August 17, 2022
An exotic mix of textile art, photography and painting is on display this month at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery.
In the front gallery, South Burnett textile artist Jane Walduck has a collection of recent works, several with a Japanese theme using textiles sent from the island chain by her son when he was an exchange student.
Jane – who has been to China several times but has yet to visit Japan – used her knowledge of Asian art and the exotic fabrics to craft several unusual works that drew many favourable comments on opening night.
These Japanese pieces are interwoven with others that showcase a variety of textile art styles Jane has been experimenting with as a member of the Tangled Threads textile art group.
This group had a small exhibition at the Wondai Regional Gallery in March, and a much larger exhibition at the Kingaroy Regional Art Gallery in July that also drew critical acclaim.
Meanwhile, in the rear gallery, Jane’s daughter-in-law Kylie Facey has a smaller but no less striking exhibition of 12 photographs she has taken over the past two years.
Kylie is a Brisbane-based photographer with a keen interest in wildlife and nature.
Her works cover a range of subjects that stretch from a breath-taking view of a pool at Brisbane’s Mt Coot-tha Reserve to a fog-shrouded water bird.
This year Kylie’s work has been shortlisted for the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Photographic People’s Choice awards.
These two unusual exhibitions sandwich the main gallery, which this month is hosting a large retrospective by 80-year-old Bundaberg artist Muriel Patterson.
Muriel’s works are an eclectic mix of subjects and media executed in oils, watercolours and acrylics, and cover several decades of practice.
In 2018, Muriel was invited to paint a large mural at the Coral Coast Cottage Visitor Information Centre’s “Pink House” – which still welcomes visitors to that region today – and her works have also been shown at the annual Moore Park Beach Arts Festival, which will celebrate its 22nd outing on August 20.
Muriel’s art has never been displayed in the South Burnett before. Her exhibition was officially opened by Cr Jason Bartels from Bundaberg Regional Council, who made the long trip to open the exhibition in her honour.
All three exhibitions will remain on show at the gallery until 3:00pm on August 27.
The Wondai Regional Art Gallery is open seven days a week from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Entry is free.
