They say that sisters are doing it for themselves. In this case, sisters are doing it for each other.
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An exhibition currently being held in the Backspace Gallery is testament to the power of women and the love between siblings.
The Four Sisters exhibition is a showcase of the work of four sisters, who although live far apart, have remained united through their love of art.
The sisters – Barbara Tookood, Margaret Block, Jo Malham and Lynette Weeks – are scattered between Ballarat, Violet Town, Barwon Heads and Donald.
Now they have decided to put their creative nous together and exhibit collective shows in each of their home towns.
Ballarat’s Barbara Toogood came to art later in life, focusing on nature and landscapes with pastels, charcoal, pencil, watercolour and ink.
Having only taken up art five years ago, since she retired, Toogood said her art had flourished since she now had the luxury of time.
“I was an accountant so my job was pretty full-on. When you retire, you’ve got the time,” Toogood said.
Having the theme piece was good because it made us do something similar but we all did it very, very differently.
- Barbara Toogood, pastel and watercolour artist
“It’s a time factor. I used to work full-time and volunteer as well, so when you retire you finally have time to do the things you like.”
She said she and her sisters caught up regularly, and that their combined love of art had brought them closer.
Four Sisters showcases a variety of different media, with each sister creating a piece based on nature to unify them.
“Even though we do different things, we talk about our work at lot,” Toogood said.
“We all like different things to look at. Having the theme piece was good because it made us do something similar but we all did it very, very differently.”
Toogood’s sisters complete the rest of the exhibition, showcasing a variety of forms including textile art, painting, photography and quilting.
Apparently it runs in the family.
“Mum was very creative, my mum’s mother was too. I can remember my grandmother making quilts and my father did marquetry. We were always taught to sew and knit.”
The four sisters are getting noticed. They recently held a combined exhibition at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and have since been asked to exhibit at a range of other galleries including the Kyabram gallery.
The exhibition will continue at the Backspace until this Sunday, August 28, before moving onto Donald.
