Local watercolour artist Gary Hutchinson exhibits at Coffs Showground Gallery

LOCAL artist Gary Hutchinson, a member of Coffs Harbour Creative Arts Group (CHCAG), is staging a solo exhibition of his watercolours at Coffs Harbour Showground Gallery this weekend, 23-24 August.

Called “Where Light Lingers” the exhibition is open from 10am to 4pm and entry is free.

Gary discovered his gift for watercolours after retiring in 2018 from a 45-year career in agricultural consultancy.

He honed his skills with CHCAG.

Today, his prints decorate homes across Australia, New Zealand, England, the USA, Sweden, Japan, and China, taking Coffs Coast images to the world.

His watercolours stand out for their delicate use of light and atmosphere, capturing the essence of coastal and rural landscapes with a refined touch.

Gary’s style leans towards serene and naturalistic compositions, but he prefers his paintings to carry a story or memory, which he is happy to share with his wide audience.

An informative feature of the exhibition is a Virtual Gallery Tour on a large screen, showing the best of Gary’s work to help people envisage what high quality prints could look like on a larger scale.

A standout watercolour painting in the exhibition shows the Tui, or Koko bird, a New Zealand honeyeater with distinctive plumage, magnificent colouration, and a beautiful song.

Gary has fond memories of Tui in the New Zealand bush from his childhood.

“Although our record of caring for them is far from perfect, they have already forgiven us much, and signals are that Tui will thrive whenever we encourage them,” he said.

Gary has been captivated by the bird’s ability to imitate the songs of other birds and people.

“Early European settlers kept pet Tui, as did Maori, and there are several accounts of Tui that have been taught to talk and sing – even barking like a guard dog.”

CHCAG’s “Anything Goes” exhibition is also on show at the gallery.

By Andrea FERRARI