Nothing cheesy as Moruya artists chalk up new show

Lesley Whale and Keedah Throssell are in for a surprise when their new exhibition opens at the Bas this week.

Artists and friends, the pair share common interests but their divergent modes of expression makes Like Chalk and Cheese a show all about difference – celebrating the two sides of the same coin.

Eurobodalla Council’s arts coordinator Indi Carmichael said the exhibition would include a rich tapestry of creative material, “sure to provoke a range of responses on opening night”.

“It won’t only be attendees who should prepare to have their cages rattled,” Ms Carmichael said, as Lesley and Keedah are each making a secret portrait of the other.

“To be unveiled on opening night, the portraits will anchor the show. Lesley is hyper-realist in her approach to art but Keedah’s portrait of her will be very abstract – and vice versa. Each portrait will act as a gateway into the other’s realm.

“I really encourage people to come to the artists talk from 11am on Saturday 13 July. Not only will Lesley and Keedah talk about the exhibition and their broader arts practice but they’ll respond to the portraits while the surprise is still fresh.

“I’ve seen one of the portraits already and it’s really fun.”

Like Chalk and Cheese will be the sixth exhibition at the Bas since it opened in late February 2019, and the third to feature local artists. Ms Carmichael said Lesley and Keedah were artists whose work was intimately tied to life.

“The art, the way they go about making art, and the way they each live their lives can’t be pulled apart,” she said.

Like Chalk and Cheese opens at 6pm on Friday 12 July and runs from Saturday 13 July to Sunday 4 August. The artists talk at the Bas from 11am on Saturday 13 July.

The Bas is open 10am-4pm, Tuesday – Sunday. For more information, visit www.thebas.com.au/exhibitions