Community
Forging art from foliage: Resilience in Recovery partners with Tina West for latest event
Nature versus nurture: there’s no need for debate, as this upcoming event provides both.
Rochester artist Tina West, renowned for creating works out of organic material, will host a series of bush art workshops in June to foster creativity and catharsis following the October 2022 floods.
The workshops, designed for women aged 18 and above, are facilitated by the Greater Shepparton City Council’s Resilience in Recovery program.
Their goal is to encourage participants to stop and smell the flowers, share stories, and celebrate resilience through art.
Upon arrival at the Railway Hotel in Murchison, guests will be welcomed with a canvas.
However, rather than paints and pencils, the blank slates will be decorated with natural elements, such as leaves, flowers, and feathers.
Those swept up by creativity can also assist Ms West in creating a larger piece that will be displayed at the Resilience in Recovery office.
When Ms West received a tap on the shoulder from the flood recovery team to host this artistic initiative, she didn’t hesitate.
Not only has she been a practising artist for over a decade, but she also understands the challenges of enduring a natural disaster, including the ongoing stress and its toll on individuals.
“I got flooded in October 2022, and our mechanical workshop was too,” Ms West said.
“At the time, I was eight months pregnant, had a three-year-old, and we lived in my friend’s bedroom for six weeks until we found a house to rent in Echuca.”
Since 2018, Ms West has blurred the lines between art and environment, finding herself growing with every piece she creates.
She hopes to elicit similar feelings from attendees in her upcoming workshops, allowing others to find a sense of happiness and serenity in a supportive space.
“By being creative, you allow yourself to focus on the present moment, which gives yourself a break from the outside noise,” Ms West said.
“It’s an amazing outlet, and I love to create a safe space for those to come along and enjoy themselves, be proud of the artwork they created, and take it home to remind themselves that they can do amazing things.”
Bush Art with Tina West is on Saturdays, June 1, 8, 15 and 29, from noon to 1.30pm, at the Railway Hotel, 4910 Goulburn Valley Hwy, Murchison East.
These free art workshops are specially designed for women aged 18 and above.
Registration is mandatory.
To register, visit www.trybooking.com/CRVCY
For more information, visit the Resilience in Recovery Facebook page or contact recovery@shepparton.vic.gov.au or 5832 9700.