THE Port Stephens Community Arts Centre is currently featuring the work of artist Kate Wilkie.
Kate has contributed to countless exhibitions in the centre since 2007.
She is a Visual Art and Design Technology teacher and was Technical Supervisor of the painting studio at Sydney College of the Arts for over eight years.
“I’m mainly a painter,” she said, “but because I teach industrial arts I wanted to get better with the machinery.”
“Then I just found more and more things to do.”
Kate’s section in the exhibition is all about upcycling materials and found objects to create stunning 3D artwork.
Many of the displayed pieces use a variety of timber: pine wood, silky oak, Illawarra flame trees and Huon pine, just to cite some.
But in addition to these, there’s also objects made out of palm fronds, seed pods and even recycled cables.
These materials are shaped into bowls, baskets, clocks, ambient lights and other creative displays in ways that showcase their properties, texture and even their scent.
A particular highlight is the jewellery collection created using electroplated cicada wings in 22k gold, copper and nickel, as well as extremely rare echidna quills.
“You won’t see too many of these, you can’t just find them,” she said of the quills.
“Echidnas are native animals, so you also have to get permission to collect them.”
Kate’s creations, as well as the works of several different artists, are part of the exhibitions titled “In the Mist” and “Life Drawing”, which will run until 27 April.
By Nico LOMBARDO
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