Take drive to the past
A TOWNSVILLE artist is on a roll with her first exhibition.
Wheels and Steel is the first solo exhibition by Townsville artist Anne Mclaughlin and celebrates classic vehicles in the Australian landscape, inspired by a long-time admiration of restored classic cars.
After visiting a number of vintage car shows, Mclaughlin said she attempted to recreate the beauty of these lovingly restored vehicles through a series of artworks.
“I am constantly amazed at the dedication, time and effort people put into restoring their vintage vehicles,” she said.
“I have great admiration for those who can restore them to replicate the original and understand how difficult and costly it gets over time with an increasing rarity and availability of spare parts.
“While I don’t own a classic car, I have enjoyed painting cars as subject matter and placing them into the relevant landscape of their time.
“Love them or hate them, the car has been a significant part of our culture, having had a huge impact on society, shaping the way the country has been developed over the last century. “Cars from our past stir emotions and send our thoughts to another place.
“They reminded us of our youth, of past holiday escapes or of times long forgotten.
“If I had a favourite, it would have to be the FJ Holden. It was the first family car that I remember.
“It brings back a lot of memories, particularly of my brothers and myself jumping around on the back seat – something hard to imagine these days.”
Wheels and Steel runs from June 24 through to July 21 and is open daily from 10am to 4pm at Jezzine Gallery, Jezzine Barracks, North Ward.
Details can be found on the North Queensland Festival of the Arts program.