Ballarat artist Laura Beth Wilson says she is is heartbroken over the loss of three artworks that were on display in the now-closed Unicorn Hotel on Sturt Street.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The works were in hanging in the cafe when it closed in December last year, and Ms Wilson said until then she had no trouble with getting access to them.
The works regularly sold, Ms Wilson said, and she was very grateful to the cafe’s owner, Hugh Dreher, who took no commission and allowed her to show for free, over a period of almost three years.
“I’ve sold several pieces from that spot, and whenever the pieces would sell I would get a message or a call from The Unicorn; I would come in and get my money and bring in a replacement piece,” said Ms Wilson.
“They didn’t take a commission, which was quite nice of them; I’m an amateur artist and I love doing art and this was the first time ever, ever someone thought I was good enough to put on their wall.”
The Unicorn closed suddenly in late 2018. The owners have to date not given any reason, despite requests for an interview. The historic former hotel had undergone extensive renovations in recent years and was a popular meeting place.
Ms Wilson is not the only artist to lose work from The Unicorn after its closure.
Tam Jones lost her work Dogs in Space, and used social media to put out a call to have it returned – which was successful for her.
Ms Jones said she went to cafe after she learned of its closure to retrieve her painting, which was also of sentimental value as it depicted her two dogs which have since died.
While she could not find her work, Ms Jones says she saw other art stored in the former hotel’s cellar, some of it standing in water which had leaked into the space.
“I had taken a work of mine back earlier, and it was covered in mould,” Ms Jones said.
She discovered a manager had given the work to a former staff member, who contacted her to return it.
Laura Beth Wilson said the former owner Hugh Dreher contacted her following her social media post asking for assistance in regaining her artwork, promising to try and help her find it.
She says her contact number is on the back of her work, and she will gladly take calls if anyone has the paintings.
The Courier approached Mr Dreher for comment, but he did not respond.