This is what Sunshine Coast watercolour artist Libby Derham is investigating in her current body of work. Mapping the diversity of the Lagoon Walk at the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens, Libby creates sensory scrolls and watercolours on paper and recycled envelopes.

Come and see Libby as she builds on this body of work as Artist in Residence at the Arts and Ecology Centre between the 10-17th June.

Friends of the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens will have scheduled workshops, talks and guided walks, along with a display focusing on birds and promoting wildlife in your garden.

OPEN 10:00am -2:00pm daily

Free event

Artist Bio – Libby Derham

Watercolour runs in Libby’s veins, going back four generations in her family. She has a strong appreciation of the beauty in natural landscapes and works plein air weekly.

Working intuitively, Libby focuses on authenticity of marks and representing sounds and visual movements through line. She begins by laying down the sounds and movements in the landscape, currently drawn to bird song, noting this down through masked and pencil lines. Next she builds the visual elements, painting with washes or shape and form, pulling together the colours of the landscape. Libby likes to push the medium of watercolour, experimenting on unexpected substrates. She has long been drawn to the use of envelopes, going back to treasured airmail letters kept in envelopes as a child, to bookbinding with them in printmaking. Using worn, torn envelopes, there is a resurgence of new life in a once discarded item giving prominence and ultimately admiration.

Originally from England, she studied Visual Art at Surrey Institute of Art and Design in the UK After migrating she completed a teaching degree, majoring in Visual Art, at Monash University, Victoria. Libby has been finalist in the Du Rietz Art Awards and the Local Artist Local Content Awards.

Location Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden, Arts & Ecology Centre 51 Palm Creek Road Tanawha, QLD 4556

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