A sense of place for returning group show

AN annual staple of the region’s art collectives’ calendar is set to return to Mercure Ballarat later this month.

For the third year in a row, creatives from Golden Plains-based GP Arts will converge on the venue, decorating the walls with works as part of their regular group exhibition.

With a loose theme around the show’s title Place, GP Arts president Barry Wemyss said their yearly display is about being artistic within a group setting.

“It’s inclusive and it’s more than just presenting your artwork,” he said. “It’s coming together as a group and getting to know other artists since we’re pretty broad from the Shire’s north and south.

“We’ll have about 65 works. There’s obviously oils and acrylics through to found art sculpturing, things of that nature.

“Place in this context can mean anything. It can be a location or a sense of feeling we enjoy. We do this sort if thing every year but it’s always more of a guide than a proposed theme.”

About 30 of the group’s more than 75 members are expected to display in the show, with an option between one large work or a handful of smaller pieces.

Having joined GP Arts earlier this year and debuting with the group in their recent Arts Trail, Lee-Anne Douglas is preparing to submit her mixed media textile piece titled Secret Garden.

She said she’s looking forward to becoming more involved with the group.

“I’m excited to get my work out there amongst the amazing artists around,” she said. “For me, even getting asked to submit something for this is a huge honour since I’m still starting out, I guess.

“I’ve been sewing for many years, but it’s only been the last couple years I’ve gotten right into my textile art.”

Place will be on show at Mercure Ballarat from Wednesday, 14 June to Sunday, 9 July.