Vine Art Studio

After careful planning and hard work the Clare Valley welcomed a new business to this wonderful tourist destination. In October 2013, Vine Art Studio, Gallery & Therapeutic Massage opened for business.

Here is a simple record of the happenings at Vine Art, with occasional new updates and dating back to its opening day!

Saturday July 16th 2016

Halfway through the year and so much has happened! The B and B has opened for business, with glowing reviews from every customer so far! Our sheep, Frozen (No, we did not name him!) has been relocated to a new pasture as he became too aggressive for us to handle. Instead, we now have a cute little pygmy goat called Manny to accompany our other goat, Luna.

Also, finally, the website has a new look! It is still currently undergoing construction but will be finished well before the next news entry.

Wednesday January 27th 2016

And now the quiet time of the year here

Very quiet

Just a few more weeks to complete the B and B

Sunday January 3rd 2016

It's going to be an early harvest this year

We are nearly ready to open our new B and B, just adding the final touches.

Sunday November the 1st 2015

Its dry, its been dry and it looks like it will be dry for some time

The Valley is looking great at the moment with lots of vines growing their harvest for 2016

The L'tle Lolly Shop" is being really well received and we are noticing greater numbers coming in

The last 6 months we have been really busy organising our B and B business and hope to open our

"Bed in a Shed B & B" in February 2016

Pop in soon and see us

Monday September the 21st 2015

Our new "L'tle Lolly Shop" is being "found" now and we have English and American sweets in stock.

Our Bed in a Shed B & B is nearing completion, we hope to open in 2016.

Our wine label "Grape Vine in a Bottle" has been registered at last ready for release in 2017.

After a long and very cold winter the vines are now budding and bursting in readiness for the 2016 harvest.

Monday August 3rd 2015

SALA is well underway here at Vine Art and at last plans are in council for our new Bed and Breakfast business "Bed in a Shed"

You will find the page on Facebook under that name

Our new "L'tle Lolly Shop" is being received well now into its second week.

We hope to have English sweets in soon

Wednesday July 15th 2015

So great to see all the rain at the moment

Great for the farmers and really great for our vineyard

More importantly though is our Choc Mint milkshakes that are getting rave reviews

Drop in soon

Wednesday June the 3rd 2015

A very sad day today having to call the Clare Police to have a badly injured kangaroo put down after being hit by a car

Friday May the 15th 2015

A very exciting night at the Clare Town Hall tonight with the announcement of the 2015 Rotary Art Shows winning artworks

Congratulations to all the winning entries and Andrew was pretty chuffed to pick up "The Best in Exhibition" for his work entitled "The First Drop" 

Sunday April the 25th 2015

Its wet, its been wet and it looks like it will be wet for some time

The Valley turns green again after a long dry spell and now we wait for the cold and the chill

Work continues on finishing our new Bed and Breakfast business and plans are underway to bottle our own wine in 2016

It’s busy, busy, busy around here but we look forward to getting all the work done soon

It's seeding time too as farmers plant the next crops of grain

We LOVE the country life

Numbers are picking up again and our reviews are growing on Trip Advisor

Pop in soon

Tuesday March the 17th 2015

Well it's getting busy again and next week the new Wine, Food and Tourism Centre opens in the Clare Valley complete with a wine bar

This is great news for so many of those who have a business in the Clare Valley as visitor numbers have been down substantially since the old Visitor information centre closed 11 months ago

If you are reading this and you live in another state, city or country do come and visit our beautiful Valley and stay a while

You will become so relaxed you will not want to leave

Thursday February 12th 2015

Here we are and its February already

Its harvest time in the Clare Valley and its HOT

Perfect time for Andrew to be painting in the air conditioned comfort of his Studio

Being February it's also he quietest time of the year so why not drop in and say hi

Andrew is always up for a chat :-)

See our progress on Facebook at our Vine Art site or google Vine Art to then go to our recent Trip Advisor reviews

And if its art you want Andrew has a whole lot of new work currently available for sale for private and corporate settings

Welcome to 2015 Have a great year everyone!

Tuesday December the 9th 2014

Busy getting ready for Christmas

We have lots of great things to buy for those last minute gifts

The grain harvest is almost done and the grape harvest is looking good for February

We will only be closed Christmas day and Boxing Day so pop in and say hello

Saturday October 25th 2014

Sunny, warm, fresh air, singing birds and grapes a growing

It’s just a beautiful day here in the Clare Valley today

Nice to see people enjoying Victoria Bones amazing fabric exhibition with good sales

Her work will look great on anyones wall and her works are very keenly priced

Pop in soon and see her exhibition on till the end of November

Thursday October 16th 2014

We can't believe it, it's the middle of October already

As usual it has been really busy and on the 4th of October we celebrated 12 months in business with around 1700 people through in that time

The business has grown but will need a few more years to become profitable as it takes time to get known

We really try to make people welcome and have met amazing people from all over Australia and overseas

We plan to increase the Studio size in due course so we can display even more art in time

We really want to make our own wine from our vineyard and serve platters and wine but it all takes time and a lot of money so we just have to tread slowly and carefully

Carolyn now has a fully set up massage room or she can come to your bed and breakfast in the Clare Valley and with over 20 years experience you will be in good hands

Andrew has had some good sales of his work and continues to create new works

We have a great exhibition on at Vine Art at the present so why not pop in to see Victoria Bones amazing fabric art which is really unusual and very keenly priced

You will now find reviews on Trip Advisor under Leasingham attractions so check that out

Come and visit soon its beeeeeeuuuuuiiiiitttifffuuulllll at the moment 

Saturday August 9th 2014

SALA is well underway since Cathy Pike opened our exhibition just over a week ago

Today was a busy one with lots of happy folk in from SA and interstate to enjoy some scones jam and cream, coffee tea in a really relaxing environment

Drop by soon and enjoy some time with us

The addition of Frozen our seven week old lamb and Luna our gorgeous goat a week old is a talking point around here

Finally this week the undercover area has been completed with the completion of the retaining stone walls and plantings

Next the chook house is to be finished along with setting up a small nursery

Roll on springtime 

Thursday July 17th, 2014

Here we are in the depths of winter, looking forward to sunny spring days. All around the Clare Valley, vines are being pruned, the ground is damp, and everyone is ready for the sunshine soon.

Andrew is very busy finishing off paintings for the 2014 SALA exhibition in August.

Please drop in during SALA and see wonderful works by four dedicated local artists.

Wednesday June 25th, 2014

Well as you can tell we have been really busy getting the food side of the business up and running, installing a public toilet, finishing off the outdoor areas ready for the spring rush etc etc

Now getting some commission paintings done and working on SALA works for August

Its been a really busy year of our lives and there is still a lot to do

At the moment we are not sure what the bus will become but feel that the cafe part of the business just won't work from there we think

We had a great harvest this year God gave good rain and sunshine

Have a great winter everyone

Saturday April 5th 2014

Very busy first day serving Devonshire teas!

Bus still being worked on, should be ready soon-ish!

NEW VINE ART AD FINALLY!!!!

Thanks to all those who were happy to be in it!

Wow, what a month!

We've had great time serving all our great customers our wonderful Devonshire teas!

The ad is also FINALLY on Youtube (and our website)!

To view on Youtube, copy and paste this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6or9ablEHCU

Tuesday March the 18th 2014

It has been a very, very busy few weeks

Currently we have builders installing the new pitched roof and verandahs to our home, a toilet block is getting ready to be completed, undercover area for Devonshire Teas is being completed today and the bus is in place hopefully to be ready to trade in May.

We have our first major exhibition opening on the 26th of April so keep an eye out here for happenings.

Monday February the 17th 2014

Bus buying day today, we looked, we saw, we conquered.

Vintage starts this Friday in our vineyard.

We are finishing off the animal enclosure as a family in this cooler weather and also preparing a new path and garden as the entrance to the proposed Devonshire Tea bus

Busy busy busy………

Monday February the 10th 2014

A very busy weekend with lots happening at Vine Art Studio, Gallery & Therapeutic Massage.

Vintage has commenced all around us so the cooler nights mean autumn should soon be with us.

We have been really busy getting ready to hopefully open our Devonshire Tea business in April.

A concrete slab was poured last week for the toilet and bathroom facilities, the builders are due in 5 weeks to remove the skillion roof and build a new truss roof with new verandahs all around.

We are in the process of negotiating to purchase a very large bus which will be gutted, will have really unique furniture in it, this being a place for a wonderful Devonshire tea with northern views out over our vineyard to the Annies Lane and Claymore vineyards, a haven from wind rain and snow????

More to follow on that in due course.

We are trying to keep things green at present in the middle of a very hot summer.

Stay tuned folks, its all go at Vine Art Studio, Gallery & Therapeutic Massage here in the beautiful Clare Valley.

Wednesday January the 22nd 2014

Its been a really busy start to 2014 with watering through the very hot weather being high on the agenda for the vineyard

The grapes are getting closer to harvest and it's shaping up for a good vintage in 2014

On the food front work has been progressing steadily on the new kitchen ready to serve Devonshire teas in the autumn.

Granite bench tops, a new dishwasher and a bay window have been installed which will be great for hygienic food preparation.

A new kitchen garden courtyard is being built at present behind the kitchen to provide fresh herbs and the like for great food freshness.

Today the order for the timber for the new verandahs and roof is to be ordered, the builder is booked for mid March to install the new pitched roof and verandahs.

Applications are going to council for new signage on the main highway.

It's a busy time but great now the weather is cooler as it allows more things to be done in the evenings.

Sunday December the 29th 2013

Great to have so many through from all over the world this weekend

Really enjoyed painting today with my 11 year old daughter along side me

Keep up to date with our goings on, on our Face Book page @ Andrew Quixley Artist

Happy New Year everyone from Andrew, Carolyn, Oliver and Izzy Quixley

Friday December the 20th 2013

Just so, so hot in the Valley this week around 40 degrees Celcius

Looking forward to cooler weather over the next few days and planting out our Buffalo grass runners to survive the hot summers up here

As summer settles in the numbers of visitors is dropping allowing us more time to get the grounds ready for the Autumn Devonshire tea opening

The new roof and verandah have now been pulled back into March for construction so the mess will be over before April.

Sunday December the 8th 2013

Dark clouds tell of a storm a coming in the Valley tonight and rain is always welcome

On closing this afternoon i locked up the Studio only to notice a kangaroo and joey both enjoying our lush green lawn

I sat on the front verandah just peacefully watching them munching

Its just so beautiful in the Clare Valley at the moment

I should mention a big congratulations to Raza and Richard who have just opened their new winery in Watervale called "Shut the gate"

Drop in there and say hi after you visit us in the coming weeks

Now after 9 weeks of being open we have had 363 people through our doors

All of the comments have been great so thank you

Have a great week everyone

Wednesday November the 27th 2013

Its harvest time here in the Valley

Wheat is being loaded from golden paddocks with searing heat rising from the dusty earth

Its 37 C today, thats 100 degrees for you guys from the USA

Its a hot dry wind that cooks everything in its way

The grapes are increasing in size and it is looking like a good vintage in the autumn

We have a lot of new products in now, come and have a look

Friday November the 15th 2013

Work is progressing well on the 'Olde verandah'

Will post progress photos soon.

Friday November the 8th 2013

Work has started on the undercover area at the moment an ongoing process that will have great results

Will post progress photos soon.

Friday November the 1st 2013

With November here we start to wonder where the time goes.

A quieter week in the Studio allowing time to plan the upcoming outdoor undercover area adjacent to the Studio.

This morning Andrew set up a display at the Clare Valley Visitor information Centre for Vine Art after being invited to do so.

Looking forward to a busy weekend.

Tuesday October the 22nd 2013

With Tuesday being our day off what better thing to do but dig trenches and extend the existing pipework to the septic tank to allow for our toilet facilities to be installed at a later date.

Monday October the 21st 2013

We had a lot of wonderful people through on the weekend and Andrew enjoyed the friendly chats with them.

Andrew works on his own this week as Carolyn and the kids take a much needed break in Bali for 8 days.

Yesterday more Riesling vines were planted and watered a really rewarding task though the flies were everywhere even at 7 am.

Friday October the 18th 2013

Today our new Riesling Trail sign went in at the Leasingham exit.

A big thank you to Mark Hill and to the Treasurer Peter for all their help in getting this up and running.

This evening work started on our "Citrus Walk" at the entrance to the Gallery.

Will be wonderful when fully grown.

Wednesday October the 16th 2013

100 new Riesling vines planted out in the vineyard where some vines had died.

The vineyard is being improved on an ongoing basis.

Good numbers through the Gallery today even on the windiest of days.

Tuesday October the 15th 2013

Plans are underway to build an undercover outdoor area, to serve coffee, Devonshire teas and in the future wood fired oven pizzas.

Will go to council with this in the next few days.

Our idea is for a unique outdoor eating area to complement the gallery with a a focus on relaxed outdoor relaxation for tourists and for locals.

Saturday October the 12th 2013

Currently, we are attending to the construction of fences and animal enclosures.

Alpacas, sheep and chooks are expected to shift into our property in the near future.

Also, at present all of the vines are budding up ready for a great vintage in 2014.

We are also in the process of making a short video promoting our business.

Saturday October the 5th 2013

Open for business for the very first time

A busy week we welcomed visitors from the local area, Adelaide and interstate.

Very pleased with the responses and sales!