THE Kiama Art Society's 36th Annual Exhibition promises to be a blockbuster with more than 350 works set to go on display during the week-long exhibition.
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Entries for the exhibition closed two weeks ago and with postal entries still to be sorted, the society already has 360 works entered in the seven categories that make up the exhibition.
"This year we've probably got a few more than we usually get, so it might be a bit squishy, but it's good to see that people want to enter the exhibition," Kiama Art Society president Judy White said. "We've also got a big number of children entering this year which is a really encouraging sign."
After only taking up painting eight years ago, Kiama artist and society vice-president Helen Pain will appear in her second exhibition this year. "I always had an interest in art. My father was an artist and my mother decorated china by hand. It was something that I always thought about taking up when I retired, but I never thought I'd become so involved in it," Mrs Pain said.
Mrs Pain, who takes inspiration from the natural environment for her acrylics and watercolours, said the exhibition had a strong reputation in artistic circles.
"The Kiama exhibition is known for being a really good exhibition that's really well organised and that also attracts some of the big names from all over the place.
"We get a lot of interstate artists and it's a great chance for the people of Kiama to see their works, but also the great works that are done by people from our own area."
Mrs White said that the support the exhibition receives from the local and artistic communities is an important part of its success.
"Our sponsors are amazing, we wouldn't be able to do it without the help we get from businesses.
"We're lucky to have some great works for our raffle prizes as well from artists like John Wilson, Chan Dissanayake and Hiren Patel."
The exhibition runs from Saturday, August 30, to Sunday, September 7, at the Kiama Leagues Club.
The official opening is on Friday, August 29, at 6pm.