Silly drawings and salty bones are at Artezen during this year's Margaret River Region Open Studios thanks to Dunsborough artists Ian Mutch and Adam Ashdown.
Both artists are being featured on the walls of the Dunsborough cafe throughout the event and they will also have their own private studios open to the public.
A mural of Mr Mutch's "silly drawings" has been painted across one wall which he described as a product he developed from all the things that have been happening in the world.
"The silly drawings are all my thoughts and ramblings with all the things that have been happening this year," he said.
"There is everything in the subject matter from my usual stuff like nature and characters to items from the home, since we have been spending a lot more time at home.
"The mural at Artezen is a collaboration with the cafe and open studios just to say, 'hey we're back on,' as the event was postponed we are all excited for September 12.
"I am looking forward to it, it will be my third year, it is always really good."
Mr Mutch said people could expect to see more of his drawings at his studio, along with new styles, small and large works he has completed.
"People will also be able to see a whole bunch of things like sketch books, all the references I use and the things that I take in to make my work," he said.
"People will also be able to see reels from large land murals I drew on the ground, as well as some recent murals I have done on walls."
Drone technology inspired Mr Mutch to create some large land murals recently. He looked he looked at the area through Google Earth to find big empty spaces.
"With drones you realise there is another way to see the Earth and I figured if you drew on the ground it was like an endless canvas," he said.
"You do not need ladders or access equipment you can just go big.
"With the sand drawings it is kind of nice because it is there one moment and gone the next, I enjoy that because it is a fleeting moment."
Featuring in open studios for the first time is Salty Bones artist Adam Ashdown who creates art using an ancient Japanese practice called Gyotaku.
The technique involves applying water-based inks to impress real fish onto traditional rice paper. Details are then added to the print, and the fish is washed, filleted and eaten afterwards.
Mr Ashdown said most people had not seen Gyotaku art which is what sparked their interest in the art form.
"I never expected my art to take off like it has, originally it was just a hobby from catching fish to printing fish, then it went from printing stuff for mates then I started reproducing it," he said.
"Once the reproductions came out it spiked an interest, then Facebook got hold of it and from there it has been one step at a time and now the Margaret River Region Open Studios which is another platform again."
Mr Ashdown will open his studio at his home in Dunsborough and hopes to print as many fish as he can for people to see how the art is produced.
"Hopefully I can have fish on the table and give people an experience of the art form," he said.
"A lot of people think my art is a nice detailed picture of a fish, they think it is a drawing but it is part of nature printing.
"There is definitely parts of creativity in my work, I have taught myself new techniques and have brought colour into the prints which is the direction I am going.
"I try to create pieces that look natural at the front but still looks like a print at the back so you have the best of both worlds."
Artists from Busselton to Witchcliffe will be participating in this year's Margaret River Region Open Studios, which runs from September 12 to 27, 2020. Checkout mrropenstudios.com.au for the program details.
Related content
