Amanda Ogilby is a Margaret River artist known for her atmospheric and refined still life oil paintings. Her work balances a modern aesthetic with traditional techniques, showcasing a strong foundation in representational realism and a sensitivity to light, tone, and detail. Each piece pairs carefully chosen homewares, florals, and seasonal produce to create quietly evocative compositions with a sense of calm and presence.

A few years ago, I felt this strong desire to paint these fascinating birds. I hadn’t paid much attention to them until I moved to Bathurst, where they became impossible to ignore. I started to notice something unique about Magpies—they don’t just glance at you like other birds; they actually stare. At first, I found them a bit intimidating, but even more so, I was captivated by their boldness. Magpies exude confidence, strutting around with an air of coolness, and their expressions can range from cheeky to downright intense. This exhibition aims to capture their playful spirit and the vibrant moods they convey.

This diorama series is a progression of Jason’s artwork involving montage of his photography and graphic design. Each frame is a blend of two images - the flora and toy models positioned in the landscape in a single shot and then his original photograph of the animal/bird dropped into the set via digital editing.

Dioramas have historically been described as a “means to visually preserve nature as different environments change due to human involvement”. Unlike the antiquated versions which presented taxidermy animals and birds in realistic poses, Jason lets his camera lens capture the live models presenting a spectacle with the aim to “nurture a reverence for nature with its beauty and grandeur”.

Mathematician and Artist? This body of work draws from the two differing worlds of beauty that I sing out to: The world of mathematics and geometry, with its calculated design, order, and precision, and the natural world, with its roughness, textures, shadows and details. 

Charles Smith lives and paints in Mudgee, NSW.  Charles has been drawing and painting since school but running a bespoke furniture making business in Sydney restricted his art to a hobby. After moving west from Sydney, Charles took up painting full-time in 2016.