Beauty of leaves celebrated in Beneath Your Feet

A COLLECTION of artworks which celebrate the beauty and uniqueness of eucalyptus leaves by Albury-based artist Karen Brown, is on display at the Art Gallery on Ovens. Karen invites the viewer to notice the colours and textures of the leaves which can be found all around us, imagining the smell and sound of them being crunched beneath your feet. A resident artist at the gallery, Karen says she continues to be inspired by the ordinary and the overlooked, encouraging us all to put down our phones, look around and pay closer attention to the world. "It's great to appreciate what's right in front of us - the things we sometimes take for granted," she said. "I love the details - if you look closely, each leaf is unique and almost like a mini landscape in itself." Karen's realistic and intricately detailed artworks are created using coloured and graphite pencils as well as acrylic paint, and they encourage you to look closely through the layers and discover what lies beneath. This exhibition also includes a selection of works in stippled ink capturing curious and characterful local birdlife. There are professionally framed artworks both in larger and smaller scale, along with a selection of unframed, original artworks to browse. Beneath Your Feet is being held at the Art Gallery on Ovens in the laneway off Murphy Street until Monday, 1 September, open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10am until 4pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 2pm. An informal opening celebration will be held on Saturday, August 23 from 12pm to 2pm, with all welcome to come and meet the artist and see the exhibition. * What's on in brief Primavera 2023: Young Australian Artists exhibition opening Primavera 2023: Young Australian Artists, guest curated by Talia Smith, is touring across the country, and visiting the Wangaratta Art Gallery until 19 October. The exhibition features work by young and emerging artists, all under the age of 35, working across video, painting, sculpture, installation and text, considering themes of protest, perseverance, identity and history. Talia Smith will open the exhibition on Saturday, 23 August at 4pm at Wangaratta Art Gallery, with the launch to also celebrate the opening of Us, an exhibition by Gillian Bencke, presented in Gallery 2. All are welcome and free tickets can be booked by visiting www.wangarattaartgallery.com.au. * 50 Years of Wangaratta SES celebration Join SES members both past and present at the Quality Hotel Wangaratta Gateway on Saturday, 23 August from 6pm as the service commemorates half a century of serving the community. The event will be an opportunity to connect with current and past members, share stories, and reminisce about the incredible impact the SES has had over the years, and to honour the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in the Wangaratta SES. Tickets are $40 per person and include a two-course dinner, awards presentations, raffles and a live band (with drinks at bar prices) available on Eventbrite https://tinyurl.com/yhrer9ru. * Happy dogs walk on Sunday The Wangaratta Kennel & Obedience Dog Club conducts a monthly Happy Dogs Walk to promote and encourage dogs to be involved in social interaction with their furry friends in public places. The next walk will be held on Sunday, 24 August commencing at 9.30am from Batchelors Green (Lions Club Park), with dog owners invited to come along for a leisurely three to four kilometre walk on gentle pathways and footpaths (no more than one hour duration), with coffee to follow as available. All are welcome to enjoy the social outing with more information available by calling Ron on 0417 644 877 or Kevin on 0418 221 260. * Chiltern Antique Fair this weekend The annual Chiltern Antique Fair, attracting dealers and enthusiasts from around the country, will be held at the Chiltern Memorial Hall this weekend. The event showcases a full range of antiques from fine china and porcelain to furnishings, jewellery, artworks and a range of everyday older items and collectables to attract every enthusiast. It opens on Friday night at 6.30pm and will then be open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with entry on Saturday and Sunday $5 per adult (accompanied children admitted free). * Wangaratta community market The Wangaratta community market runs every Sunday (except Easter Sunday) at Moore Than Swimming, located at 11-13 Mason Street in Wangaratta, from 8am until 1pm. There are a wide range of stalls to browse with new and used items, plants, fruit and veg and more, with refreshments available. Stalls are available for just $20 each (no bookings required) and car boot sales are welcome for $15, with more information via the market's Facebook page or call Sheree on 0401 665 886. * Wangaratta Historical Society open weekends Take a trip down memory lane each weekend by visiting the Wangaratta Historical Society and Museum in the old fire station in Ford Street. The museum is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 1pm and entry is free, with exhibitions updated regularly. For more information email wangarattahistorialsociety@gmail.com or drop in and have a chat. *

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