Mum creates TV show art
Meet woman designing backdrop for kids show
THERE is nothing in southeast Queensland that makes children more excited than to hear Blue Gum Farm TV is going on a live tour.
Blue Gum Farm TV, filmed at Blue Gum Gully near Gayndah, is a children’s program aimed at pre-schoolers.
It follows the fascinating adventures of life in the Australian outback, featuring music, animals, cooking and farm activities like milking cows and harvesting vegetables.
And a Toowoomba woman’s artwork is behind the live performances.
Amy Wood has literally painted the backdrop to the show; an enormous tapestry featuring eucalyptus trees, cattle, and a small homestead with a corrugated tin roof.
Her sister Cilla Per house is the creator of the show and together the pair works well.
“It took up the whole garage floor for more days than it should have,” Mrs Wood said.
“I’m really happy with how it turned out. It took quite a while but it’s pretty cool.
“I’m very familiar with Cilla’s themes and what she tries to convey.
“She’s a source of inspiration, she encourages me a lot.”
Aside from the live performance backdrop, Mrs Wood has also previously created illustrations for episodes of Blue Gum Farm TV.
Mrs Wood, who moved from Gayndah around 15 years ago, lives in Toowoomba with her husband and two young sons, but she has maintained strong ties with her hometown.
She is particularly involved with the School House Potters, and is helping with the club’s upcoming convention in September.
She said she wanted to help the club become more “prominent” in Gayndah.
Aside from pottery, she is also a talented acrylic painter, winning that section at the Roma Easter in the Country art show earlier this year.
Mrs Wood said she had drifted away from art when her children were little, but now they were older, she’s “really taking the opportunity to get stuck in and improve even more”.
Mrs Pershouse said she was “incredibly proud” to have her sister’s art in her shows.
“I think it adds a wonderful depth of character and reinforces the theme of the program,” she said.
“It’s also wonderful to see the look of surprise on people’s faces when I tell them the backdrop was hand painted by my very own sister.”