Queenscliff Neighbourhood House Gallery (QNHG) will host the imaginative works of 13 female Bellarine Peninsula artists in its upcoming exhibition The Artful Collager.
The exhibition, which runs from June 3 to July 17, features works composed from recycled or handmade papers and pieces of old artworks, photos and books, many supplemented by inked or painted images.
Artist Shirley Hurley, whose work In the Wink of an Eye is a stand-out work in the exhibition, has participated in many exhibitions at QNHG since it began over 20 years ago.
She said unlike her usual preferred media of oils, watercolours or ink and printmaking, collage focused the artist on composition rather than technique.
“I like the fact that collage reminds you that it’s a visual language we’re dealing with,” Mrs Hurley said.
“It’s shapes, colours and lines and the arranging of them on a flat surface. Then it’s the mind interpreting that language.
“I think people can forget that sometimes when they’re painting. Because you’re pushing it together, assembling it, you’re more aware that you’re dealing with those basic elements of visual language and that the mind has to interpret it.”
QNHG committee chair and artist Julie Morgan said the neighbourhood house’s resident art teacher and award-winning artist Nell Frysteen had pushed the artists to explore the full range of their creativity.
“People are really gravitating toward Nell, and she’s exhibited here as well,” Ms Morgan said.
“She’s talked about the freedom of collage and being able to do whatever you want to do. Her works (in the exhibition) are mixed, combining the media of collage and watercolour together.
“When Nell came in here and saw the works she was surprised at how (many of the artists) had stretched out, doing something different. The sky’s the limit with collage.”
