October 27th, 2022Meet locals from the Daylesford Art Show

THE Daylesford Art Show is ready to kick off this Thursday, October 27, with the Community Bank Daylesford District Awards Night at the Daylesford Town Hall.
The event runs from 6pm to 8pm with drinks, nibbles and live music with people
able to view the work of the 73 participating artists.
The show then continues for the long weekend from Friday, October 28 through
to Tuesday, November 1.
Of the 73 artists, many are locals, and The Local caught up with a few of them last
week.
Jenny Pyke said she favoured pen and ink and watercolour paintings and had
worked with many different mediums over the years.
Along with her partner, Jenny ran a Melbourne-based business specialising in the
restoration of Victorian and Edwardian buildings with etched, painted and stained
glass windows and door surrounds as well as modern bespoke art pieces featuring
large kiln-fired glass panels. This also included designs for both printed and embossed
wall and floor tiles, finished artwork for screen printing, mould making, wax
modelling and a few trompe l’oeils.
“Now retired I am concentrating on furthering my skills as an artist
experimenting with different mediums and materials.”
Andrew Littlejohn said he was introduced to creating art in 2012 when he and his
partner completed a CAE mosaic course.
“I loved it and that led to exploring water colour and oil painting. I have attended
classes on a regular basis at the Victorian Artists Society since 2014 and shown my art
in various exhibitions around the state. My key subject interests are landscapes and
still life.
“I live and work in Daylesford and enjoy engaging with the Goldfields’ art
community. This includes regular catch ups with the local Friday night life drawing
group and still life classes in Elphinstone.”
Caitlin Hope Brown lives in Eganstown and specialises in watercolours with her
work featuring portraits and landscapes, especially scenes of the local scenery.
She studied academic drawing from 2016 to 2019 and learnt watercolours from
several Melbourne artists.
Originally from Melbourne, Caitlin has called Hepburn Shire home for nearly
two years and says she couldn’t be happier here.
Paul Ainsworth is a self-taught artist now living in Daylesford, working primarily
in oil paint.
Although painting has always been an interest, only relatively recently has Paul
been able to devote his time to learning and developing his art.
Subjects range from portraiture, landscapes and still life painting in a traditional
style. It was during the limitations of the lockdowns that Paul explored still life
subjects with objects at hand as inspirational sources. “These works are a collection of
reflective and nostalgic themes that will continue to develop and evolve with universal
appeal.
“What’s important is the relationship of the objects in the painting and how they
become an integration of the whole narrative.”
Sandy Breen spent many decades in the advertising, marketing, graphic design
and illustration world in Melbourne (including 25 years running her own business)
but then felt she needed a change.
“When I turned 50 I decided to ‘do myself a favour’ and I started painting again.
“I enrolled in a watercolour course in my local area. I loved it and after several
years there I had my first solo exhibition at a gallery in Hawthorn.
“It was a great success which was an unexpected thrill. Subsequent to that I had
several other exhibitions, the most exciting of which was taking over the atrium area
of the Sofitel in Melbourne for two months.
“Since moving to Daylesford 14 years ago I have been a regular Daylesford Art
Show exhibitor. I love the ‘vibe’ of this now time-honoured event and can proudly say
I have sold several pieces over the years.
“These days I have embraced working mainly with acrylics. Watercolours are so
‘immediate’ but acrylics allow me more time latitude.
“In Melbourne I had my very own, gorgeous studio/work space but these days I
happily work at my kitchen bench. The area is bright with natural light. I often have
the fire going and I always have my music playing for company. The hours just float
away.”
For Kristen Leigh it’s about telling a story and capturing a moment and “giving
voice to that which has none”.
“With painting, drawing, ceramic sculpture and music I highlight a wisp of a
prayer or sometimes an ancient memory.”
The Daylesford Art Show and ‘Art on Vincent’, is organised by Daylesford
Rotary, and along with the show at the Daylesford Town Hall, many shops and
businesses along Vincent and Albert streets, Daylesford also display artworks.
The show incorporates the Hepburn Swiss Italian Festa Central Victoria
Landscape Art Prize.
A percentage of the sale price of each painting sold during the Daylesford Art
Show supports Rotary projects in the community. Paintings will also be available to
view and purchase online from November 2.
Link: www.daylesfordartshow.com.au
Words: Donna Kelly | Images: Kyle Barnes