Over two days, the Mulgoa Valley Art Trail will showcase the work of local artists alongside the landscapes that inspire them.
Eight artists including painters, photographers and sculptors will open their working studios to visitors. Here guests can meet the artists, explore their creative spaces, view original works and purchase pieces directly from the artists.
Artist Kathleen Dan describes the trail as opportunistic, letting people see the behind the scenes of their creations and spend a day exploring somewhere close to home.
“It’s an opportunity to visit working artist studios and look at them working in action and buy some works as well,” Dan said.
Rather than presenting art within a traditional gallery, the trail invites visitors into the valley itself. Rural properties, open spaces and natural surroundings become part of the experience, offering a glimpse into the places and landscapes that shape the artists’ work.
“The most important thing is it’s a celebration of the local community and the richness and the diversity of the area,” Dan said.
You don’t have to be an art enthusiast to enjoy the trail. The trail allows visitors to wander through the studios, meet the artists, stop for lunch at a local café and take in the distinctive rural character of the Mulgoa Valley.
As the Western Sydney International Airport prepares to transform the region, the local art trail is offering visitors a chance to discover the creative spirit and rural character of the beautiful Mulgoa Valley.
“It’s the juxtaposition of the airport and celebrating the opportunities that brings, while still maintaining and celebrating the green belt that we have and all the things that come with that,” Dan explained.
The Mulgoa Valley Art Trail offers the chance to pause and appreciate what makes this part of the region special – its landscapes, its artists and its community.
Dan explained that “we make sense of art in our way,” and that’s the beauty of the art trail.
“We all come from our own experience,” Dan said.
“There might be people from the Blue Mountains who see something familiar but might also see something very different because it’s based on their experience.”
In a region defined by change, the trail is a timely reminder that some places are worth discovering and worth protecting.
The Art Trail will take place on September 19 and 20 from 10am to 4pm. For more details, visit https://www.facebook.com/mulgoavalleyarttrail.
Keely Marsh is a graduate of Western Sydney University.