General News
3 October, 2025
Local art exhibition to launch this weekend
Gallery 127’s newest exhibition will showcase hues of cool colours and designs, with two new artists displaying an array of abstract and representational pieces.
Bernadette Wilson has always been a maker. From a young age, she explored knitting and embroidery under her grandmother’s guidance, then dress making, ribbon embroidery, and gold work.
However, this is her first time showcasing a vast range of paintings in an exhibition.
“I have had small exhibitions at art shops in Ballarat, but this is a big major outing. Some of the works here have been around for a little while,” she said.
Ms Wilson is especially drawn to Australia’s vast landscapes, with a deep connection to the west coast, Kimberley, and other remote regions. Birds-eye view pieces on display have also been inspired by Lake Eyre and the Great Ocean Road.
“In the past three months, I’ve done 19 new pieces. Some of them represent the seasons, some of them are paint pours. I don’t have a style, I don’t have a theme, but I do like water,” she said.
After spending eight years travelling through Western Australia and the Northern Territory, she accumulated a rich collection of photos and memories that continue to inspire her work.
Ms Wilson feels art is about enjoyment, exploration and connection, and the support from fellow artists is invaluable. She is excited to see where her creative path leads her.
In the gallery’s next room, Cairi Batch is a visual artist who paints with inspiration from the sea.
Working primarily in acrylic and alcohol inks, Ms Batch transforms salvaged frames from second-hand shops into portals of colour and emotion.
“Alcohol inks are so unpre-dictable, and you have to be working hard,” she said.
Ms Batch will also be launching her artwork in her first exhibition.
“I have had pieces in art shows here and there, but this is the first large one,” she said.
Ms Batch’s paintings include abstraction and water-inspired themes, often drenched in blues and greens of her annual pilgrimage to the coast.
“I grew up in South Australia, and went to the beach regularly. I spent a lot of time there. There are a lot of beaches here in Victoria, but they aren’t as warm,” she said.
Ms Batch is based in Ballarat, but her heart is always somewhere near saltwater.
“There is a painting about the dryness of the Earth, a contrast to the ocean. But I love the ocean, I love the shape, colours and pattern,” she said.
The A,B,C exhibition (The Art by Bernadette and Cairi) officially opens this Sunday, October 5, at 2 pm at Avoca’s Gallery 127.