Exhibition the fruit of years of work

The From Plate To Print art exhibition opened at the Manjimup Art Gallery on Thursday and has been “really well attended”.

Librarian Rachel Daubney said the instalment by the Northcliffe Printmakers art group was different to previous exhibitions.

“Most have been locally based and focused,” she said.

“This is a change of focus towards high art.

“It’s about self expression rather than local history.”

The works are being exhibited for a second time in Manjimup, with the inaugural showing at the Painted Tree Gallery late last year.

Southern Forests Arts Committee member and exhibiting artist Graham Evans said the works were a culmination of print work and skills the group had developed over years of classes with local artist Tony Windberg. For many it is their first exhibition.

“A good part of the process of creating art is putting it on display,” Mr Evans said.

“For a lot of us, it’s something we do just for the joy of it.”

Manjimup shire manager of libraries and cultural services manager Frances Bullock said it was “vital” to support the local artistic community.

“Yesterday somebody came in and said ‘I’m so glad I walked in, this has just brightened up my day’,” she said.

The Manjimup Art Gallery was a space to watch, Mrs Bullock said, as increased interest had seen the exhibiting schedule fill up into the rest of 2018.

“It’s almost full until July,” she said.