Port Macquarie Arts and Crafts Centre inspires new and old artists

Not much you might think.

But Port Macquarie artist Gayl Rovere begs to differ.

Ms Rovere is a former maths teacher from Ipswich in Queensland.

She moved to Port Macquarie 15 years ago.

"A lot of people don't understand that maths can be really creative," she said.

"It is creative because there are lots of different ways to solve a problem and the best way to do a maths problem is very often the simplest way."

Ms Rovere dabbled in art when she taught maths.

But it was only when she retired as a teacher that she decided she wanted to focus more on it.

She particularly wanted to pursue pottery but found there wasn't the opportunities in Ipswich.

So she made the move to Port Macquarie.

"Port Macquarie and Ipswich are roughly the same size," she said.

"But you don't have those opportunities in Ipswich.

"In Port Macquarie there is a big retired community so there are a lot of opportunities."

She joined the Arts and Craft Centre when she moved to Port Macquarie and loved it.

"It is an amazing facility," she said.

"You could never be able to afford to set up the equipment individually and the sense of camaraderie is great."

Ms Rovere relishes the chance to create a range of art at the centre.

"When you have the chance to create art it is something that comes from deep within inside you," she said.

"Sometimes you can look at a painting and be amazed that you did that.

"And you can never replicate it because it comes from deep within you.

"For that to happen you need to be really engrossed in it full-time."

On Fridy November 1, the Port Macquarei Arts and Crafts Centre celebrating 45 years of service to the Port Macquarie community.

President of the Port Macquarie Arts and Craft Centre Dr Mavourna Collits described it as an "important" moment before they move into a new building.

"The fact that the centre started in a shed at Thrumster, it was bought in by a lorry to Lake Road and as membership grew we build extra rooms," she said.

"Members really own this centre and they loved this centre."

Over a hundred people attended the Arts and Crafts Centre annual Christmas sale on Saturday, November 2.