A collection of works

By Helen Tatchell

Born in India and a childhood spent in Uganda, East Africa, has strong memories for local Bacchus Marsh artist Anuradha (Anu) Patel who was fully educated in England.
Time spent in an outdoor environment allowed Anu as a young child to explore details of plant forms and the natural world.
“There is an autobiographical element to my work, often in the form of visual diaries.
“The images are an emotional expression of situations and experiences,” she said.
Ms Patel was speaking at the opening of her exhibition and art show, ‘A Collection of Works’, at the B-Mac Gallery in Bacchus Marsh.
The B-Mac Gallery is an artist run space, an initiative of the Bacchus Marsh Arts Council, and located in the Village Shopping Centre (facing Bennett street).
The artworks are made largely in metal, using industrial processes such as laser cutting.
“This process enables me to transfer directly my studio practice of paper cutting (a traditional technique widely practiced in India) into intricately cut design in metal.”
Speaking at the gala opening of the exhibition on Friday 20 April, Ms Patel said she was very pleased to have the opportunity to do a one-person show at the gallery she helped to set up as a community led project.
“We are going in to our fifteenth month and it has had quite an impact and I believe we’re are making inroads with the arts. We are also making breakthroughs where we didn’t have those before.
“For me, it is a pleasure to have a body of work. As an artist I work on things in different stages of my life, and not everything comes together. So here I am enjoying seeing my works as a whole displayed for the public to enjoy, and maybe purchase.
“My life is art and it always has been, across four continents. I live and breathe art,” Ms Patel said.
Officially opened by Moorabool Mayor Paul Tatchell who said once an artwork was complete it was for someone else to enjoy.
“Anu has an incredible sense of passion and excitement for art and brings something different to the rural sector, and we are absolutely blessed to have someone like Anu in our community.”
The exhibition is now open Wednesday to Sunday (10am-3pm) until Sunday 27 May 2018.