Station life on canvas
Cattle station resident Katie Jones is bringing her bush art to Townsville for the first time.
Living 100km north of Hughenden on Mt Emu Plains Station, Mrs Jones rarely gets to exhibit in-person.
“I can remember when I was a young artist at university, learning about how to build your business and network,” Mrs Jones said.
“A lot of that goes out the window when you’re so far from the city and its arts culture.”
Of course, she admits, the internet does make a huge difference.
Mrs Jones’ exhibition Games That We Play is full of realistic, highly-detailed charcoal paintings of bush kids having fun while doing their chores.
“Some of these pieces took me months to complete,” she said.
“I’ve been working on the artworks for this exhibition for a few years, and on weekends and school holidays I would do 10-hour days.”
Alongside station work, Mrs Jones homeschools her children.
The paintings were done for upcoming children’s book ‘ A Bore Without
Chores’ by Jet Jones ( both a bush poet and the artist’s husband).
Originally from Canada, Mrs Jones said her life in the northern hemisphere gives her a different perspective on the bush.
“The culture of Australia is really unique,” she said. “And I’ve been given the wonderful opportunity to capture that on canvas and celebrate it.”
Mrs Jones said her style is especially suited to capturing the hot, arid climate around Hughenden.
Games That We Play will open at 6.30pm on April 14 (Friday) at the Drill Hall Studio, Townsville and run until May 11.
To RSVP for the opening go to thedrillhallstudio.as.me/gamesthatwePlay.