Internationally celebrated artist Ian Mastin brings his still life collection to Art on Yabba fine art gallery in Imbil in May.
It’s a major coup for the new gallery opened by Mary Valley Artslink and managed by its president Heinke Butt.
Self-taught, Mastin has an international following and is influenced by the Dutch and Flemish Masters of the 17th century.
Critics have said his paintings are so realistic, you’ll feel like you can almost pick them up.
The Mastin exhibition opens on May 5 and runs to the end of the month.
The opening event “An Epicurean Delight“, features as part of the Mary Valley GourMay food festival and promises art, food and opera at the Wild Vine Café, Imbil. Well-known actor and opera
singer Lincoln Scott will perform and the audience can enjoy a menu of Italian culinary
delights.
Bookings $80pp on Eventbrite bit.ly/3YRYlhN.
For Ms Butt, it’s proof that Mary Valley Artslink is fulfilling its mission to build art and culture in the region.
The group held its annual general meeting in February and announced a suite of events.
Gympie Botanical Artists and guest artists Jan Lawnikanis and Marilyn Rose held an exhibition in February, followed by the current exhibition Eclectic Treasures.
It showcases works by Kim Barrett, Jenny Hawkes Wright, Don Milner, Pat Cale, Pam Hopkins, Glenis Grey and Ian Gunn and runs until the Mastin exhibition is hung.
Those who like performance art will enjoy Poetry and Song on Sunday April 16, 8am-10am, with local bush poet Ian Mackay reciting his witty original work alongside Mary Valley practitioners Jennie Hawkes Wright and Jack Wright reading a selection of their works.
Guests can read a favourite piece by themselves or someone else.
And between the lines, an acapella choir will add a backdrop to the hearty breakfast available at Wild Vine Café.
It will be a morning of humour, lyricism, storytelling and life stories.
Weekend visitation to the fine art gallery has surprised everyone.
Ms Butt said the volunteer run operation was attracting around 50 people a weekend, which was a boon for the other
businesses in the main street.
It has been a major addition to the group’s annual calendar, which includes the Mary Valley Art Festival on July 20-24 and the Mary Valley Scarecrow Festival which themes up for the
wild west from September 1-October 2.
Ms Butt said the art festival offered record prize money of $12,000 last year and provided great exposure for major sponsors – Ron Jeffrey Realty, Bendigo Bank, Lady Penelope and the Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Find Art on Yabba at 116 Yabba Road, Imbil, open Thursday-Sunday, 10am-2pm and follow the Mary Valley Artsklink on Facebook.
