By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
CARRYING a strong passion for art, Narre Warren’s Di Lockwood recognised that local artists had nowhere to properly display their work.
She went about fixing the problem by allowing them to exhibit at her home in a special room she dubbed the ‘Libran Dogma Gallery’.
This was one of her contributions to the Casey arts community that saw the former primary school teacher win the 2014 Lindsay King Arts Award last Friday night.
“I had just finished my diploma of visual arts and there was nothing around for people to exhibit their work,” Di said.
“They had to go into town, which is quite daunting and expensive, and I thought ‘I have the space’.
“It was just an idea and it had grown. People sell their work here because I don’t charge commission.
“Every year I ask who would like to do it and I choose seven or eight exhibitions for the year.
“They put on the opening and they invite a whole lot of people over the weekends.”
The Lindsay King award recognises people in Casey who have made a significant contribution to the arts.
Established in 2007, the award was named in memory of Cranbourne resident Lindsay King whose commitment to the arts and passion for local history, tourism and culture was unparalleled.
Di is a deserving winner of the award having recently worked with Arts Access Australia to facilitate a visual arts program that supported creative expression for people living with and recovering from a mental illness.
“We’re always looking for other ways to fund this program,” Di said.
“We cater for people recovering from mental illness to be able to visit us in a safe space.”
Di also volunteers as a tutor for the art group PATMOS and is the current president of the South Eastern Contemporary Art Group, which she founded.
