complete. The exhibition called Elephant Room was shown from June 1988. The work was vandalised in 1989 and subsequently demolished.Louise Hearman is a Melbourne born artist and Archibald Prize winner. Hearman first came to public notice in 1987/88 when she spent a year painting the mural in the Norla Dome. The premises of the Mission also served as her studio at that time.Black and white copy of a newspaper article, printed on A3 paper.louise hearman, exhibitions, 1988, norla dome, flinders street, cultural events, melbourne, elephant room, ian hunter

Soft cover book profiling a selection of 76 artists local to the Ringwood area. Front cover "Rivergums" by Roger Webber. Back cover Ernest Buckmaster and Rober Webber painting en plein air.(Back cover) "Since the 1880s, Ringwood has quietly nurtured a vibrant artistic spirit. Drawn to its rolling landscapes, bushland reserves, and meandering streams, students from the National Gallery of Victoria once ventured here to capture its beauty on canvas. As the neighbouring suburbs of Warrandyte and Eltham forged reputations as artistic hubs, Ringwood developed a creative character of its own, shaped by art groups, schools and talented individuals. This book celebrates that legacy through the lives of seventy-six artists who have connections with the Ringwood area. More than a history, this is a portrait of a community alive with creativity." Acknowledgements: "Many artists provided material on their artistic career which was appreciated. In some profiles, it may have been possible to write a separate book on the artist's life, therefore condensing it down to a page or two was difficult. Specific credits are given after each chapter but a special thanks to Gareth Syvret and Mattie Young (Maroondah City Council), Liz Seaton, Linda Besser, Kay Scott and Les Baxter. Heathmont History Group provided documentation on their artists and must be thanked, especially Gerry Robinson." Author and Designer Russ Haines OAM, using Affinity Publisher software Published by Ringwood & District Historical Society in October 2025 Funded by Maroondah City Council Arts & Cultural Grant Program Copyright: RDHS. "Where possible, permission has been sought from both the artist and owner of each work. In some instances, an image has been used from public websites, yet the copyright was not provided nor readily available. In any case, this book is considered a non-commerical research study of artists in the Ringwood area and, therefore, comes under the fair dealing exceptions listed in the Copyright Act that allows copyright material to be used without permission." CONTENTS: Ringwood Art Society, Art Shows and Competitions, Heathmont Community Bollards, Ringwood Pottery, Ringwood's Public Art. ARTISTS: Chris Adnam, Theo Anderson, Brian Armstrong, Linda Besser, Janette Bird, Curt Bjerking, Pierce Boardman, Nan Bretel, Rosalie Briant, George Browning, Ernest Buckmaster, Nola Clark, Bertha Darbyshire, Robin Dawson, Michael Dillon, Sue Dodd, Julie Fenton, Leon Ferguson, Bruce Fletcher, David Freedman, Gavin Fry, Kelly Gellatly William Gleeson, Pauline Grayling, William "Weg" Green, Liz Gridley, Tracie Grimwood, George Haddon, Thomas Ham, Louise Hearman, Linda Hibbs, Ramon Horsfield, Harry Hudson, Patricia Hunt, Ruth Jackson, Ann James, David Jamieson, Norma Kett, Martin King, Robin Kittelty-Redman, Wim Kortland, Bela Kozak, Francis Little, Evan Mackley, Barbara McCallum, Ken McFadyen, Barbara McManus, Winifred Miles, David Miller, Sally Miller, Jack Montgomery, David Moore, Graham Moore, Simon Normand, Trevor Opray, John Ford Patterson, Peter Pavey, Barbara Peake, Herman Pekel, Diana Platt, Anne Randles, Wayne Rankin, Charles Robb, Margaret Robbie, Hal Rooney, Les Sands, Kay Scott, Gordon Speary, Simone Thomson, Jack Truscott, William Unsworth, Olive Walls, Deb Webb, Judy Webber, Roger Webber, Charles Wilton.