The Karnak Playhouse gallery is hosting an exhibition of local artist Gail Shaw watercolours entitled "Painting in Paradise' from May 14th through to June 6th.  The exhibition will be officially launched at 6.30pm on Friday 14th by Councillor Julia Leu.

Gail draws her inspiration for her unique watercolours from the surrounding World Heritage Daintree Rainforest and The Great Barrier Reef.  She says, “The patterns, colours and magical chaos of the tropical rainforest and reef, along with the rare creatures to be found there, are my inspiration.  My medium is transparent watercolour, I love everything about it from its exquisite glow to its challenging unpredictability”.

Her journey to become an artist is an interesting one, she explains, "I discovered my passion for art in kindergarten. On leaving high school I went into advertising and spent the next 40 years as a copywriter, art director and creative director in agencies in Australia and overseas.  In 1990 I attended a watercolour workshop as part of Sydney University’s continuing education
program.  This re-ignited my passion for painting and I subsequently took many worskshops and master classes with leading watercolour artists including Charles Reid, Alvero Castagnet, Joseph Zbukvic and Cherry Hood."

In 2004 she, with her husband Robert, moved to the Whyanbeel Valley in Far North Queensland, adjacent to the world-heritage Daintree rainforest. A custom-built studio was added in 2008 which is where she now paints and teaches watercolour classes.

She says, "I paint for the challenge and joy of it and to hopefully transfer my passion for the extraordinary creatures and life forms of the Daintree and Great Barrier Reef to others."

She was recently awarded a Regional Arts Development Grant from the Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council to mount this solo exhibition “Painting Paradise” at the Karnak Playhouse Gallery.

For further details and to see more of her work please visit her website www.gailshaw.com