Greeting card fundraiser for gallery

THE Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery has recently published two greeting cards which highlight the beauty of the local Ibis.

The gallery has adopted the Ibis as its signature, with the Ibis Rising fountain on the lawn in front of the building and the annual Ibis Rising Art Awards, while the gallery logo also includes an Ibis.

Last year for the art awards a new category was created and artists were invited to submit works in any medium depicting an Ibis which saw drawings, photographs and sculptures entered.

Two of these images have now been made into greeting cards which will be sold as a fundraiser for the gallery.

Angela Leech, a member of the Captured Images Naracoorte Photography Club for just three years, took her photograph of a Straw-necked Ibis at Lake McIntyre near Millicent.

Her entry was entitled Iridescent Elegance and Angela was encouraged to enter the gallery awards by her Photography Club.

She and fellow photographer Brenda Mahoney, stayed on in Millicent an extra two nights after a club weekend there, to take more photos at Lake McIntyre.

Angela used a Canon R6 Mark 2 Mirrorless camera with a Sigma lens to capture the shot.

Given she felt new to photography, this expedition and entry were outside her comfort zone and she is delighted the gallery has chosen to publish her photo.

Sharyn Hansen was also inspired to enter the competition with her drawing of an Australian White Ibis with the title ‘Where do I forage now?’

Sharyn said she had not painted in years and was just starting to dabble in art again.

“The awards gave me the chance to apply myself with a purpose,” she said.

She created the image using mixed media of paints, pastels and inks and even used a sponge for texture.

Both artists agree that while in an urban setting the Ibis has become known as a Bin Chicken, in the Limestone Coast wetlands, they retain all their beauty and presence.

The cards are available for sale at the gallery.