Ann Brown’s “Neighbours” By Catherine Watson
“IF YOU go down to the woodlands you’re in for a big surprise …” That’s the theme of next weekend’s Woodlands Exhibition and it’s prompted an outpouring of creativity from our local artists.
Curator Ellen Hubble says it has been a thrill to watch the diversity and quality of the works as they arrived. They range from landscapes and botanical art to political art, sculptures, weavings and carvings.
All works will be displayed and on sale in the Goods Shed, Wonthaggi, next weekend.
Coronet Bay artist Ann Brown’s “Neighbours” portrays some of the many woodland dwellers. “The galah is showing off to the birds and other animals. The koala is not happy to be woken from his sleep. The goanna ignores the commotion intent on getting breakfast. The possum sneaks behind the kookaburra.”
“IF YOU go down to the woodlands you’re in for a big surprise …” That’s the theme of next weekend’s Woodlands Exhibition and it’s prompted an outpouring of creativity from our local artists.
Curator Ellen Hubble says it has been a thrill to watch the diversity and quality of the works as they arrived. They range from landscapes and botanical art to political art, sculptures, weavings and carvings.
All works will be displayed and on sale in the Goods Shed, Wonthaggi, next weekend.
Coronet Bay artist Ann Brown’s “Neighbours” portrays some of the many woodland dwellers. “The galah is showing off to the birds and other animals. The koala is not happy to be woken from his sleep. The goanna ignores the commotion intent on getting breakfast. The possum sneaks behind the kookaburra.”
 Liz McDonald’s “Banksia integrifolia”   Sarah Thoonen’s “My Favourite Tree”   Mark Schaller’s “The Minefield”. | Gurdies artist Liz McDonald’s pencil drawing Banksia integrifolia is a wonderful example of botanical art and Phil Henshall clearly had fun portraying the perspective of a driver of one of the many massive sand trucks that thunder along our highways. Grantville artist.Sarah Thoonen’s has portrayed her favourite woodland tree. “I am forever mesmerised by its strange curvature, insect laid carvings, and ever-changing moss and lichen formations. In its presence, I feel at peace, I feel home, and so I tried to capture some of that feeling in this piece.” Coronet Bay artist Baden Johnson has focused on the destruction of our bushland for sand mining Grantville while Gurdies artist Janice Orchard’s has captured the light playing in the natural habitat of Dunbabbin Road. Phillip Island artist Mark Schaller was one of those who rose to the challenge, going on location to view one of Bass Coast’s massive sand mines. Back in his studio he has brought the scene to life in a massive work called The Minefield. While it represents a scene of environmental destruction, his customary boldness and vibrancy shine through and give it a kind of luminosity. The sand hills shimmer, the sludge ponds emit a toxic pink radiance and the Bass Hills glow red and blue in the distance. One of Australia’s most successful artists, Schaller has generously donated “The Minefield” to raise funds for the campaign to stop mining in local woodlands. It will be auctioned at the end of the exhibition next Sunday at 2pm by veteran auctioneer Alan Bolding, along with selected art works. and a woodlands T-shirt signed by the legendary eco warrior Bob Brown. The exhibition opens on Friday night, June 21, from 6-9pm, and runs on Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23, from 10am-4pm. Artworks can also be viewed online at savewesternportwoodlands.org but we hope you will visit the Goods Shed to see the exhibition as a whole. Catherine Watson is a member of Save Western Port Woodlands and has helped to organise the exhibition. |