Artists explore nature

By Madeleine Murray

MIST GALLERY’S new show ‘Close to Nature’ features the work of two local artists.

“There are just over 40 new works on show from these talented artists and together they capture a resonate story of our interaction with nature,” gallery owner Helen Otway told The Weekly.

Willemina Villari creates pieces in 2D and 3D. “Her creative process is driven by form, balance, colour and her desire to explore the possibilities of working with a variety of materials,”Helen said.

“Willemina responds intuitively to the bush and ocean environment she lives in.”

Artist and cellist Claire Yerbury lives and works at her rural property surrounded by trees and nature in the Northern Rivers.

“Working on wooden panels using a combination of acrylic paint, Inktense pencils, oil crayon, print collage and paper, Claire builds layers that gently link, sometimes contrasting, sometimes blending, but always flowing with a subtle unifying thread,” Helen said.

“Her themes of life, death, beauty, decay, growth, joy, sorrow and impermanence stem from her interest in Zen Buddhism and her observations of the natural world.”

The exhibition runs from Saturday, February 4, to the beginning of March. Opening drinks reception is at 4pm on Saturday, February 4.

Tickets via the website please: mist-gallery. com.au or Eventbrite.

February is here already and it’s full steam ahead for The Regent crew, taking you on fantastical flights with entertainment delights for all! From rock legends, Ed Kuepper and Jim White, as a dynamic duo, playing songs from Ed’s extensive repertoire, live, on Thursday… to our first theatrical performance on The Regent stage, the one-woman play, “The Very Last List of Vivien Walker”, starring Madeleine West, with live music accompaniment by the very same author of the book it was based on. This will surely be showcasing a multi-talented trio, boldly addressing the array of feelings experienced when facing impending lethal illness, in this instance, terminal cancer, bringing mortality into focus by finding the magic in the mundane. Seeing humour and the surprising goodness that can come from tragedy is an art our community has perfected over the past year, as we near the anniversary of the big flood. On the 24th, almost exactly a year on, Sarah Temporal will hold space for a very special Poet’s Out Loud event, made possible with the grants funding for bringing community together post-floods, exploring “Who We Become” after our collective devastation, as we rise Phoenix-like from the muddy ashes. They say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and I am proud to be able to support events for our beautiful community to poetically reflect on the depths we continue to recover from. We’re also thrilled to host the Vagina Conversations – returning on the 16th – raising funds for women needing emergency relief from domestic violence. So, come show your support and help raise much-needed money for these crisis situations. Though you’ll also learn a lot about vaginas, you don’t have to have one to come! All genders are always welcome at The Regent, come one, come all! Sacred Sound Temple brings Kirtan bi-monthly this year, starting on Valentine’s Day – the perfect day to spread the love! Speaking of spreading the love, I give glorious gratitude to all who voted to award me on Australia Day for my contribution to the Arts & Culture of the Tweed Shire. What an honour! Thank you.