{"id":104091,"date":"2025-01-10T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/?p=104091"},"modified":"2025-01-08T18:44:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T07:44:27","slug":"a-verdant-canvas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/living\/a-verdant-canvas\/","title":{"rendered":"A verdant canvas"},"content":{"rendered":"

AN art exhibition inspired by the hinterland\u2019s rainforest landscapes has opened in the gallery at Uki Post Office.<\/p>\n

The Familiar Ground exhibition, by Bilambil-based artist Jenna-Lee Balk, includes around half a dozen contemporary paintings.<\/p>\n

Balk, who grew up in Burringbar, said she loves living in this part of the world, with the surrounding greenery providing endless inspiration.<\/p>\n

\u201cI find there are things around this area that are so unique, like the towering gum trees and the palm trees that intertwine with them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Balk studied art at Southern Cross University before taking a role teaching art at St Joseph\u2019s College Banora Point.<\/p>\n

She opened her own studio, Little White Studio, when the youngest of her three sons was three months old.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving kids pushed me back into doing my painting and my art for myself, using it as a way to de-stress,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In recent times Balk has reduced her pallet to a handful of colours, including various shades of green and rust.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Depths of the Forest by Jenna-Lee Balk. Photo: SUPPLIED<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMy work has a lot of negative space in it,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s as much about what\u2019s not there as it is about what is there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her work is often featured in home interiors magazines and has previously been exhibited at Mist Gallery in Cabarita and Eltham Village Gallery, next to Eltham Hotel.<\/p>\n

This is her first exhibition at Art Post Uki, which opened in 2017 after Gary Wall took over the post office, added a coffee bar, and recruited local artist Sue Kinneally to open a small gallery within it.<\/p>\n

Artists apply to exhibit there and are selected by an independent panel outside the Northern Rivers, with exhibitions usually running for around six weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a cute gallery,\u201d Balk said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big part of the culture and community of the town, and for a small place it has an extremely good reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Familiar Ground is at Uki Post Office every day until February 12.<\/p>\n

For more information, visit artpostuki.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AN art exhibition inspired by the hinterland\u2019s rainforest landscapes has opened in the gallery at Uki Post Office. The Familiar Ground exhibition, by Bilambil-based artist Jenna-Lee Balk, includes around half a dozen contemporary paintings. Balk, who grew up in Burringbar, said she loves living in this part of the world, with the surrounding greenery providing […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":231,"featured_media":104092,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-104091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-living"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA verdant canvas - Ballina Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore Jenna-Lee Balk's "Familiar Ground" exhibition at Uki Post Office, inspired by rainforest landscapes. 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