Wilderness Coast Artists’ Artist of the Month for December is none other than its president, Lyn Lewis.
Lyn’s artwork often features her favourite subjects, birds.
“I would love to paint all the varieties of birds that visit my backyard and the surrounding areas,” Lyn said.
She is well on the way to achieving that, with her garden full of bird friendly plants where she is able to photograph and draw many of her subjects.
She loves observing them and learning about their lives and habits.
Although magpies are one of her favourites, she finds as much beauty in the ordinary little brown birds as there is in the more showy brightly coloured ones.
Although Lyn loves to paint birds, her subjects are more diverse.
Landscapes, rivers and people from her travels and friendships have found their way into her paintings.
Her primary medium of choice is watercolour, but Lyn also paints in acrylics and spends a lot of time drawing.
William Cooper and Nadine Dudek, contemporary Australian bird illustrators, Charles McCubbin and other Australian painters and illustrators provide inspiration.
Lyn finds motivation for her artwork in learning about other artists, new techniques and improving her own skills by attending workshops and classes.
She attended art classes well before moving to Marlo and has been drawing for most of her life.
After retirement, her paints and sketchbook travelled everywhere with her in the caravan.
Since settling in Marlo, Lyn has joined the Wilderness Coast Artists and attended many workshops and classes.
She enjoys being part of a community of artists and particularly enjoys learning more about art and improving her skills
and techniques.
Lifelong learning brings her joy.
Recently her work was included in an exhibition entitled ‘From the Mountains to the Sea’ held at the Arts Centre in Orbost. She has also exhibited her work in Bright and at the Tyers Art Festival.
WORKSHOP NEWS
Well-known artist, Ben Winspear is a winner of the AME Bale Travelling Scholarship and Art Prize and the Victorian Artist Society Artist of the Year Award (2016).
Recently a select group of Wilderness Coast Artists members were fortunate to attend a three-day workshop presented by Ben at the Wilderness Coast Artists studios in Orbost.
The intensive workshop focussed on drawing and tonal painting and culminated in painting a portrait from a live model on the final day.
Participants were immersed in both theory and practice under the instruction from this serious professional artist.
The Wilderness Coast Artists are fortunate to have access to such high quality tutors through its workshop programmes.
Recently, several members exhibited their work at the Tyers Art Festival.
Congratulations to Cynthia Boyle whose artwork entitled, Cat, Cat, Cat won the Best Acrylic Painting prize.
Wilderness Coast Artists and Landcare Expo are planning a partnership project at the Orbost Show to present a community art project for visitors to participate in.
Watch this space for more details.
