IT IS with great pleasure that the Grafton Regional Gallery presents 'Battle Scars' by Clarence Valley artist Julie Hutchings. This moving exhibition explores Julie's war-time heritage in the most personal and poetic way. In 2017 Julie was awarded the Yulgilbar Travelling Fellowship. She journeyed to France and Belgium where she toured cemeteries, museums, memorials and the battlefields of World War One, in order to research the battle history of her two indigenous great uncles.

Her journey on this project was personal and political - it traced the footsteps of her indigenous uncles who each fought and died on foreign soil. Hutchings created a series of paintings and drawings that responded to the loss of life, the plight of returning Aboriginal soldiers and the subsequent absences of respect and recognition from the government of the day. Julie says: "What started as a personal and professional journey soon developed into a venture that extended beyond anything I could have imagined." It is a truly moving exhibition that must be seen and experienced. 'Battle Scars' is on display in the Loft gallery until Sunday July 14.

Upcoming events in the gallery

Artist Talk with Phil Munn

On Saturday June 29, from 10 to 11.30am, local artist Phil Munn will present an artist talk in Prentice House about his exhibition, 'In Search of the Beautiful'. Phil's work explores ancient Japanese woodblock print techniques and contemporary photography. His work examines how our brains process many images - every moment of every day - and the subsequent reduction in our attention spans. His work surprises our eyes with a mixture of the beautiful and the unusual, the ancient treasures of the art world mixed with photography, and asks the viewer to never stop searching for the beautiful. This event is free, bookings via the gallery's Eventbrite page.

Art After School Workshops - Term 2

Clay Face Pots: starts Tuesday, May 14, 4-5.30pm for eight weeks. For 10-year-olds and teens.

Learn how to make clay busts and faces that can be used as fun plant pots, with Cassandra Lyn-Palmer. Over eight sessions you will learn how to coil, slab and create facial features using clay. You will create two of your own hollowed out pots, which can be used for cute plants. Price includes all materials, firing and glazing. Cost is $130 per child and includes all materials. Bookings are essential as places are limited. Visit the gallery's Eventbrite for bookings and payment.

Portrait Painting: starts Wednesday, May 15, 4-5.30pm for eight weeks. For 10-year-olds and teens.

If you want to learn how to create a step-by-step realistic portrait painting on canvas to take home and hang on your wall, this eight-week program is for you. Beginners are welcome. You will be guided through the various stages by our art tutor Lorina Dufty. Bring in a photo of your mum or dad, or yourself or a friend. Cost is $130 per child and includes all materials. Bookings are essential as places limited. Visit the gallery's Eventbrite for bookings and payment.

Create Picasso faces using Paint & 3D: starts Thursday, June 13, 4-5.30pm for three weeks

Have great fun making colourful cubist shapes inspired by Picasso using paint and 3D materials. Cassandra-Lyn Palmer will show you how to paint and use 3D modelling techniques to make your own work of art to take home after the last lesson. Cost is $60 per child and includes all materials. Bookings are essential as places are limited. Visit the gallery's Eventbrite for bookings and payment.

Creative Kids vouchers, obtained through Services NSW, can be used to cover $100 of the cost of these programs.

Out and About

ARTEXPRESS

The ever-popular ARTEXPRESS is on show at the New England Regional Art Museum until June 30. ARTEXPRESS showcases the considerable creative talent and technical skills of 2018's higher school certificate visual arts students. The diverse bodies of work by students from schools across the state explore the young artists' many interests and concerns, including the exploration of culture, personal identity, and family relationships.

Dwell - Robyn Sweeney

The Tweed Regional Gallery is showing an exhibition by Robyn Sweeney, which focuses on her paintings of houses and dwellings. For the past 15 years Robyn's work has reflected a preoccupation with the Australian vernacular, particularly from the post-war period. This exhibition is on show until July 21.

Opportunities

Ocean Shores Art Expo

From professional artists to beginners, kids to elderly, all are welcome to enter the Ocean Shores Art Expo. The 2019 theme is 'Celebrating a Moment' and the expo will be held on the August 23-25 at the Ocean Shores Public School Hall. First prize is $2000. For details on entries, visit www.osartexpo.com

Sculpture in the Gaol

Applications are now open for the 2019 Sculpture in the Gaol exhibition at South West Rocks. The exhibition will be open from August 3-30, 2019 at Trial Bay Gaol, as well as for the Escapee Trail, in which sculptures are situated in businesses across the Macleay Valley from early June, through to the end of August. There is a $5000 prize pool to be won. For further details and entry conditions, visit the website.

The Grafton Regional Gallery is a cultural service of the Clarence Valley Council. The gallery is located at 158 Fiztroy St, Grafton, and is open daily from 10am to 4pm (public holidays may differ). Entry is by donation.