By Molly Taylor
DIFFERENT forms of visual art will be on display during one of the Limestone Coast’s largest and most diverse annual exhibitions.
This year’s South East Art Society Open Art Awards exhibition will officially open tonight and will feature around 140 entries.
The 2021 artists range from two years of age to 93 and include works on paper, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, photography and video.
Society president Patricia Boyd said the organisation aimed to nurture the region’s artistic talent.
“When you see this exhibition, you will see talent,” Ms Boyd said.
“We want to nurture artists and also help and encourage along people who would like to paint and think they can’t.
“There is a lot of talent here and to continue developing an artistic culture in the area is quite important.”
Ms Boyd said in the last 12 months there had been an evident increase in people who have used art to fill in their spare time.
“With all the restrictions, so many people have turned to doing art in all different sorts, not just painting with a brush,” Ms Boyd said.
“Art is something all ages can experience and enjoy and there is not a person in this world who cannot paint or do something.”
With entries from right across the district as well as travellers visiting to the Blue Lake city for the exhibition, Ms Boyd said the showcase also brought its own tourism benefits.
The exhibition opening will be held tonight at 6pm and is invite only with the display open to the public at The Riddoch Arts and Culture Centre following the launch.
The society also hopes to host workshops for all different levels of experience in the near future.
The event is supported by the Mount Gambier City Council, Grant District Council, Bendigo Bank and Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP as well as other various sponsors.
