A MUCH-anticipated exhibition - Creative Obsessions 2020 - is coming up at the Macleay Valley Community Art Gallery at Gladstone, opening on August 12 for three weeks.
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This will be the third time local couple Jenny and Roger Gifkins have exhibited at the gallery and these exhibitions have proven to be popular.
Roger is well renowned for his fine woodwork, especially small boxes. In more recent years he's become fascinated with astrophotography, so he will be displaying some of his amazing photos of galaxies, nebulas, moons and planets, along with his woodwork.
Jenny's passion is with Japanese design and style, especially textiles, and she will be displaying lots of Japanese inspired creations.
Another trip to Japan since their last exhibition in 2018 served to consolidate her admiration for the Japanese attention to detail, and this is reflected in her work.
Jenny will feature intricate wall hangings in silks and cottons, as well as some more functional items including quilts, table mats, fabric bags and cushions.
This time round the exhibition will showcase some new pieces which are a collaboration of both Roger's fine woodwork and Jenny's stitching.
Roger has made some exquisite boxes, specifically designed to incorporate Jenny's fine embroidery as well as her Japanese Sashiko stitching.
These are quite unique one-off items that beautifully reflect Roger and Jenny's creative partnership.
Roger uses almost exclusively Australian timbers, with the exception of a few specialty timbers such as ebony. But whatever the source of his timber, there is more often than not a story about where it has come from.
For over 40 years, Roger and Jenny have been planting cabinet timbers on their property at Belmore River. As with the exhibition they held in 2018, a number of Roger's pieces will feature timber from trees they have planted.
Jenny has been collecting Japanese fabric for many years too, and while some finished items incorporate many different cottons and silks, she usually knows the history of each piece.
She particularly enjoys using old fabrics that have been recycled from kimonos, giving them a new lease of life.
The exhibition will run from August 12-30, and the gallery is open 10.30am-4pm from Wednesday to Sunday. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no official opening, but Roger and Jenny will be at the gallery most days and are happy to chat about their materials and techniques.
