“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…” Most of us know the words to the classic song My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music.
For Sarah Bowkett the song took on new meaning the past two years as she worked hard creating a beautiful exhibition of her favourite things. This afternoon she will take a giant step to hopefully establish herself as an artist when her first solo exhibition of drawings, paintings and pottery, called My Favourite Things, opens at the Parkes Library.
In a back room at Currajong Disability Services where she created her art works with art therapist Maralyn Nash, Sarah is extremely humble, but very excited about her achievement. “I hope I can make a career from my art,” said Sarah who will celebrate her 30th birthday next month. “It’s always been my dream to have a job and earn a salary.”
Sarah has loved art since school, but when she started classes with Maralyn they began exploring her interests in learning and art history. When looking through a book of famous paintings, the first one that caught Sarah’s eye was Starry, Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. “It was my favourite painting as a teenager,” said Maralyn.
That was the basis for the first painting Sarah did with Maralyn.
In the exhibition there are two paintings Sarah created after Claude Monet, but the one that gives her real satisfaction is Sarah’s Mona Lisa, after Leonardo da Vinci. “I’ve always wanted to do this one as it is so famous, and I feel very proud of it.”
Over the two years Sarah explored many different techniques and did very intricate work to create her art work.
“She is very meticulous and works with great detail, while she is also very good at follow up on suggestions,” said Maralyn. “A solo exhibition is a massive achievement for any artist. Sarah has put a lot of hard work into it.”
The exhibition includes a selection of Sarah’s favourite things that she believes in.” I hope everyone will enjoy my artworks as much as I have enjoyed creating them.”
The exhibition opens at 3pm today and runs until 21st September. All works are for sale.
By Maggi Barnard