Local artists celebrated in stand-alone art exhibition

10 May 2022

Western Downs Regional Council’s 10 Artist Project: Chapter 2 continues to celebrate some of the region’s most talented creatives, sharing their art through an exhibition set to open this Friday in Miles.

In the lead-up to this exhibition, Council has shared the stories of the featured artists through videos on social media and now invites the community along to view the artist’s creations at the exhibition opening at Dogwood Crossing, this Friday 13 May.

Council Spokesperson for Community and Cultural Development Councillor Kaye Maguire said the exhibition is about celebrating the great artistic talents in our community and showcasing their originality.

“We are thrilled to once again deliver this two-part program which allows us to capture the inspiration and passion behind some of the region’s best artists and share that with our community through both the story-telling aspect and this exhibition,” Cr Maguire said.

“Council is focused on creating active, vibrant communities and this project is a fun, interactive way to support the arts and cultural community we have here in the region and raise the profile of these talented individuals.

“It’s the people that make it here in the Western Downs and the 10 Artists Project is a perfect example of that, uncovering our talented creatives and sharing their contributions to our region with our wider community.”

The local artists featured in the exhibition include Bill Perry, Guy Breay, Kay Joyce, Kristen Flynn, Leigh Nicholson, Megg Cullen, Meg Stevenson, Sharlene Smith, Sonia Miers and Tracey Irvine.

Featured artist Sharlene Smith said she was looking forward to the exhibition and having the opportunity to appreciate the work of our other local artists.

“I love attending art exhibitions because you not only get to see art in different forms, but also gain insight into how others look at life and Friday’s exhibition will be the perfect opportunity to talk to the other local artists about their pieces and appreciate the thought and effort that has gone into each one,” Ms Smith said.

“I think it’s important to share the stories of our local artists and their work, like what is being done in the 10 Artists Project, as it makes you as an artist feel appreciated while empowering others to express themselves through an art form which inspires them.

“Art is a great way to escape and is something you can really throw yourself into and is worth trying at least once and Council’s art programs are a great way to get started, so if you’re thinking about trying it, I say have a go.”

The 10 Artists: Chapter Two exhibition will open Friday 13 May 2022, 6.30pm at Dogwood Crossing, Miles and will be on display to the public until 2 July 2022. The community is invited to attend, however must RSVP at https://www.dogwoodcrossing.com/exhibitions/coming-soon/

The exhibition will also be available to view online as a 3D exhibition at www.westerndownsarts.com from 2 July 2022 alongside the individual artists video profiles.

For more information contact Council on 1300 COUNCIL (1300 268 624) or visit www.westerndownsarts.com.

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