To celebrate Cara Johnson’s current exhibition Overlay at Ararat Gallery TAMA, Cara will be a special guest at the first 2024 meeting of the monthly gathering of Stitching Circle on Thursday 1 February, and will also be giving an artist talk on Saturday 17 February.

Cara repurposes materials that have associations with agriculture and land including baling twine, plastic tree guards, silage netting, and weeds to create intricate artworks. The exhibition features beautifully crafted sculptural works that have a strong relationship to the rural landscape, and that reflect on how land is treated and used.

During the artist talk Cara will give insights into the artworks shown in her exhibition and detail her concepts and approaches to making, which she has developed in her rural home studio in the Otways (Gadubanud country).

Ararat Gallery TAMA Visual Arts Coordinator Katy Mitchell encourages the community to take up the opportunity to learn about the exhibition directly from the artist

"Cara has long been based in regional Victoria, and the calibre of her work often commands exhibition spaces in Melbourne and Sydney. We are proud to host Cara's first regional exhibition and to celebrate the resourcefulness and brilliance that can be found among regional artists," Ms Mitchell said.

Stitching Circle meets on the first Thursday of every month at the Gallery from 1-3pm. All stitchers are welcome to bring a project of their own to work on, to share and chat. Entry is free, with no bookings required.

The Artist Talk on 17 February begins at 2pm. Entry is free, however bookings are essential for seating capacity. Bookings can be made via the Gallery website - www.araratgallerytama.com.au - or by phone - 03 5355 0220.