The exhibition opens Tuesday 2 April 2019, 5:30 pm

Exhibition runs: 2-21 April 2019

Botanical artist Cheryl Hodges won the QPRC Regional Art Awards Exhibition Award in 2017 with her chestnut painting (from Hoskinstown’s Tweenhill Chestnuts). Since then she has been travelling around our shire, visiting her regular haunts but always keen to explore new places. She has discovered nature reserves and conservation areas. Passionate locals have welcomed her to their properties, showing her the ‘fruits’ of their labours – from pepper berries to cider apples to honey, and beautiful local wildflowers. Along the way, she has also found fascinating insects, which are often overlooked.

Cheryl is painting many of the natural treasures that she has discovered across the shire in her signature delicate watercolour style. She hopes the paintings and accompanying stories will ignite curiosity in others. For example, the beautiful Monga Waratah near the Clyde Mountain is very accessible via the ‘Waratah Walk’. Nearby is a boardwalk at Penance Grove, with its ancient plumwoods and Gondwanian landscape. In and near Queanbeyan are nature reserves with flowers you may have never seen before. She wants to impart the thoughts she carries with her every day: wherever you are you can find something interesting and unexpected if you take the time to look.

Image: Cheryl Hodges, Mountain Pepper, 2018, watercolour