Where artists meet

I am looking at a freshly painted canvas of lush green pastures and rich volcanic soil and eroded remnants of ancient volcanoes rising dramatically from a flattish landscape. I am entranced by the visual poetry — large plantations, fertile farmlands, classic Queenslander houses with timber and corrugated iron and colourful roadside fruit stalls selling juicy pineapples. The road rises sharply behind Nambour and winds its way across to Maleny.

In the background is the Blackall Range, one of the most dramatic mountain terrains in Queensland. I am driving through the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Though most people associate this region with its surf and sand, its hinterland, which stretches from the Glasshouse Mountains in the south to Eumundi in the north, a little over an hour’s drive from Brisbane, is emerging as a vibrant art centre.

It was the stewardess on my plane who first told me about the many musicians, sculptors, painters, ceramicists and writers who call the Sunshine Coast their home. As she served me a glass of wine, she said, “That region is a creative hotbed of art and craft fairs, art competitions, quilt shows and open studio events when one can visit a range of professional art studios. Don’t miss it.”

I stop first at Maleny, which is a picturesque town with striking colonial architecture and a string of new-age shops, galleries and craft outlets. This was originally a timber region with cedar, beech and pine forests and even now hosts the Maleny Wood Expo each year. Maleny was later discovered by a creative bunch of people who were into art, craft, writing and music. They wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and go back to nature.

Admirable collection
I walk down the Maple Street that is Maleny’s main strip of bookshops, antique stores and organic grocers, and arrive at the long-established Art on Cairncross to meet one of its owners — vibrant Jane Caraffi who, along with her husband, showcases acclaimed artists on their walls. “We’ve got a really interesting and diverse community of artists in the region,” she says. I browse through handpainted silks, handmade books, jewellery and metal sculptures.

What particularly catches my eye are artist Michael Taylor’s handcrafted masks, which are creations in leather and bronze, reminiscent of the ones found in Venice. I gaze entranced at hand-blown glass that reflects the sunlight, quirky ceramics and handmade journals in vivid colours with artist Judith Rosenberg’s etchings that tempt me to pick them up. I admire the stunning charcoal and pastel nude paintings done by a local artist Nan Paterson, who is close to 90 years and still draws!

Maleny has many artist co-operatives  where artists jointly own and operate their gallery space, sharing expenses amongst members. “This region does its best to discover talented and emerging artists,” says Jane. Art on Cairncross even has a website that can connect with international buyers and ship art anywhere. She hands me a map that they have brought out called the ‘Sunshine Coast Hinterland Art Gallery trail’. It lists 19 galleries (including theirs) that can be covered by self-drive and offers a snapshot into the artistic talent in the region. I decide to visit at least a few to participate in this artistic feast.

We drive to art-landscape photographer Ben Messina’s gallery on Main Street. The eye-catching landscapes are from every state in Australia and New Zealand. I hear that Ben’s stunning image of Brisbane was chosen as the official gift for every world leader at the G20 summit in Brisbane. I am amazed by his incredible perspective of lakes and rainforests, cityscapes and desert and — the simplest and most stunning — of just some pebbles or flowers.

I enjoy the rustic ambience of A Piece of Green, a thriving Maleny arts collective that has been running for 17 years in an old gallery space (full of character) in the centre of the town. Some stunning pieces by artist Marc Kalifa with sand-cast glass with gilded wood, ceramics or bronze components are the showstoppers here.

But the favourite part of my day is at David Linton Furniture and Timber Works with an earthy and rustic feel, with a jumble of timberworks — red cedar, silky oak, blackwood, beech, camphor laurel and red gum burls and richly polished handcrafted furniture. Handcrafted wooden spoons, chopping boards, chairs and tables fashioned out of salvaged logs, cheese platters, bookmarks as well as rich timber for making guitars — this is truly a wood heaven!

I drive down to Mary Cairncross Reserve that preserves large hectares of the natural rainforest. From here I get a spectacular view of the Glasshouse Mountains, which was so named by James Cook in 1770 during his epic voyage along the east coast. The Glasshouse Mountains are the remains of volcanic plugs formed over 20 million years ago. Looking at the spectacular view, I wish I were an artist because I could have painted this classic landscape.

Fuel for creativity
My last stop is at Montville, a home to wineries, cheese factories and art galleries, where I sip a cappuccino at a Parisian-styled coffee shop called Poet’s Cafe. Montville reminds me of a pretty Swiss mountain-village, complete with quaint cottages, window boxes brimming with flowers, art galleries as well as an exquisite candle store.

I browse through the works at Main Street Gallery, home to some fine contemporary artists. As I drive back to Noosa through the long and winding road, my soul satiated with all the art and natural beauty that I have seen today, I am reminded of Thoreau’s words, “This world is but a canvas to our imagination.”