Ten years ago, in a bid to reduce waste, I began experimenting with dye plants to make art materials. I realised how little I knew about the natural environment I had grown up in. Using natural materials for art has become my gateway to understanding the environment. A question such as ‘will this plant produce a true dye’ is the start of a path (with many detours) that can involve science, history, ecology, new and traditional techniques, lots of patience, and embracing unexp

TINY STORIES THE SECRET LIFE OF BIRDS Visual notes and Sketches - exploring the Island Sanctuary I come, most recently, from saltwater and the tidal mudflats of Dangar Island. Daughter of Another River, I now make my home in the dusty interior where the water runs fresh and without pattern. I have become accustomed to a different ebb and flow, as I undertake this metamorphosis from the inside out. These new works (in hallway gallery at South West Arts) reflect the current sp

Eliza Baker, The artist in studio, 2025. Photo: Zahra O’Dea Eliza Baker is a Melbourne-based artist (b. 2003) originally from rural New South Wales. Through her practice, Baker seeks to transform intimate emotional experiences into shared encounters, using art as a conduit for connection and resilience. Presented across gallery, site-specific, and community contexts, her work invites viewers into spaces of tenderness and reflection, where vulnerability and joy coexist. "My mu

My name is Norman Stewart and I am a descendant of the Yorta Yorta and Kwat Kwat people. My connection to Country is through my great, great grandfather Bagot Morgan, who originated from Cummeragunja NSW, and also through my great, great grandfather Tommy McCrae, who originated from around the area of where Corowa and Wahgunyah is today. I was born along the south coast of NSW at a place called Berry to Norman Stewart Snr and Ellen Morgan. I paint as often as I can in my spar

Narelle Whitham is a local artist who has been producing art in various mediums since her childhood. She produces glass art, knitting,...

South West NSW boasts many talented artists, but did you know it also contains a best-selling author? Fleur Ferris is a young adult...

South West Arts have a chat with renowned local fibre artist, Jo Nathan about her artwork, her studio space and Woolliwoolli.

Joey Conn, October 2021

David is a recycled metal artist located in Deniliquin. With over 10 years of experience, he produces artworks that represent animals,...

Echuca based Artisan, Kylie Haley is best known for her photography from working as a photojournalist and stringer for over 20 years in...

For artist and farmer Wendy McDonald, her creative life would struggle to exist away from the property, near the Murray River in...