Published on 16 July 2020

Colours of the Fleurieu

There has arguably never been a greater need for mindful activities and stuff to keep the kids occupied than right now.

Enter Colours of the Fleurieu – a new 24-page colouring-in book depicting wildlife, scenery, landmarks and towns of the Fleurieu Peninsula, drawn by local artists.

The book is the brainchild of Port Noarlunga Arts Centre project officer Nerissa Galloway, who was inspired by a local artist’s work and the chaos caused by COVID-19.

“Not long after everything shut down for COVID-19 in April, local artist Kirstie McGregor posted a colouring page on her Facebook page,” Nerissa explains.

“I saw it and thought it’d be cool to have a whole book of artist-created colouring pages for people to do at home.”

Three other local artists – Donna ChessMary Pulford and Lesley Redgate – were commissioned with Kirstie to create original artworks, while City of Onkaparinga graphic designer Lauren Stevenson and Lonsdale printer Ink on Paper came onboard to complete the project.

“They’re active artists in the City of Onkaparinga with strong connections to their local communities and the Fleurieu,” says Nerissa.

“They worked well together to ensure the book was a cohesive collection of drawings without much overlapping subject matter.”

Kirstie McGregor, who specialises in watercolour and hand-painted jewellery, has lived in Onkaparinga her whole life, and her works in the book are inspired by the natural world.

“My work reflects my surroundings and my connection to the environment, whether it be looking at certain species or our impact on the local ecosystems,” Kirstie says.

“My pieces [in the book] are all of birds. I’ve always had a love of birds, and coming off of my solo exhibition “Bird”, held at the Arts Centre last November, it seemed like a good way to continue the theme and further show off the amazing birdlife we have in the region.”

Mary Pulford is a Fleurieu-based printmaker, artist and teacher, who also draws, paints and works with clay, and her work is similarly influenced by flora, fauna and the environment.

“The pieces I contributed are based on locations around the Fleurieu – if I was a tourist, where would I go? What would I see?” Mary says.

“The result is a collection of drawings, based on places I love. If you look hard enough around the Fleurieu, you’ll be able to spot all the things I’ve drawn, except for the old lighthouse at Cape Jervis, which was knocked down.”

Lesley Redgate is a Willunga-based artist that works mainly in acrylics, watercolour, and pen and wash.

Her work is inspired by colour and geometry, and she decided to draw landscapes related to scenes she’s painted (sometimes plein air) over the years in Willunga for Colours of the Fleurieu.

“I chose to draw vines, a coastal scene, wheatfields and roads with buildings – places I have a deep connection to,” Lesley says.

“I’m in awe of the colours of changing seasons, and open spaces with an endless supply of subjects to paint. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

“Line drawings with defined shapes was a fun and a challenging exercise. It’ll be great to see the colours that others see in the landscape that surrounds them.”

Donna Chess, whose work includes illustration, watercolours and etchings, has lived in Willunga since moving from the USA nearly 30 years ago, but her appreciation for local wildlife has never dimmed.

Her pieces in the book feature some of our most recognisable animals, including dolphins at Maslin Beach, kangaroos at Willunga and southern right whales.

“Art helps me express myself and to tell the stories of my life through pictures and to share the beauty I find in the local area,” Donna says.

“Also, I think we have some of the best beaches in the world (but shh, don’t tell anyone!).”

Colours of the Fleurieu is available now for $20 at the Arts Shop in the lobby of the Arts Centre, Port Noarlunga, or via the website.

The 24 pages of the A4 book are one-sided, so you can remove pages to frame your finished work without losing a page to colour in.

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Colours of the Fleurieu