FOUR local artists will formally open the Coastal Art Exhibition at the Port MacDonnell Community Complex tonight in a celebration of surf culture and the natural beauty of coastal landscapes.
Young photographer Kai Ievins invited his surfer/artist father Jeremy, artist John Magarey and mentor Ockert le Roux to curate the exhibition together.
With an eye for capturing stunning images of the coast, Kai said he had been honing his photography skills for around four years.
“I have always wanted to have an exhibition with a few other people to show my photographs,” he said.
“I thought this was an opportunity to bring a few local artists together to showcase coastal-inspired art.
“I have been taking photographs for about four years and I am passionate about capturing unique landscapes and the photographs featured in the exhibition were all taken around the Bay.”
Forgoing the traditional canvas, Jeremy Ievins paints surfboards, murals, guitars and clothing – even wedding shoes.
“I hardly do any canvases, but I think that changes the way you paint – it inspires me to paint things I normally would not,” he said.
“I have been painting boards for about 20 years, but only in the last eight years have I really started concentrating on it.
“I’m inspired by the ocean and surf culture.
“I have had my boards featured in a few exhibitions, but this one is special – it’s good to be able to do an exhibition with my son.”
John Magarey has been creating decorative pieces out of drift wood for a decade.
“About 10 years ago we moved to Nene Valley,” he said.
“Whenever I was walking along the beach I would think ‘oh this wood looks interesting, I’ll see what I can do with that’.
“People started seeing the work and saying ‘oh I would love one of those’ and it took off.
“Sometimes I’m a bit obsessive about collecting the wood and how it all fits together.
“Along the coast, every piece you find has a form in it and art in it already – it’s an amazing medium to work with.”
Ockert le Roux acted as a mentor to Kai during his high school photography projects and the two have since become friends.
“There is that bond formed between mentor and scholar and I was honoured to be invited by Kai to contribute a few pieces for the exhibition,” he said.
“What I appreciate about the exhibition is the diversity – there is a coastal theme, but the work is vastly different and showcases different art forms.”
The exhibition grand opening will boast a few extra pieces, including a massive driftwood shark and a kneeboard cut, shaped, sanded and painted by Jeremy in honour of the late John Hunt.
“For the opening night we will display some unique art that will not be featured as part of the ongoing exhibition,” Jeremy said.
“John Hunt was going to shape a kneeboard for Phil Riley before he passed away and I was honoured to pick up where he left off and finish the project for him.
“We will have that and a few other works here just for the night.”
The Coastal Art Exhibition opens tonight at the Port MacDonnell Community Complex with wine and nibbles from 6.30pm.
