Two years in the making, local artist and Kiama Art Workshops owner Liv Deans will present her first solo exhibition, Sitting with the Sun, the Light, and the Sea, at the Old Kiama Fire Station.

Opening on Thursday, 17 April at 6:30pm, the exhibition will run until next Wednesday, with daily opening hours from 9am to 4pm.

The exhibition aims to express the beauty and joy of the ocean that we so often take for granted.

“I went overseas for a year and a half and didn't really get to be in the ocean and it made me feel really grateful for what we've got here. So it forced me to actually try and appreciate and enjoy the ocean as much as I could when I got back,” she said.

“Painting is my way of sort of making sure that I appreciate the ocean, by painting it and showing others how amazing it is.”

Sitting with the Sun, the Light, and the Sea features 17 oil paintings of varying sizes, exploring the seemingly infinite moods and faces of our local oceans.

“It's all about how the ocean presents itself in so many different ways and colours. We've got the rough sea, we've got gray skies, pink skies, beautiful clear water and I also love the whales in Kiama,” says Deans.

“I just love being in the water. For me, I can never ever go in the water and feel stressed or remember a to-do list or anything. I just think we're so lucky to have the ocean so close and these paintings are a reminder of how lucky we are.”

Deans’ journey with art began early, learning by copying sketches from her grandfather, a local artist.

“My pop used to paint, he was a local artist and I used to just copy everything out of his sketchbooks and learn that way. I'm pretty much self-taught just mainly from copying his works and I just grew up loving it,” she added.

Now, as the founder and one of the main artists at Kiama Art Workshops, Deans spends much of her time helping others pursue their creative goals. This exhibition is a chance for the community to support hers.

Head down to the Old Kiama Fire Station to experience a heartfelt tribute to the beauty of the local coastline, through the eyes of one of its most passionate admirers.