Purple Patch

Purple Patch

It’s been quite a whirlwind through most of October and into November! I think I can finally take a bit of a breather and attend to some of the other tasks in this artist’s life, like:

• Weeding the garden (OMG, you should see the weeds!)

• Designing a new business card

• Writing this blog

• Knuckling down to prepare for the group show — yes, we have a date and a venue!

The Last Few Weeks

Lost and Found Festival
The Lost and Found Festival is a jam-packed weekend of food, wine, culture and connection throughout the Bunbury–Geographe region. I was asked to gather artists to showcase their work as part of the gala opening at the magnificent Hope Springs Farm — a stunning residence perched on the hill overlooking the Ferguson Valley and the ocean.

Hope Springs Farm

I had to consider its vast reception area with huge walls and think about whose art would suit the space. I invited artists Simon Hemsley, Helena Sahm, Christine Blowfield, Anna Komarnyckyj, and Jan Hart — all of whom accepted. Jan and I curated an exhibition of about twelve works, and it looked fantastic! Guests took time to really look at the pieces, and I was thrilled to sell one of my paintings on the night.

Where the River Waits sold on the opening night ot the Lost and Found Festival

Army Art WA
Army Art WA is a significant annual event in East Fremantle raising funds for veterans. This year, artists’ works were hung together in groups, and my four paintings sat side by side. Unfortunately, the lighting didn’t do them any favours — four paintings went up and four came home. That’s my story anyway! Taking everything home again can be a little disheartening, but it’s happened often enough that it doesn’t bother me too much. You win some, you lose some. Sigh.

ARTEX
ARTEX was the exact opposite! It’s always a vibrant event hosted by Bunbury Catholic College, full of high-quality artwork including 3D pieces. I love the buzz of opening night and catching up with local artists and friends. Over the weekend, both of my entries sold — maybe that’s why I love this event so much!

Looking pretty chuffed that Soft and Strong sold on opening night at the Bunbury Catholic College Art Extraordinaire

Coastal Embrace also went to a new collector at the BCCARTEX

Ferguson Valley Open Gardens
Every two years, nine local gardens in our valley open their gates to share the beauty of spring in this part of the world. Our next-door neighbours invited me to do an art pop-up, and to get into the garden spirit I decided to paint twelve 30x30cm panels all at once. It was a blast!

I don’t usually paint botanicals, but I approached it with play and experimentation in mind — stencilling, mark-making with odd tools, collage, ink, and paint. I was pleasantly surprised by what emerged and loved the results.

Sales were quiet at first (mostly cards), until I left the stall in the capable hands of my friend Sue — who promptly sold two paintings! It made me reflect on how emotionally attached we can become to our own work. I can happily sell our oranges at the market or gnomes at Gnomesville — but art is a different story entirely.

Ferguson Valley Open Gardens

Art for Aid — Holmes à Court Gallery
Holmes à Court Gallery generously provided the entire space for Art for Aid, an initiative by Perth Doctors for Palestine. When I heard about this fundraiser, I didn’t hesitate to donate my painting Ascending (2023) — a work I’ve always loved and which felt like it had been waiting for just this moment.

An aerial view of a bird soaring over a sunbaked landscape marked by animal tracks and a dark dam, Ascending speaks to me of hope and freedom.

At the “Thank You to Artists” event, we were greeted with the sound of a solo violinist and beautiful traditional Palestinian food and wine. I was over the moon to see my painting hanging — and even more delighted to learn it had sold! I met the collector just as it was lifted from the wall; he told me he’d bought three works that day and knew immediately that mine had to be one of them.

The atmosphere was electric — artists and collectors mingling, laughter, energy, purpose. By the end of the weekend, two-thirds of the 300 artworks were sold and $250,000 raised to provide water and high-protein supplements for children in Gaza. The heartfelt speeches from the doctors were deeply moving, and I left with my heart full.

Holmes a’ Court Gallery art collector. I think Ascending, painted in 2023, was waiting for just this moment to be donated for this vital cause.

City of Stirling Art Awards
Being accepted into the City of Stirling Art Awards was a real coup. I was delighted to see Be Calmed hung amongst so many stunning works. I must admit, my piece didn’t look quite as strong or luminous as I’d hoped — perhaps it was a little overwhelmed by the bolder works around it.

Be Calmed

90×90cm Acrylic and mixed media on canvas

Mid West Art Prize
Still to come is the Mid West Art Prize in Geraldton, opening November 22. Apparently, it’s a tough one to crack, so I’m super excited that my triptych Salt I–III has been shortlisted! We’re packing up the campervan and the dog for the six-hour drive north to attend the opening — just for fun. Wish me luck!

Exhibition News

We finally have a venue and a date — at last!

After several false starts and disappointments, we’re now locked in to an amazing new venue in central Bunbury called 37 Spencer. It’s a large space currently being transformed into an art hub with an exhibition gallery, framer, interior designer and art class area.

The new owners are thrilled that Stronger Together will be their inaugural exhibition soon after their grand opening in January 2026. Our show will run from February 6–19, 2026, and will include a collaborative workshop run by the three of us — Catherine Mead (botanical sculptor), Diana Neggo (painter), and Heather Elliott-Smith (glass artist).

After losing a bit of momentum, the three of us are back on track, meeting weekly on WhatsApp and planning a get-together this week to select works and design our large-scale collaborative centrepiece. It’s all getting very exciting — and I’m sure the weeks until February 6 will fly by!

Invitations will go out via email, Eventbrite and Facebook Events, so mark your calendars. It’s going to be great! Sign up to my website to get early access to news and events.

STRONGER TOGETHER - Heather Elliott-Smith - Diana Neggo - Catherine Meads