Community Love For Waterways On Display

 
The judging panel for the Submerged in Our Region Art Exhibition will have their work cut out for them this July with more than 125 creative works submitted across all art forms, including photography, mixed media, film, writing and sculpture.
 
Earlier this year the Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership put a call out to the community for creative works with a connection to local waterways, and the vital life and industries they support.
 
The Partnership was inundated with responses, and the stunning collection will now be exhibited as part of the Mackay Festival of Arts, open for public viewing from July 26th.
 
Seventeen-year-old Soraya Bartlett took a unique approach to her submission, combining the beauty of Eungella’s Broken River with a flair for fashion and design.

Ms Bartlett, who is a Year 12 student at Whitsunday Anglican School, said she chose to create a fashion piece to show the interconnection between humans and the environment.
 
“I was inspired by our local environment and specifically Broken River because of all the life that can be found there, including the animals and constantly moving water and natural environment,” she said.
 
“I chose a fashion piece because it can be worn by humans, and with textiles you can replicate a lot of textures and patterns found in nature.
 
“The sparkling blue organza symbolises the clear and pristine waters of the river, and natural calico was precision laser cut to resemble leaf veins.
 
“The pleated back of the piece represents a human spine to embody the interconnectedness of water, environment and life.”
 
Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership Executive Officer Jaime Newborn said it was great to see the exhibition theme resonate so strongly with the community.
 
“From the number and diversity of entries we received, it’s clear that our local waterways are a great source of inspiration to the community and are central to how we work, live and play,” she said.
 
“The community response to this exhibition reinforces how important it is to look after our rivers, creeks, beaches and reefs so we can continue to enjoy them long into the future.”
 
The Submerged in Our Region Art Exhibition will launch the evening of July 25th and will be open for public viewing from July 26th to 30th, 10am - 2pm at Gallery-31, located within CQUniversity’s Mackay City Campus. For more information visit www.healthyriverstoreef.org.au.
 

Soraya Bartlett with her Submerged in Our Region entry, Broken River Flow

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