TWO Bays Art Group is celebrating 60 years with a pop-up exhibition and sale at Peninsula Community Theatre.
The group consists of 18 women who hold around eight shopping centre art shows a year.
The pop-up exhibition and celebration will take place at Peninsula Community Theatre in Mornington from 26 to 29 November.
Nicole Barros, one of the members, said reaching 60 years is something worth celebrating.
“It’s something to be proud of that these women, 60 years ago, came up with this idea to do it, and it still works today,” said Barros.
“So, we’re celebrating it by having an opening night, and then we’re going to have three days of selling, and we’ve also invited the Woodturners and the Handweavers and Spinners to join us to help celebrate.”
Barros said Two Bays formed after a group of women weren’t allowed to join a men’s group.
“So, they got together for themselves, and they didn’t invite men into it because they weren’t invited into their group,” said Barros.
“That’s how it started, and then they came up with the name because they live in between the two bays: Port Phillip and Western Port.”
Barros, who has been a member for around fourteen years, said the group provides its members with connection and belonging.
“It’s a fabulous group,” said Barros.
“It’s a strong group of women that come together; we don’t paint together, we just come together, and we show our art.”
Barros said half of the group are in their eighties but continue to show up on Monday mornings at 7am to set up stands and hang up paintings.
“It’s enjoyable that someone still wants their art,” said Barros.
“When someone purchases one, they get just as big a thrill as what they did when they were in their 50s and 60s doing the show.”
Barros said one of the members, who is well into her 80s, continues participating simply because she still can.
“A couple of weeks ago, I said to one of them, ‘I don’t know if I could still do this well into my 80s’, and she goes, ‘It’s because it’s something that I’ve got. It’s mine, and I can still do it. So, whenever I can still do it, I’m going to do it. It keeps me young’,” said Barros.
For 50 years, the group donated money to Peninsula Health but eventually decided they wanted to contribute to a service accessible to a wider range of people.
The group now donates ten per cent of their profits to Beyond Blue.
“The community gives to us and shows their support, and we have a lot of followers that turn up, and they’ve been buying from us for years and years,” said Barros.
“They’re supporting us and buying our art, so we just give back when we can.”
Opening night for the pop-up exhibition is on 26 November from 6 pm to 8 pm and is free for anyone who wishes to attend.
First published in the Mornington News – 20 October 2026
