By Matthew Sims
From the iconic views of the Murray River to man’s best friend, the subjects of works in the Berwick Artists Society latest exhibition range far and wide.
Hosted at Cranbourne Library, the exhibition is open until Monday 19 June and features 85 works from artists across a range of mediums, including acrylic, pastel and watercolour, with artists also demonstrating their techniques daily.
One of the featured works is ‘Drawing out the Drama on Mordialloc Creek’ from Cranbourne artist Rosemary Miota-Duncan.
The work tells the story of a digger which fell off a barge landing, trapping the 58-year-old digger operator under water for 10 minutes.
Bluey’s Boat Hire owner David Thomson ripped off his clothes and dived into the icy water, with him and a workmate straining to keep the operator’s head above the creek as water lapped in and out of his mouth, but after about five minutes the struggle overwhelmed the drowning man.
A witness raced to Mr Thomson’s kiosk and retrieved a vacuum cleaner pipe, which Mr Thomson used to blow air into the operator’s mouth, saving his life.
Miota-Duncan said she was one of the onlookers during the rescue and the clean-up.
“Arriving to take my boat out for the day, I was astounded by the miraculous lifesaving event and the unfolding drama before me and began photographing the heroic workers,” she said.
“This painting is to honour all the heroes, those accidental heroes and those heroes who work tirelessly every day to save lives and clean up the mess that disasters leave in their wake.”
Miota Duncan said she had become an artist about 20 years ago.
“I came to it late in life,” she said.
“I love the expressiveness and the ability to create something beautiful.”
Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite piece for the People’s Choice Award, while a number of pieces are also for sale.
The Berwick Artists Society meets every Thursday at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick from 10am to 2pm, as well as monthly demonstrations from a professional artist.
For more information about the Berwick Artists Society, visit berwickartistssociety.com.au
