February 18, 2012
Artworks created by a 12-year-old girl and a 70-year-old woman – neither of whom had ever picked up a brush before – are part of an unusual exhibition that will be on show in Kingaroy for the next two weeks.
“Classes Of 2012” opened at the Nimue Gallery at 6 King Street on Saturday.
It features more than 40 works in oils, pastels, watercolours, acrylics, silk painting, batik and pottery created by students who took part in art classes that Nimue ran at the gallery last year.
The classes covered all common art media and were conducted by tutors who are recognised experts in each medium.
For example, Dianne Woodall ran classes in oil painting; Dot Rowland, in watercolours; Diana Bolton, in acrylics; Fay Stumm, pottery; Cherry Coultis, batik and silk painting; and Marjie Zimmerman, pastels.
Younger students weren’t forgotten either: the output of a special children’s art class led by Cary McAulay has provided several of the works that hang on Nimue’s walls this month.
Gallery curator Cherry Carroll said that the exhibition was a chance to display some of the best student work to come out of last year’s classes, as well as give some of the students their first taste of exhibiting their work in public.
“Most classes were heavily subscribed and we were often surprised by the talent that students displayed,” she said.
“One of the works on show this month was created by an elderly woman who’d never painted a thing in her life but had always wanted to.
“She took one of our classes and her work is certainly good enough to exhibit.
“Another student who took part in our Children’s Art Class has produced several works in this show that I think are quite striking.
“She’s only 12, but I think she has the talent to take up a career as a professional artist if she wants to pursue it.”
This year the Gallery will be winding back its art classes to one day per month so that Carroll can focus on curating new exhibitions.
“There were a few times last year when the number of classes and students actually made it difficult to operate the Gallery properly,” Cherry said.
“Classes Of 2012” will remain on show at the Nimue Gallery until the end of February.
Admission to view it is free.
[Photos: Cherry Carroll]
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