Exotic Queensland on display



Thursday 15 September 2011

Exotic Queensland on display

Local artist, Tania Heben, will be teaming up with fellow painter and friend, Anne-Marie Graham, to present their interpretation of life in the tropics with a new exhibition at the Cairns Regional Gallery.

'Exotic Queensland - the nature, the wonder' opens on Friday 23 September, and is the culmination of the pair's long-held passion for Far North Queensland.

"It is a significant exhibition. Although there is a similarity in our work, in a sense we're very different the way we approach the similar subject," Tania said.

A self-taught artist, Tania moved to Port Douglas from Victoria 25 years ago and cites the tropics as the major influence in her works.

"I've developed my own style, which has actually become an identifiable style. When I came up to this area, the colours and the shapes of everything had a tremendous impact. It keeps me going," she said.

"It's an area that would attract creative people. It's beautiful, it's laid back, it's Queensland."

The Cairns Botanical Gardens have had a profound effect on Tania and Anne-Marie which forms the basis of their latest exhibition.

The Gardens allowed both painters to adapt the colours and the foliage for their own purposes, and with over 70 years experience between them, you can expect a vibrant display.

Tania, who works from Studio 30 at Meridien Marina in Port Douglas, said the local Beautiful Art Spaces program has helped highlight the brilliant local artistic talent.

"It's just the best thing that's ever happened for the creative people because we don't often get an opportunity to have something like this. To have this kind of space, it's just fabulous."

'Exotic Queensland - the nature, the wonder' closes on 24 November.