FUN, functional, and furry, Cassegrain Winery’s brand-new exhibition Our Kingdom is set to wag tails as tastebuds are tickled this June.
From paintings and sculptures to man’s best friend and songbirds, visitors can wander through the restaurant and cellar door and marvel at the work of talented local artists, Jean Balland and Halia Senu.
The exhibition is inspired by the many colours, textures, and stories in the world around them.
“The title of the exhibition came about from two main subjects: animals and… Port Macquarie”, Jean told News Of The Area.
“The word ‘kingdom’ is used to describe the animal kingdom as well as the pride man feels about their place as a kingdom.”
Jean is a Port Macquarie ArtWalk institution having exhibited on several occasions, most recently with her collection “Dog Portraits” in 2019 and “Our Town, Short Street Floods” in 2021.
No stranger to the local art scene or occasional art competition, Halia exhibits at galleries and wineries up and down the Mid North Coast to showcase everything from sculptures to paintings.
“My preferred medium is clay, and I create sculptures incorporating inspirations from the local farm and coast”, Halia said.
“Similarly, my paintings reflect a love of colour, movement and humour.”
Halia adds warmth, humour, and a sense of home to Our Kingdom.
There’s also something a little extraordinary alongside her farm animals, birds, and the “odd human or two”.
“There are some 10 sets of salt and pepper shakers in the form of birds, fish, owls and penguins. I call this functional art,” she said.
Showcasing a stunning 18 locally commissioned dog portraits, Jean also contributes eight still-life food paintings, each representing a shop flooded by the 2021 floods.
Our Kingdom is on display at Cassegrain Wines until 31 August.
By Rikki WALLER
Wonderful to see such a range of art and subjects! Would love to be there X