Three Bruthen artists are combining forces to exhibit their artworks at Village Maker in Bruthen’s main street for four weeks with an opening celebration this Friday, March 7.
Each of the three women has their own individual style and the various mediums that they use to produce works with something that will interest most people.
Lauren Manley grew up in Bruthen and returned to live in the town with her two children several years ago. Lauren’s preferred medium is clay. She likes to experiment with different glazes and clays to obtain interesting and beautiful finishes on her work, striving for natural colours and textures in her creations.
Lauren enjoys the challenge of pit firing her works, risking the disasters that can arise from this method to achieve some delightful patinas on her work.
Margaret Pearson is well-known in the region for her largish bright and cheerful paintings.
Marg began her art adventure in a local art class led by Bruthen artist Gay Evans around 12 years ago. Since then she has attended workshops, undertaken lessons and learnt via the internet.
Marg has also taught beginners locally and at Bairnsdale Art Society. Her paintings have changed over the years to reflect different styles and medias.
Many people will know Margaret for her fascinating fluid or pour paintings which she used to create some interesting backgrounds for her paintings. She has now moved onto slightly less messy methods with most of the paintings in this exhibit finished in oils, Marg’s newest craze.
Joy Manley has lived in Bruthen for many years and feels that she can now call herself ‘a local’.
Retired from a career as a community health nurse she has always dabbled in painting but now has more time to pursue her passion for art. Joy loves to learn new skills and techniques in painting and says that her pieces for this exhibition will be varied in subjects and styles.
A past winner of the Nowa Nowa Nudes Art Exhibition she hopes visitors to the exhibition will find something that excites them.
Margaret, Lauren and Joy are also keen to see more people in their community getting involved in art and as such are involved in the Bruthen Arts and Events Council project, Bruthen Art Collective, which is designed to encourage more people to try a new, or possibly lapsed, skill such as pottery, painting, drawing, weaving and more.
While they are yet to find a permanent home for the art collective they plan to start the ball rolling with some free come and try sessions for the community at the Bruthen Hall on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons during March.
All materials will be supplied.
