Brisbane artist and former deputy lord mayor David Hinchliffe launches his new exhibition, Towards the light, at Red Hill Gallery tonight.

Towards the light is the culmination of his work since the start of this year, and as the artist told InQueensland, it’s a more Brisbane-centric show than some of his recent exhibitions.

“These are my paintings from the COVID period,” Hinchliffe said, “so there’s not a lot about places like New York, Paris, London, where I would normally be spending around a quarter to half of the year. I had to cancel all those trips as many people did, so my focus has – very literally – come right down to the world of Brisbane.”

Hinchliffe said “having his wings clipped” had given him a renewed appreciation for some of the River City’s iconography and parklands.

“Artists, like a lot of regular people, have discovered that we’ve got a wealth of interesting things that we can do and interesting places that we can see, and I’ve certainly experienced that and I’ve discovered a lot more about my own back yard.

“I’ve spent time in parks and in bushland, like a little secret piece of bushland on Teneriffe Hill that very few people know about – I spent quite a bit of that quiet time during COVID up there and painting and remembering some of the stories and experiences of when my sons were growing up in that neighbourhood and venturing into the jungle of Teneriffe Hill.

“I also spent a week as an artist in residence at New Farm Park, and all the paintings I did the during that week – there are seven or eight of them – are in this exhibition.”

The exhibition runs until October 231.  For more information, visit Red Hill Gallery’s website.

GAZE IN WONDER

As part of the WONDER program of events at Home of the Arts (HOTA), the Gold Coast venue is hosting touring artwork Gaia, by UK artist Luke Jerram.

The stunning installation, which is showing at HOTA until October 14, captures the beauty and fragility of planet Earth. In a time where people are overwhelmed, this captivating artwork creates a welcoming and gentle space.

A companion installation to Luke’s work Museum of the Moon, which was displayed at the Gold Coast during Festival 2018, Gaia is a seven-metre wide detailed replica of the Earth as viewed from space, which will be suspended from HOTA’s Outdoor Stage.

Stop by during the day and see the sculpture floating atop a makeshift lake, basking in the sunlight, or visit in the early evening as the Earth glows, rest on the lawn under the stars and take a moment for reflection.

Explore the program of events taking place around Gaia here.

SAY YES TO THE DRESS

(Photo: Queensland Museum)

Queensland Museum’s latest exhibition –  I Do! Wedding Stories from Queensland – showcases wedding garments, accessories and stories through a series of themes, revealing stories of evolving fashion, changing cultural traditions, heartbreaking circumstances and what it truly means to love.

The exhibition has been curated exclusively by the Museum, showcasing never before displayed pieces from the State Collection, generous loans of personal items from Queenslanders and commissioned artwork.

Take a walk down the aisle of changing custom, fashion and circumstance of weddings from the past 180 years.

Entry is $10 for adults and $8 concession. For more information, visit the Queensland Museum website.

BIRD IS THE WORD

Simone Slattery and Anthony Albrecht.

A performance celebrating Australia’s birds and how they shaped the world heads to Atherton’s Merriland Hall from 7pm tomorrow night, featuring music spanning 300 years, stunning projections and an immersive soundscape.

Join two of Australia’s most adventurous musicians, Simone Slattery (violin, vocals, Australian National Academy of Music) and Anthony Albrecht (cello, The Juilliard School), for a concert experience described as “Spectacular” by Limelight Magazine.

Performed more than 60 times around Australia and internationally, the show highlights the evolution of songbirds on Gondwana, and how they have shaped human appreciation of beautiful sounds.

The performance, which goes for 60 minutes with no interval, features photography from renowned West Australian photographers Muneer Al Shanti and Mark Eatwell.

For more information, visit the Where Song Began website.

ROCKHAMPTON RIVER NITES

Be entertained by live music, retail vendors, food stalls and fun family activities on Huish Drive as part of Rockhampton’s monthly Rivernites event tomorrow night from 5-9pm.

The family friendly event brings culture and sophistication to the riverbank by showcasing the regions retail and food vendors and entertainment.

There will be free face-painting, entertainment from TJ Hollis, a free jumping castle, interactive activities from Flow Fitness Yeppoon and more.

Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information.