Artist Samantha McLeod found inspiration from the devastation of bush fires for an exhibition of her work to be seen at the SoART, Narooma gallery opening on January 12.
Samantha, who majored in fine arts for her Bachelor of Creative Art and Design from Charles Sturt University in Wagga, remembers vividly the many times she made the one hour drive from her home in Tumbarumba to Wagga after the fires had swept through the area.
Above: Artist Samantha McLeod, from Tumbarumba, will show human form studies in graphite like the one shown here, as well as a collection of abstract images of bush fire devastation.
“I saw both horror and beauty and I wanted to express my feelings for the land and landscape as an abstract narrative,” she said.
However, Samantha’s exhibition at SoART will not be confined to the bush fires. Contrasting with the stark images of fires will be examples of the artist’s fine drawing techniques featuring studies of the human form. They include some arresting graphite drawings.
Samantha McLeod began her art studies at the Australian National University and also studied print making at Griffith University in Brisbane. Her work has been seen at the State Library of Queensland and at Wagga Wagga’s Gallery 43.
She lives in Tumbarumba, where she works as a student administration officer at the Tumbarumba Primary School.
Her art studio at her home is surrounded by two acres of bush and includes the historic Tumbarumba water reservoir which attracts a variety of water birds all year round.
The SoART Gallery exhibition will be open for ten days from Friday, January 12.
