By Ethan Benedicto
Narre Warren North artist Janet Matthews is accustomed to presenting her work to a crowd of eager onlookers, however, she remains keen for the upcoming Floribunda Gala.
Scheduled for Friday, 28 March at Bunjil Place, the night is looking to celebrate everything floral, from its nature – literally and figuratively – to the meanings and emotions behind every artist’s stroke.
Matthews, renowned for her skill and finesse with graphite and her ability to convey through the finer details, is eager for her work to once more be on display.
She’s confident with her work, recalling the countless times she’s presented with top-level artists.
“I’m excited, really, it’s the first time I’ve managed to work seriously in the gallery in Bunjil,” she said.
“There was some work in the open studios some time back, for the first time on the community wall, so that was a good step.
“But the fact that so many local artists can be part of this, something this big, is actually great.”
Janet took some time to find her place with botanical and wildlife pieces, having dabbled with portraits and landscapes in her previous years.
However, she “had no inspiration to paint or draw them”.
“My whole inspiration is to make people look at the small things around them.
“Because they forget about those, and if you forget about the small things, the big things become overwhelming.
“So many people look at my work, then they go look at their own garden, and then they think, wow, she drew that.”
The Floribunda Opening Night Gala is a ticketed event that runs from 7pm to 10pm on Friday night.
There, Floribunda, an exhibition presented by Bunjil Place in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria will be in full display, with artists such as Janet and their works open for all to view.
Janet has been an artist for as long as she can remember, and being in love with nature and all its givings for even longer.
Five of her pieces are to be on the mantle, pieces that, like her other works, aim to establish that sense of connection with the viewer.
May it be through the intricacies of the details, or the waves of emotions that they may feel once they see it.
“My artwork will stand out because it’ll be different from everyone else’s, but everyone else’s artwork will also stand out because it’s different from mine,” she said.
“Two of my pieces are fungi, but they’re very opposite in their colours so they stand out as individuals.
“Then there’s the sturt desert pea, which stands alone; then there’s my two latest works which are graphite with a touch of colour.”
From using selective colouring to highlight the petals, or making sure that every inch of every line is coloured and shaded, Janet is eager to deliver a stunning gallery.
The City of Casey first got in touch with Janet in the middle of 2024, giving her ample time to put pencil to paper and curate their floral theme.
Touching on her aspects of inspiration, living in Narre Warren North put her at a slight advantage, considering the lush greenery and abundance of flowerbeds from neighbouring homes.
“I’ll quite regularly go to Cranbourne Botanical Gardens, and I have a friend who likes photography so we do that often,” Janet said.
“I’ve got my own garden too, there are plants there that inspire me; then the neighbours, nature reserves and so on.”
Going back to her style, she finds joy in the intimacy of her pieces, where she and the viewer can pinpoint the structure of her pieces, where animals and flowers come together.
By the same token, her passion for her work resonates with her psyche to the point that artist’s block doesn’t exist for Janet, her inspiration simply flows.
“My happiest time is when I’m drawing, it’s part of who I am and it’s very personal for me,” she said.
“Sometimes I do get a bit tired, but it’s (artist’s block) hasn’t happened to me since university.”
At this stage, a little glimpse of nature is all Janet needs, or maybe sometimes, the urge to “hug a tree” overcomes her.
“I do trips out to nature and sometimes I’ll say to my husband that I need to hug a tree!” she said.
“I need to feel it, I just need to be in nature and when I come back, I’m inspired.”
Janet’s pieces are complete, and as of now, her only concern is the flower-themed dress code.
The Floribunda Gala is an 18-plus event, with tickets priced at $45.
For more information visit www.bunjilplace.com.au/events/floribunda-opening-night-gala
