ALL over the Great Southern region potters’ wheels are turning, paint brushes are painting, sewing machines are sewing, glass is melting and fusing, lathes are turning, welders are joining metal, kilns are heating up and cameras are clicking.

More than 200 artists and craft practitioners are getting ready for the big 2009 Bendigo Bank Southern Art & Craft Trail which starts this Saturday, September 26.

More than 60 venues showing a wide range of art will again make the Art Trail one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the region.

Around 8,000 visitors from all areas of WA and interstate are expected to tour the region following the Trail during the two weeks the event is conducted.

Artists in the Cranbrook Shire will be well represented with five venues showing a wide range of art and craft.

Two wineries in Frankland River, one in Cranbrook and the Cranbrook Art Group will all host exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, jewellery, photography and woodwork.

In addition, the Shire of Cranbrook will be hosting the annual Photographic Award at the Cranbrook Memorial Hall.

The coordinator of the Trail, Annette Grant, said there will be 20 new venues this year and at least 60 new artists.

New venues include a brewery, a winery in Broomehill, the Mt Barker Visitor Centre, a café in Walpole, a nursery at King River and a woodwork gallery in Youngs Siding.

One of the exhibitions in Denmark would feature a display by students from the Gondwana Youth Arts Project and another in Albany will show a retrospective of the work by renowned Albany artist Jacqui Codee who won the Albany Art Competition twice in the 1980’s.

Other artists include Indra Geidans, winner of this year’s City of Albany Art Prize, Noongar artist Charlie Colbung, award-winning photographer Barbara Madden, work in progress by sculptor David Stockdale, eminent Western Australian potter Ian Macrae and Churchill Fellows, botanical illustrator Katie Syme and glass artist Mark Hewson.

A booklet giving details of all exhibitions is available now from regional visitor centres, libraries, participating venues and online at www.artsouthwa.com.au