Crotcheted fish; a chainsaw-carved wooden bear; prints of sunflowers; and Aboriginal dot paintings are on display at Guyra's Caffiends cafe, Bradley Street, until Sunday as part of the Guyra TroutFest’s art competition and expo.
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“Come to see the unique expressions of people in the local area,” artist Belinda Parkinson, of Llangothlin, said.
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“There are some sculptures here that are absolutely brilliant that are worth looking at, and the exhibition’s really diverse. We’ve got everything here from kids’ paintings through photography through sculptures, framed pieces, unframed.”
One of Belinda’s acrylics is in the expo, and several of her works are hanging for sale in Caffiends, which owners June and Neil Paine turned into an artists’ hub earlier this year.
Belinda learnt how to paint when she turned 50.
“I enjoy getting lost in the painting – bringing the painting out of the canvas, if you like,” she said. “You get so absorbed and focused on the work that you forget everything else, and you could be doing it for 5 hours.”
Belinda moved up to Llangothlin eight months ago, attracted by the weather. She’s entered other art competitions in Warwick and Stanthorpe, and hopes to open a gallery alongside the highway.
Graeme Newton received first prize in the Sculpture, College Ceramics section for his junk art sculpture "North Australia Dreaming", which shows a fisherman lying under a tree – who's caught a crocodile.
The sculpture is made out of old gate-pins, part of a rabbit-trap, nuts, old bolts, a bit of a shovel, springs, and coach screws.
Graeme has been making junk art for quite a few years: birds out of petrol cans, or motorbikes.
"Only for my own pleasure, usually, but they dobbed me in to put something in!"
It takes a long time to make a sculpture.
"You've got to visualise it, and then find the materials,” he said. “They're not just lying there in order; you're looking for through scrap and rubbish-heaps until you find something that makes it."
Prizes will be awarded at the grand opening on Friday night.