Marion Langford in her element, painting her clay creations with care and creativity.
Photo by
Kelly Lucas-Carmody
When artist Marion Langford was a teenager, the Star Bowl in Shepparton was one of her favourite places to be.
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Saturday nights were spent alongside friends, gracefully sending bowling balls down the lanes, smashing pins and sharing laughs.
So, it’s no wonder that all these years later, when deciding what to enter in the SAM Open 2025, Marion chose a piece that captures the spirit of the Star Bowl in every way.
Not only does the artwork reflect her fond memories, but it also honours a local icon — a place filled with history that continues to offer those same special moments to new generations.
Her piece? A quirky little bowling ball, complete with an equally quirky pin, and made with love, thought, creativity, and a touch of classic Marion Langford fun.
“I was just playing with clay, thinking I’d make a pinch pot — then I picked it up and thought, ‘God, it’s heavy, it feels like a bowling ball’ — so that’s what it became,” Marion said.
“And then I thought, I have to make a bowling pin to go with it.”
She stylised the piece with playful references, wrapping writing and stars around the outside to echo the retro flair of Shepparton’s Star Bowl.
Ensuring the bowling pin matched the ball proportionally took a bit of trial and error, but in the end, Marion got there.
Now, the piece that is proudly on display inside SAM reflects not just the look and feel of the Star Bowl, but the fun, charm and personal memories that inspired it.
“SAM do such a beautiful job of curating everything and putting the exhibition together — you can’t help but feel proud to be a part of it all,” she said.
“I mean, it’s an international standard gallery.
“It’s exciting just seeing the diversity of the local art that’s brought together and the level of quality as well.”
The SAM Open 2025 exhibition is on display at SAM and will run until Sunday, November 2.
This annual open-call exhibition showcases the diverse creative talents of artists from around the region.
This year’s exhibition features 66 works across various mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, textiles and ceramics.
Notably, there was no set theme for this year’s exhibition, allowing artists to present works that reflect their unique creative practices.
“There are embroidery and stitching works that make you go, wow — the hours that go into that are phenomenal,” Marion said.
“Unless you’ve done it yourself, most people just don’t realise what it takes to make art, so it’s really nice to see that appreciation.”
A playful pair — Marion Langford’s hand-crafted bowling ball and pin bring a touch of nostalgia and fun to the SAM Open 2025.
Artist Marion Langford stands proudly beside her quirky Star Bowl-inspired piece, now on display as part of the SAM Open 2025 exhibition.
Marion Langford is one of 66 artists featured in this year’s SAM Open, now on show at Shepparton Art Museum.
Photo by
Kelly Lucas-Carmody
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