Some of the wealth of local artistic talent will be on display at Binalong Arts Group (BAG) Inc's Inaugural Spring Art Show at the Binalong Mechanics Institute on Friday September 11, the exhibition will continue over Saturday and Sunday, when entry will be free.
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The exhibition will feature local artist Cathy Lee. Cathy has lived in Binalong for 30 years. As a child she lived by the sea in Bondi and she has strong memories of always wanting to draw. Drawing rather than doing her set homework was the beginning of a life-long devotion to her art, which is always dynamic and developing, always interesting and intriguing.
With her children now adults, she has both the freedom to explore her art and the time to create pieces that bring her joy. Each morning brings the urge to paint. She describes it as "an unstoppable urge; a passion that gobbles up hours".
Family has always been important to Cathy. One of her earliest influences was her brother Al, who taught her how to use and see light and colour in everyday things. She honed her drawing skills by using her children as subjects, mostly when they were asleep or watching TV - the only time they were still.
Cathy and her husband John travelled and worked through central and northern Australia in 2012-2013 and the colours of the Outback and Arnhem Land are now very much part of her luminous palette. She lights up when she describes these regions: "everything is so vibrant, the greens are so green, the red earth, the water, everything is so clear".
Exploring the faces of the people she has met on her travels, ordinary people with sometimes extraordinary lives and wonderful stories - has become a focus of her art. By studying both the joy and the hardship evident on her subjects' faces, she hopes her audience can empathise with her characters' stories. Her ability to capture light and use of intricate detail lure you into her subjects' eyes.
Cathy's most recent works will be on exhibition at the Binalong Spring Art Show.