Stunning wildflowers and watercolours feature in latest gallery exhibitions

Caloundra Regional Gallery will unveil two unique exhibitions on Wednesday featuring historical and contemporary works by Sunshine Coast artists.

Kathleen McArthur: Wild/flower Women II: Art, Environment and Activism - Curated by Sue Davis and Nina Shadforth.

Kathleen McArthur (1915-2000) was a self-taught artist who specialised in painting Queensland wildflowers and is also well-known as being one of the founding members of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland.

Wild/flower Women II – Art, Environment and Activism takes its inspiration from McArthur, a wild and passionate wildflower woman whose art and activism was fuelled by her deep love of the landscapes and life forms of our country.

The exhibition features work by McArthur and her collaborations with other ‘wild/flower’ women, such as the poet Judith Wright, and their campaigns to protect the environment.

To profile the living legacy of McArthur’s work, contemporary Sunshine Coast artists Marvene Ash, Shannon Garson, Anne Harris and Ulrike Sturm pay homage with their own responses to our wildflowers and natural heritage.

Michael Foley: The Long View Curated by Beth Jackson.

Michael Foley was born and raised in Brisbane, undertaking artist training at the George Street Art School in the mid-1960s before moving to Caloundra in the 1980s. Foley is best known for his industrial public artworks at Nambour. This exhibition reveals a series of previously unseen watercolours by the late Sunshine Coast artist, who passed away in 2016, depicting various landscapes, including the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

The exhibition also includes the maquette of The Mill Tribe (one of Foley’s public artworks in Nambour) and Bonsai, a small sculpture made from scrap metal.

A catalogue has been produced for each exhibition to provide visitors with a greater insight into the artist’s and their work. Catalogues will be available free from the gallery.

Both exhibitions open on Thursday, May 3 and will close on Sunday, June 17.

The community are invited to attend the official exhibition opening and floor talk on Wednesday, May 2 from 5.30-8pm. Bookings required.

Visit the gallery website for more information.

The Kathleen McArthur: Wild/flower Women II: Art, Environment and Activism exhibition is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

Public Programs

A range of public programs have been developed to coincide with these exhibitions.

Made by Hand: Natural Dyeing with Anne Harris

Tuesday, May 8, 10am – 3pm

Learn the art of natural dyeing and how you can test and use plants from your own environment to record place and connect to the stories that surround you.

Cost: $80. Bookings essential.

Friday3Live: Handmade Table / Bush Picnic with Shannon Garson

Friday, May 18, 6-8pm

A special immersive event that is both homage to Kathleen McArthur and a celebration of artists. Handmade bowls, live music, good food. An immersive event hosted by exhibiting artist Shannon Garson and featuring live music by Louise King.

Cost: $30. Bookings essential.

Anywhere Theatre Festival performances: Wildflowering

Saturday, May 19, 2.30pm and 6.30pm

A special performance as a part of the Anywhere Theatre Festival. This show draws upon Kathleen McArthur and Judith Wright’s own writings to tell the story of their friendship, art and activism.

Cost: $20. Bookings essential.

Uncovered floor talk: Michael Foley: The Long View floor talk with Beth Jackson

Tuesday, May 22, 10-11am

Join curator Beth Jackson, Michael Foley's partner, for an exhibition floor talk.

Cost: free. Bookings appreciated.

Made By Hand: A Moving Feast - The experience of plein air drawing and painting with Marvene Ash

Thursday, May 31, 10am – 1pm

An artist talk and workshop with the focus on finding ways to interpret changes of textures, mass and space through mark-making and colour wash.

Cost: $25. Bookings essential.

Made By Hand: Introduction to Nature Journaling with Dr Paula Peeters

Monday, June 4, 10am – noon

Ideal for garden and plant lovers, this is a basic beginner-level workshop that's designed to demonstrate to each participant that they can draw and write, even if they have no prior skills.

Cost: $25. Bookings essential.

Made By Hand: Nature Journaling for Gardeners with Dr Paula Peeters

Monday, June 4, 1-3pm

This workshop is designed for beginner-level, and takes place in the park. The journaling activities can be applied to people who like gardening or gardens, such as creating a garden plan, following the growth and changes of a garden through the seasons, and finding inspiration in garden animals (friends and foes!).

Cost: $25. Bookings essential.

Symposium: Wild/flower Women II

Monday, June 11, 9.30am – 12.30pm

The scope of the symposium will encompass and investigate historical and contemporary responses to art, environment and activism and feature presentations by the Wild/flower Women II artists and curators, as well as members of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland and others who continue the legacy of Kathleen McArthur’s work. Includes light morning tea and lunch.

Cost: $20. Bookings essential.

Made By Hand: Wallam wildflowers dry-point etching workshop

Thursday, June 14, 10am – 1pm

Create dry-point etchings (with chine colle) and bring the wallum to life through printmaking.

Cost: $25. Bookings essential.

Friday3Live: Floral and Foliage Garlands

Friday, June 15, 6-8pm

Create yourself a beautiful garland from fresh floral and foliage elements under the creative guidance and expertise of Nat Evans from Heavenly Blooms.

Cost: $35. Bookings essential.