Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery is proud to exhibit a collaborative collection of works titled, ‘A Wilful, Lavish Land’, by renowned artists Frances Feasey, Emily Simson and Maree Kelly.

The exhibition is named after a line from Dorothea Mackellar’s famous poem ‘My Country’, which inspired the artists to explore their practices of drawing, printmaking and painting different landscapes, using acrylics and oils.

All three artists are established regional artists and have been exhibiting their works throughout NSW for more than 15 years, both in solo and group exhibitions.

Frances Feasey grew up in the Tamworth area and now lives in the Blue Mountains.

She attended TAFE at Tamworth with Emily Simson were they studied Fine Arts. Frances will showcase drawings, using both oil and acrylic media in the exhibition. “I’m interested in the afternoon light in the landscape. This is the time when different colours emerge, flickers of light highlighting different aspects of the bush reveal themselves and an eerie atmosphere is created,” Frances said.

“My painting process involves lots of mark making and building up of layers. With my work I oscillate between creating images that are representational and creating abstract marks and shapes. They are always with a particular landscape in mind such as my neighbourhood in the Blue Mountains or Hill End in NSW, uniting the works.”

Emily Simson grew up on the family farm ‘Red Bobs’, Wandobah and is now living in Armidale. Emily will display print-making, drawing and acrylic paintings in the exhibition.

“Painting the landscape is endless, even the most familiar scene is constantly changing in the light, seasons and weather. So my paintings are following the feeling of being in the landscape, completely surrounded by that particular day or hours, the stillness or wind or heat,” Emily said.

Maree Kelly was born and raised in Gunnedah and now lives on a farm south of Curlewis. Maree also attended TAFE, before finishing a degree in Fine Arts at Newcastle University with Emily. Maree will exhibit oil paintings on canvas and paper.

“I live on part of Long Mountain at Curlewis and recent work has explored my own backyard - the foothills and rocky outcrops around the mountain and the panoramic views looking out from the mountain over the plains. I looked at different light in the landscape during different seasons and times of day, and the artworks in the exhibition range from paintings of strong light on a winter morning to the mysterious light cast by a full moon,” Maree said.

The exhibition opening night will be held from 6:00pm on Saturday, 9 December 2017 at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery. Light refreshments will be provided.

The exhibition continues until 2 February, 2018.

Photo Caption 1: Maree Kelly.

ENDS

Media Contact: Ashley Gardner 6740 2100.