Imaginative and thoughtful pieces, full with bright colours await art lovers at Little Blue Wren Gifts and Art.
An exhibition featuring original artwork created by local people living with disabilities involved in the art program Dream to Create, was officially launched to a large crowd on Friday.
Bring Your Imagination to Life is a free, public exhibition displaying a range of artwork including, drawings, paintings, sculptures, woodburning and more, completed across a range of different mediums by participants in the local program offered by Dream to Create.
This is the first year the event is being held, and gallery owner, Gareth Williams said they wanted the space, and art, to be accessible to everyone.
“At Little Blue Wren, we believe that the arts have the capacity to brings us all together; it changes us and changes our communities. Therefore, we want the arts, and our space to be accessible to everyone,” he said. “To this end, we have partnered with Dream to Create, and have been showcasing one artist from their program on a rotating basis every fortnight, displaying their work in our gallery.
“Hosting a dedicated Dream to Create exhibition was a natural progression of this idea, and an opportunity for the families and communities of these artists to come in and celebrate the program participant’s creativity.“
Speaking at the exhibition, Dream to Create manager Jodi Manifold said the organisation was proud to be able to show the artworks to the wider community through this exhibition.
“We were so pleased to be given the opportunity to collaborate with them and the support that they have shown our participants has been truly appreciated,“ she said.
“I’ve been fortunate to be partnering with them for quite a while now and they’ve been kind enough to display a piece of artwork in their gallery for our participants each fortnight each time we come into visit we are greeted with warm smiles and endless amounts of encouragement and it really means a great deal to us and we look forward to this relationship last into the future.“
She also thanked every participant of Dream to Create, many of who were in attendance.
“The ladies and gentlemen that attend both our centres work extremely hard on the art pieces,“ Ms Manifold said.
“By putting a great deal of effort in the pieces they produce often represent themselves, the things they like and enjoy.
“In a way, each piece tells us a little bit about the person who created it.
“Such a wonderful thing to be able to watch them grow, flourish and explore their artistic abilities.“
Dream to Create is an organisation based in Mount Gambier which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to come together to create art and craft in a fun community setting. The structured program is a practical, beneficial, and unique alternative to day options and is aimed to develop participants’ creativity, confidence, independence, communication and social skills.
A majority of the pieces on show are available to purchase, with 100 per cent of the proceeds from every piece sold going directly back to the artists who created it.
However many pieces were snapped up on the opening night, so be sure to get in quick for the remaining pieces.
The exhibition will be open to the public until May 18.