The new exhibition at Art on Yabba pop-up gallery is Coloured In, featuring works from popular artists Fiona Groom and Dale Leach.

It opens on Saturday 16 November at 3pm, at the gallery’s new address of 102 Yabba Road, Imbil. Coloured In will showcase the artworks from 14 November to 8 December.

The exhibition title is appropriate for these fun-loving artists. Dale has always been fascinated by drawing and the use of colour. Her father was a travelling house painter and her grandmother was a dressmaker.

“We always had tints and tones for colour mixing in the garage, and an acute awareness of what colour went with what other colour,” Dale said.

“Colour mattered in our house. I would draw for hours on butcher’s paper on the kitchen table, and dad would paint, pirate ships and cartoon characters on our walls.”

After 70 years of painting and drawing, she now believes that she has sufficient skill to draw and paint as she sees fit. Her artistic heroes are Vincent van Gogh, David Hockney, Kathryn Braford and Australian landscape painter, William Robinson.

Collaborator Fiona Groom is renowned for her quirky animal portraits, inspired by the natural world and using realism to convey her message.

“I’m driven to make work that has a little humour, which in turn generates a reaction thus making the artwork more memorable,” Fiona said.

“My paintings are a snapshot if you will, a frozen moment. It’s my intention to draw the viewer in and not only delight them but generate awareness of how awesome nature can be.”