New artists exhibit flora and fauna at Hive

Following on from a successful second annual Bellarine Arts Trail, the Hive Gallery is supporting two new artists in the coming month.

Point Lonsdale local Lavinia Cuming has been a botanical artist for 15 years after studying at the highly regarded Jenny Phillips Botanical Art School of Melbourne and was mentored by Heather Rankin.

Lavinia was also inspired by Stan Kelly, a train driver from country Victoria who illustrated over 500 species of the Eucalyptus genus, over 32 years, compiling them into two volumes.

Lavinia will have her work displayed at Hive Gallery until the December 3.

The second artist is Paul Walsh, hailing from Caramut in western Victoria.

Back in the ‘80s, Paul studied Oil Painting at the Heidelberg School of Art and dabbled in pottery at Potters Cottage in Warrandyte.

He attended charcoal life drawing classes in a Collingwood factory, and worked in water colours with a group in Ivanhoe.

Paul soon discovered the French semi-hard square pastels, setting him on his path of inspiration.

He loves the vibrancy and the ability to soften colours together to give a depth and uniqueness of shade that cannot be reproduced again.

Since 2014, Paul has applied this to drawing fish. His first series of 12 original works was a sell-out and has now produced a second series of pastel fish designs, each one alone taking six to eight hours to colour, completing them in a single sitting.

Paul’s fish will be exhibited from December 8-31, with an opening at The Hive Gallery on December 9 at 3pm. For more information, visit thehiveoceangrove.com.au.