Anita Laurence’s landscapes

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle - 28.10.08

KING Valley’s own painter laureate, Anita Laurence, has just opened a new exhibition of her richly colored landscapes of the local region.

Her paintings have become celebrated for the way they capture not only the landscapes of the King Valley, but its cultural heritage and the changing lifestyles of its inhabitants.

Her exhibition at the Muse Gallery of Milawa, which runs until November 28, is a large body of work painted over the last year.

"I’m lucky to be able to work meditatively in my studio, as it provides me with time to be very inward," Anita said.

"My work is on heavy paper that I engrave patterns into, inscribing it with various tools such as burnishers, screws and forks.

"The thick paper readily takes up and retains the rich colors of the concentrated inks I use, and I build the paint up in layers so that some of the under paint shows through."

Anita’s works not only reflect the changing seasons, it shows the agricultural history of the King Valley, from the turn of the century farmhouses flanked by water tanks on stands, to old orchards and, later, tobacco kilns.

Her works inspire people to look with fresh eyes at what’s around them.

"The best thing is when people see what I see in the landscape," she said.

"People who drive through the valley every day tend to stop looking.

"These pictures make people take in what’s around them.

"There is so much in this landscape: the seasons, the days, the elements, and painting it is a way for me to explore and put down colors and textures."

Muse Gallery of Milawa director George Piercy cordially invites people to come and enjoy "Anita Laurence: New Works".