Two free art exhibitions that celebrate nature will kick off in Goolwa this week.

Fleurieu artists Kathleen Munn and Melanie Fulton’s joint exhibition Umbel will show at the South Coast Regional Arts Centre from Thursday 3 June.

Umbels are flower clusters that grow and spread from a common centre.

The botanically focused show has various themes exploring ideas around what are considered to be exotic blooms and what is regarded as local flora. 

Both artists refer to traditions of floral and botanical painting and illustration.

Kathleen Munn references to Dutch ‘vanitas’ paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries and Melanie Fulton engages with fabric decoration and the ethic of gathering and using what is at hand.

The exhibition runs until 25 July; the gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday 10am-4pm.

The Overwintering Project - The Bigger Picture opens on Friday 4 June at Signal Point Gallery.

A print-based exhibition curated by Bittondi Printmakers, The Bigger Picture is a South Australian perspective on the Overwintering Project.

This is an Australia wide series of exhibitions and regional activities that celebrate the miraculous journeys of migratory shore birds. 

Bittondi Printmakers’ Association Inc widens the focus by considering the changing environments that these birds encounter due to climate change, industrial development and agricultural practice, with particular reference to the South Australian coast and its specific local issues.

The exhibition runs until 4 July; the gallery is open seven days, 10am-4pm.

Image by Henryk Niestrój from Pixabay