Sometimes the exceptional can be found hiding in plain sight. As much is certainly true of Maria Henry, local artist, and her students whose work is currently on display at the Tamworth Regional Gallery.
Henry, originally from Slovakia, migrated to Australia in 1969 following Russian invasion of her country. She started her schooling at 14 years of age at Albury Wodonga before relocating to Sydney, and then Tamworth, where she briefly attended Oxley High School before leaving to look after her siblings while her mother worked multiple jobs.
Having intended to study art and archeology in Czechoslovakia, Henry spent her free time drawing, sketching and reading, honing her talents.
Having later completed tertiary qualifications in Fine Arts and Assessment, she was identified following her first major exhibition at the Weswal Gallery.
She was asked to teach at the Adults Education Centre (now Community College), and has continued to teach in venues such as the Masonic Hall, PCYC, Oxley Highschool, Treloars Tennis Club, Community College, and Tamworth Regional Craft Centre.
For Emma Stilts, Gallery Operations and Visitor Experience Coordinator, it’s a remarkable rap sheet against the backdrop of Henry’s early years.
“She’s from European background obviously so you know, she probably has a different perspective due to the war.”
The tremendously high-quality output from her students is presently on display at the Tamworth Regional Gallery in her honour.
The exhibit of named For The Love Of Art: Students of Maria Henry features 146 separate entries with mediums ranging from acrylic through to ink tense blocks. Styles on display showcase abstract, gestural and almost photographic like creations, many centered on flora and fauna.
“I think it just shows remarkable resilience. I think artist therapy is definitely an opportunity, but also just celebrating the moment we’re in, and helping people achieve their dreams is really nourishing. It’s a helpful thing for people to do.” said Stilts.
“She’s got an eye for seeing something in the painting and helping people lift that skill.”
Meanwhile, next door, the building is hosting a celebration to Indigenous roots with the Walaaybaa – (Home) exhibit in the second gallery.
“It’s about sustained artistic content from Aboriginal artists. So, it’s artists that are in the Art Gallery of New South Wales collection, people like Carla Dickens and Jonathan Jones.” said Stilts.
“Obviously Indigenous culture is an ever evolving, continuous culture that’s still relevant, so we’re really interested in sharing that voice with people.”
Artworks on display include birds made out of raffia, a material derived from the raffia palm, traditional line paintings that embellish the Murray Darling Basin, an optical illusion created by school kids at Nundle Public School, and a series of workshopped pieces depicting the traditional emu in the sky.
The emu in the sky is particularly arresting, featuring a series of lights against a black as pitch backdrop.
“So instead of looking at the stars, you look at the blackness in the Milky Way. And the lack of stars creates this emu shape,” said Stilts.
“And then the Emu shape moves. It actually is in alignment with the Emu timeline of procreation, laying eggs, disappearing, coming back.”
“It’s an amazing example of how we see their stories as one way. But they’re really sophisticated and based in science as well. And then national natural phenomenon links with this in a way that just seems quite amazing.”
Tamworth Regional Gallery is open to the public Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, and weekends from 10am to 4pm.
Maria Henry will be speaking on For The Love Of Art on the 24th November.
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