By Abbey Cannan
Local artists have the chance to showcase their work and inspire the public at the Tewantin Noosa Community Bank (Bendigo Bank) in a dedicated area within the branch.
From Monday 14 March until Tuesday 19 April, there will be a new exhibition by artist Rose Barry.
Rose has been painting for over 40 years, although as a child growing up in Melbourne, art was not a subject at the convent school she attended.
“My life as an artist commenced at the age of 38 when I attended a short course of watercolour painting in a tiny, remote town in South Africa,“ she said.
“That was enough to start me on my largely self-taught art journey, moving on eventually to oils, pastels and acrylics.
“I paint for pleasure now that I am an older citizen, but in former days, when I lived in the Northern Territory, I sold many paintings to tourists in Darwin and Alice Springs.“
Rose was inspired by the majestic landscapes of the Red Centre, and by the lovely water lilies and billabongs of the Top End.
“I first started painting in South Africa, in a region known as the Transkei, an incredibly picturesque land with a wild coastline, and countless hills dotted with white rondavels topped with golden thatched roofs.
“As an artist, I have always drawn my inspiration from the environment around me. In Noosa, I find much of my inspiration from the amazing vegetation surrounding us. I have also lately been inspired by the underwater scenes revealed in the Blue Planet series by David Attenborough. His work is a revelation of the beauty and wonder of the underwater world, and of the importance of the ocean to all life on earth.“
Rose said she was pleased to be able to exhibit her work in the Bendigo Bank in Tewantin.
“For me personally, I will enjoy seeing my paintings as a cohesive body of work, rather than having them in cupboards and under beds all over the house,“ she said.
“I hope that everyone who sees the paintings will enjoy the colour and vitality of my work and relate to the gardens and familiar plants and scenes.
“The paintings are for sale at very reasonable prices, as I do not classify myself as a professional artist, but as a serious hobby artist, who loves what she paints, and is getting better as the years go by.
“I hope my paintings make a trip to the bank a more enjoyable experience than usual, and that the staff also enjoy looking at them.
“I am very pleased that the Bendigo Bank is offering this opportunity to local artists to display their work in such modern, bright premises.“
Visit Tewantin Noosa Community Bank to check out local art at 114 Poinciana Avenue, Tewantin.
