Sally Walshe launched her community focused art exhibition, called Show Your WEST-SIDE last week.
Walshe, who is also known as ‘LaDY MoHaWK’ said the opening night had an outstanding attendance with about 400 people showing up to see what art the Maribyrnong community can produce.
“People loved it, the community are obviously very in need of more art exhibitions and events in the inner west,” she said.
Walshe compiled more than 210 artworks which all came from westerners of all skill levels, including kids.
Three westies, 37-year-old Yoonjung Kim, 32-year-old Johanna Reveka Hurtado and 47-year-old Elzette Bester, all said the exhibition was a great idea.
Footscray local Kim submitted her work titled, ‘Supreme ribbon and Australian animals’, was painted to reflect her relaxed state of mind which changed when she moved to the west.
“It’s so good to have this platform to be able to share my work in a professional setting and meet other artists.”
Hurtado has lived in the west for about a year, after migrating from Venezuela.
Her piece titled ‘Where I’m at’ takes the form of letters which she sent out to her neighbours for them to express their best memories of living in the neighbourhood.
“I am really impressed that the west has a lot of emerging artists, and valuable people that want to express themselves in the same ways as I do. It was great to have the space and to not be able to be rejected,” she said.
Bester designed her artwork titled, ‘Community Bank Seddon’.
“Ms Walshe saw the piece at the bank and she asked me to exhibit my work in this exhibition, I was chuffed,” she said.
“I have lived in the western suburbs for a long time, so it was a wonderful opportunity to get people talking and getting to know each other.”
The exhibition will run until August 11, at the Footscray Connectivity Centre.
Jennifer Pittorino
