Inclusive Excellence: Regional Series 2 opens at the ArtGeo Gallery on August 1, 2020 featuring work from Joel Smoker, Suzanna Hay, Carol Mulhearn, Chrissy Weldon and Christine Cresswell.
ArtGeo curator Sharon Williams said this series of exhibitions was a result of ArtGeo offering exhibition spaces for free for the remainder of the year to support regional artists, decimated by COVID-19.
"The Bond Store, which celebrates its 160th Anniversary this year, will feature a botanical art exhibition It's a Love Affair with Nature by Chrissy Weldon and Christine Cresswell," she said.
Ms Weldon was accepted into the prestigious Botanica Exhibition at the Sydney Botanical Gardens in 2015 and continued to exhibit annually until 2018.
"My love of the garden, colour and details became my life seeing our amazing nature with different eyes," she said.
"I have only just moved here from Sydney and it will be great to show people botanical art, even though you are in the best place in the world there are very few botanical artists.
"Painting botanicals is absolute mediation, it is a love affair and just becomes a passion.
"You go out into the garden or go for a walk and there is never a shortage of things to paint."
Ms Creswell said she particularly enjoyed capturing the vivid colours and complex shapes of local wildflowers and loved to show the different stages of a plant's life cycle.
"Watercolours are my chosen medium because I love the vibrancy and luminosity that they allow - many of our wildflowers are absolutely stunning," she said.
"I love plants, the intricacies and details, I do a lot of research on the plant before I start painting.
"I work in watercolours because they give a beautiful light, luminosity and clarity to the painting.
"I usually paint from my garden or the bush, I just go out and take photos all the time.
"It is a great opportunity to be able to exhibit my work through ArtGeo I really appreciate it."
Ms Williams said ArtGeo were also excited to be exhibiting pastel drawings and ceramics by Joel Smoker in the Gallery for the first time.
"He has exhibited widely around Australia and his art is represented in major collections including the Art Gallery of WA, The Fremantle City art collection, The Shire of Mundaring art collection, The City of Geraldton art collection and The National Gallery of Victoria," she said.
"Joel has travelled throughout Western Australia for many years seeking out places for the pastel drawings he has created.
"Joel will be in the Gallery on August 1, 2020 from 11am working on a drawing and will be doing an Artist Talk, which is free for everyone to attend, at 2pm" she said.
The exhibition also features work from Nannup watercolour artist Suzanna Hay, Outback out the Back.
Ms Hay said she loved to pack her paints and travel up north to red dirt country and that once you visited the Kimberley it left a lasting impression.
"Working from plein air sketches and using a strictly limited palette, this collection of paintings is my tribute to the amazing landscape of the Kimberley region," she said.
Visitors can also see vibrant works of wearable art by Carol Mulhearn made from 100 per cent natural fibres.
ArtGeo Cultural Complex is open daily from 10am to 4pm with free entry.
