The vibrant exhibition, by Yea Valley artist Zaza and Douglas, will be on display throughout October.
Featuring ceramics, mixed media works and intuitive abstract paintings, the exhibition celebrates the flora and landscapes of regional Victoria through a rich and sensory artistic practice.
Drawing inspiration from the botanical diversity and natural beauty of north-east Victoria, Zaza and Douglas creates works that explore the forms, textures and rhythms of the natural world.
Bringing together handcrafted ceramics, textiles and paint, Wild Blooms invites audiences to pause and appreciate the beauty, resilience and constant transformation found in nature.
Flowers feature throughout the exhibition not simply as decorative motifs, but as symbols of growth, renewal, memory and the fleeting nature of life.
Expressive floral paintings combine layered colour, soft washes and energetic brushwork to capture the movement and vitality of a garden in bloom, while sculptural ceramic flowers, pendants and bespoke objects extend these ideas into three-dimensional form. Individually crafted and finished by hand, each piece preserves the mark of making and transforms a fleeting botanical moment into something enduring.
Providing insight into the development of this body of work and motivation to exhibit at Benalla Art Gallery, Zaza and Douglas said the development of this body of work had grown from the beauty they found in the natural world, from fallen leaves scattered across the ground beneath our gum trees to the delicate form of a flower folding in upon itself.
“These quiet details continually invite me to look more closely and to discover beauty in both the familiar and the unexpected,” Zaza said.
“Through Wild Blooms, I hope to create a moment of pause within the rush of everyday life, an opportunity for people to stop, look and connect with something beautiful.
“I was motivated to contact Benalla Art Gallery about participating in the Gallery Shop exhibition program because it offered the opportunity to present my work within a well-respected arts environment, connect with the local north-east Victorian community through exhibiting, and build meaningful professional relationships.
“I am also pleased to contribute, in my own way, to the cultural life of regional Victoria.”
Benalla Art Gallery Director Eric Nash said the exhibition offered visitors a joyful and immersive experience of nature through contemporary craft and art.
“Wild Blooms is a celebration of the remarkable beauty that surrounds us in regional Victoria,” he said.
“Through painting and ceramics, Zaza and Douglas captures the wonder, fragility and resilience of the natural world, inviting audiences to reconnect with the landscapes and plant life that shape our sense of place.
“We are delighted to showcase this thoughtful and uplifting exhibition in the Gallery Shop.”
All works in Wild Blooms will be available for purchase through Benalla Art Gallery throughout the exhibition by visiting in person, by calling 5760 2619 or by emailing gallery@benalla.vic.gov.au.
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