The Glam Gallery, within the Gerringong library, will host the Wild Life and Wild Places exhibition from October 11-24 featuring works by local artists Yvonne Clough and Gay Emmerson.

At ages 78 and 82 respectively, Yvonne and Gay are living proof that it’s never too late to follow your passions. Both developed a love for art earlier in life but only began to pursue it seriously in later years.

Yvonne, 78, recalls how her journey into painting began at the age of 55, following an inspiring conversation with a friend.

“I had never painted, but I was talking to someone who happened to be an art teacher, admiring her work,” Yvonne says. “I told her I couldn’t paint, and she said, Anyone can paint, come along to my art class. That’s how it all started.” 

Since then, painting has brought her immense joy. “I’m in another place when I paint,” says Yvonne. “I’m in my happy place. I have music and a candle going, and the time just disappears—I’m completely lost in it.”

Yvonne is very fascinated with painting wildlife, and more specifically magpies. Magpies seem to be her muse, and she sees something in them that is extraordinary and that translates very well into her work.

One example of Yvonne's quirky crows.

“Magpies are all very different. Some are cheeky, some are nervous, some are just blaze and they couldn’t care if you were there or not. So, I’ll see them and then I’ll paint them and name them and feel as though I’m getting to know them,” says Yvonne.

Yvonne adds a playful touch to her work. One memorable piece captures two magpies: one standing still, the other flapping its wings energetically, which she titled Who’s the Boss?

“The name and the painting tell you everything about their personalities,” she says.

Gay, 82, approaches her art from a different perspective, focusing on landscapes. Her fascination lies in the way human forms appear in nature—a theme that has driven her creativity since she first started painting at 37, after persistently urging her local art school to admit her.

“I started to see the human body in the landscape - everything started to look like bums and bellies and breasts and things like that. The mountains are like low hills and you’d see a row of hills that looked like a backbone or a spine,” says Gay.

“And then gum trees, admittedly some are a bit boring, but the ones that have twisty and turny branches can look really young and supple, while others seem to have arms with wrinkles under them.”

One example of Gay's humanistic landscapes.

Gay, who is originally from Canberra, moved to Gerringong in 2017 and she says the young landscape and the beautiful colours rejuvenated her artistic sensibilities.

“When I first came to Gerringong in 2017 it started a renaissance and a rejuvenation for me because the colours were so fresh and youthful and the smell of the sea air and the colour of the grass was so inspiring for me,” says Gay.

As a result of this human influence on her paintings, these painted landscapes seem to be almost moving in a human way as you look at them and they are very engaging.

The contrasting styles of Yvonne’s wildlife portraits and Gay’s evocative landscapes come together harmoniously in Wild Life and Wild Places, showcasing their unique perspectives and lifelong passion for art

The official opening for Yvonne and Gay’s exhibition entitled Wild Life and Wild Places is on October 12 at 5pm at the Glam Gallery and all are welcome to attend.