The Easter long weekend will highlight the town’s creative community as the first Berridale Art Trail brings more than a dozen local artists to seven venues across the village.

From pottery and paintings to sculpture and photography, the event aims to transform Berridale’s streets into a vibrant open-air gallery.

Among the featured artists is Lee Gleisner, from Lee Gleisner Pottery, who will have a pop-up shop in Berridale while also preparing to open a formal gallery soon.

Ms Gleisner describes her work as whimsical yet functional and says she hopes the trail will generate enough interest to become an annual tradition or even a multi-visit event during peak times such as the ski season.

“My pottery is not only very unique but also very affordable, it is important to me that my work can be affordable to everyone,” Ms Gleisner said.

The first ever Berridale Art Trail is set to run Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Easter weekend with hours generally from 11am to 4pm at most venues, and 11am to 3pm on Sunday for some.

Promoting the trail, organiser and artist Pauline Syron-Coxon urges people to meet the artists and explore the town’s creative offerings.

Ms Syron-Coxon is gathering the Berridale community art spirit and creating the Berridale Art Trail, to showcase the many art works available and to put Berridale on the map of art experiences in the region.

“I started my first art gallery in Berridale in the small building now occupied by Nick Kirshner, the building was built by former Snowy Scheme worker Arthur Costello, and was the original laundry mat for the Snowy Scheme workers,” Ms Syron-Coxon said.

“The building has a rich history and that drew me to wanting to use the space for my art work, I am a Gringo aboriginal artist, but I lived and painted on Ngarigo country when I lived in Berridale more than two decades ago.

“I still have a strong connection to the art world in the Snowy Monaro region and the idea of the Berridale Art Trail came about when I was approached by the Jindabyne Lions Club to be their tribute artist for the Jindabyne Lions Club Easter Art Show and Sale.

“I thought since I was going to be coming back to my old hometowns, I would touch base with a few artists and see if we could get something started in Berridale to really showcase the talent in this small town.”

The effort also highlights that Berrihub has generously donated its space to several artists for the event, reinforcing the collaborative spirit driving the trail.

The trail is presented as a family-friendly way to discover Berridale’s alpine autumn charm, nestled between Cooma and Jindabyne.

Visitors will be guided to seven key locations, each home to a different artist or studio, including pottery, metal sculpture, mixed media, and more.

Participating artists and venues include Martin Bannister Art Gallery, 32 Jindabyne Rd, featuring drawings, painting and sculpture; and Michelle Lindau of Magpie Studio, 1 Creek Street, featuring mixed media, watercolours and paintings.

“After moving back to the area 12 months ago, the art culture is strong in Berridale and to be part of the trail is a great chance to bond with like-minded artists,” Michelle Lindau said.

“The hopes of the trail is to give Berridale a bigger presence of the art talent in the area.”

At Berrihub, 1/74 Jindabyne Road, will be Pauline Syron-Coxon Art featuring contemporary Aboriginal art; Gonk Art featuring bone and skull mosaic designs; and EMHART ARTIST Erin Felthourne featuring mixed media and sculptural work. Lee Gleisner Pottery will be at 88 Jindabyne Rd featuring pottery.

“I’m so excited to be part of this year’s Easter Art Trail and share my artwork with the community,” Erin Felthourne said.

“Many locals know me through my cake business, where creativity plays a big role in my everyday life, but I also hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts and it’s been so nice getting back into creating my own artwork.”

Artists invite visitors to follow the Berridale Art Trail on social media for the latest updates and maps.

The trail’s official channels include a Facebook group, a Facebook page, and an Instagram account, with a Google Map link pinned to the Facebook page for easy navigation.

A map detailing all locations will also be available at the venues.

This Easter weekend offers a chance to celebrate Berridale’s creative heart and perhaps lay the groundwork for a lasting annual tradition that could even extend beyond Easter into the ski season.

For more information and to plan your visit, see berridalearttrail.com and social media pages.