Artists Debbie Wood and Lindy Farley exhibition opens

Opening on National Sorry Day, May 26, the show will feature collaborative works by local indigenous artist Debbie Wood and relative newcomer Lindy Farley.

Mrs Wood's practice uses traditional weaving materials and emu feathers, adding rich textures and depth to the explosive energy of Ms Farley's bright paintings. The pair's contrasting style practically erupt from the canvas, enveloping viewers in the gallery with the spirit that inspired their collaboration.

Like many of the best artistic collaborations, this one started as a joke.

"I met Lindy through the Little Yellow House Gallery, where we started a friendship ... well, probably more like family than friends," Mrs Wood said.

"About 12 months ago, we were mucking around ... she had a piece of her art, and I'd made some fascinators with raffia and emu feathers. I sat one on there, and said 'wouldn't that look great', and we sort of let it go.

"At the end of February we said we should really do this, got our heads together, and started producing what you can see here today."

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Mrs Wood said her practice was a touchstone with her culture, and she felt her collaboration with an artist from a different background was a reflection of the way different cultures can work together to create something greater than the sum of their parts.

"The weaving, and the reusing of things like emu feathers - It's a way of making them into something beautiful and showcasing that in the art," she said.

"It helps showcases my indigenous culture ... but alongside Lindy, that two different cultures can work together and produce beautiful stuff.

"It helps us to move forward. We can never forget the past, but you can move past it. We looked at it as two friends of different nationalities coming together."

Little Yellow House owner and curator Maggie Deall said she was delighted to be hosting two of her favourite local artists.

"They are both artists that have been very close to me since the opening of the gallery," she said.

"Debbie is a very experienced artist, Lindy is a lot newer to the art world, a lot more intuitive.

"I think the idea of Deb and Lindy collaborating as two artists rather than a black artist and a white artist is a message that's important to send - they're meeting on a level playing field, enjoying and benefiting from each other's backgrounds."

Debbie Wood and Lindy Farley's exhibition runs for two weeks, starting 6pm May 26.

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