Works of reality and imagination

VISUAL artists based throughout the Golden Plains Shire are currently exhibiting works at the Mercure Ballarat for the second time.

Real and Imagined is the latest showcase from creative collective GP Arts Inc, presenting paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs and more, by over 30 of the region’s artists.

Painter and GP Arts Inc secretary Kate Wise said many of the 30 pieces presented are 3D.

“We’ve got a broad range of people exhibiting work, from internationally known artists like printmaker Vida Pearson, and Janet Matthews who works with coloured pencil, to our youngest member, photographer Mitchell Taylor,” she said.

“Pastel artist Jillian Rough, and milliner Chris Boerner from Teesdale, who makes beautiful theatrical headpieces, are exhibiting for the first time, and we have some ceramics from Sylvia Aguirre and Myra Romeril.

“We’re such a diverse group. We wanted a really broad, inclusive theme, for people who do traditional landscapes through to totally abstract works, so that’s why we’ve chosen Real and Imagined.”

The exhibition was officially opened last Thursday, 12 May with Ballarat dimensional paper illustrator Deborah Klein as guest speaker.

Art-lovers were invited to meet the featured creatives, and find out more information about their pieces on show, including what’s real within them, and what’s been imagined.

The show is free to view and will run until Sunday, 19 June at 613 Main Road, Golden Point.

“The Mercure is always open, so you can drop in any time, have a coffee or lunch and look at the exhibition,” Wise said.