Connections at Coffee Culture

Anita uses many items from her kitchen to create a range of effects in her artwork.

The saying that opposites attract is definitely true in the case of Anita Parker and Margii Ramon. The pair of long-time friends will exhibit their work together for the first time at Coffee Culture from Monday. Anita, who paints still life works but has recently expanded to animals as well, said her work was “messy and wild” while Margii’s was “tight and clean.””

“We can’t paint in the same room together,” she laughed. That won’t stop them from bringing their works together for the ‘Connections’ exhibit. The inspiration for the name came from the concept that all things are linked in some way. “We’re both connected to each other and I mean, we’re all connected in some way,” said Anita.

The two ladies are largely self-taught, although they have undertaken a few short courses over the years. While Margii uses traditional methods for her “naive style paintings,” Anita describes her own work as “lively and fun with pops of colour.” The unique strokes in Anita’s work are created by her unusual choice of artistic tools. “I don’t use brushes,” she said. “I find them restrictive and hated the lines the hairs left.”

So where does she find her choice of utensils? In the kitchen of course. “I use everything from the kitchen – scourers and scrapers – in fact whenever I bake a cake and need a scraper or a spatula I can never find one because they’re always in the studio.” The ladies are both great lovers of art and the creative process. “I love becoming totally engrossed in my work, it’s like being on another planet.” “Hopefully, people will feel connected to the work and feel the joy we felt while creating them.”

The official opening for the exhibition is this Monday, March 23 at 6pm and will be opened by Goulburn Regional Gallery director Jane Cush.Catch the exhibition at Coffee Culture in the Empire Cinema Complex, Bong Bong Street, Bowral. It will be open 7 days a week from 6.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 6.30am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday until May 1.

Catch the exhibition at Coffee Culture in the Empire Cinema Complex, Bong Bong Street, Bowral. It will be open 7 days a week from 6.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 6.30am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday until May 1.

story courtesy of The Southern Highlands News