Local artists to host exhibition at Coffs Botanic Garden

THE Combined Art & Craft Group are back hosting an exhibition at the Botanic Garden in Coffs Harbour from Sunday 28 September to Sunday 5 October, opening daily from 9.30am to 3pm. 

It’s a swansong for the group exhibiting at the Botanic Gardens as the artists seek a new venue for their quarterly show.

The group consists of six local artists who get together specifically for these week-long school holiday exhibitions to display their handmade work.

There will be paintings by Mary Abbott, whose focus is on acrylic; Sue Roberts will have some pen-and-wash, acrylic and encaustic artworks on display; and Ivinnie Brown’s artworks will cover a variety of mediums including pastels and pen-and-wash pieces.

Papercraft art which includes journals, friendship verses, bookmarks and cards, porcelain painting, stained glass suncatchers, and various knitted and crochet items are just a few of the various items on display by the other three artists, Marion Crear, Maxine Kohlhagen and Yvonne Smith.

During the exhibition, members of the group will be on hand to chat with visitors about the techniques used to create their artworks.

Yvonne Smith will show a variety of cards featuring Neurographic Art and will have some interesting silk papers.

She says these are “great for stitching and for use in journal making”.

Marion Crear’s range of items on display will be hand-made fabric pouches, small coin purses and iPad or tablet pouches.

She will be talking about how she goes about making her art journals and various processes to fill these journals.

Glass suncatchers are included in the range of items that Maxine Kohlhagen will have on display.

A productive artist, she also knits and sews, including “ever-popular socks or crocheting rugs”.

Mindful of reducing waste, she crochets colourful knee rugs using yarn left over from other projects.

Entry to the exhibition is free.

By Andrea FERRARI