The two selling exhibitions that open at NERAM on 27 June both focus on the portrayal of nature and its magic. Judy Wilford and David Mackay do however have quite different approaches to the subject matter.
Judy Wilford creates intricately detailed hand embroidered works, some with added paint, that contain hidden treasures found within the landscapes of the Northern Tablelands Region, from the lush escarpments to the tablelands down to the slopes and across the plains. Birds such as finches, robins, spinebills and butcher birds are captured in their habitats on her beautifully embroidered canvases, with a tangibility that intrigues the viewer.
David Mackay uses water colour and drawing in works that highlight the perilous state of our natural ecosystems in a rapidly changing world. Unlike the historical botanical and wildlife artists, who often painted newly-discovered species for the first time, David is aware that sometimes he may be painting species for the last time before they go extinct. His work celebrates a beautiful but fragile, natural world. Part of the magic of this exhibition is the varying scale with some subjects being portrayed life size while others are smaller and much larger so that the eye is drawn into different levels of detail.
Both exhibitions run from 27 June (opening at 6pm) until 3 August. All works are for sale.
