{"id":169156,"date":"2017-02-07T14:05:21","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T04:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=169156"},"modified":"2020-09-23T21:54:55","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T11:54:55","slug":"last-chance-to-see-exhibition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/02\/07\/last-chance-to-see-exhibition\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Chance To See Exhibition"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Maidenwell artist Jill Sampson … a two-year collaborative art project at the endangered Bimblebox Nature Refuge has resulted in a major art exhibition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

February 7, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

The last chance to see a special art project co-ordinated by Maidenwell artist Jill Sampson will be at Toogoolawah this month.<\/p>\n

The official opening of “Bimblebox \u2013 art \u2013 science \u2013 nature” will be held at the Somerset Regional Art Gallery on February 10; the exhibition will remain on show until March 26.<\/p>\n

The display of artworks is a homage to the Bimblebox Nature Refuge, an 8000ha patch of land located about 500km west of Rockhampton.<\/p>\n

It covers six regional ecosystems and is also home to at least one endangered bird species, the black-throated finch.<\/p>\n

The refuge has been maintained by local farmers to be used for low-impact cattle grazing in times of drought.<\/p>\n

More than 10 years ago they signed agreements with the State and Federal Governments to conserve the land against all threats, including mining.<\/p>\n

But then the Federal and State governments gave approval to Clive Palmer’s “China First” coal mine project, which adjoins the Bimblebox Nature Refuge, and it looked set to vanish until Mr Palmer’s financial problems delayed development.<\/p>\n

Jill became interested in documenting Bimblebox before it disappeared because she felt it was a unique piece of Australia.<\/p>\n

About five years ago she persuaded 15 other artists and curator Beth Jackson to join her in a project that would try to capture the sights, sounds and feelings of the Refuge before they vanished forever.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Bimblebox was very easy to love when we first went there,” Jill said.<\/p>\n

“There’d been some good rains and all the native flowers were in bloom.”<\/p>\n

But a year later when the artists went there again, the area had returned to its usual dry conditions. Even so, the group found it just as captivating and continued their work.<\/p>\n

The artists spent 10 days on the Queensland reserve; documenting, drawing, looking, and recording to develop artworks.They also drew inspiration from scientific research and historical texts.<\/p>\n

The exhibition has been touring Queensland galleries for the past few years, but the final exhibition will be at Toogoolawah.<\/p>\n

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