Mary Valley’s vibrant art community has kicked off its event program with a successful fabric painting workshop led by fabric artist Denise Burkitt.

The first of a series of events under its Get Linked program, Mary Valley Artslink hosted the session where participants created their own designer fabric featuring beautiful flowers.

The art group has a calendar of events for 2021, highlighted by the annual Mary Valley Art Festival which – like many other festivals – returns after it was cancelled last year.

President Heinke Butt said the group was putting 2020 behind them and everyone was looking forward to events including a slide slam on 12 May at the Imbil Bowls Club, followed by a trivia night in June and the art festival on July 22-25.

“We have had fantastic support from the valley business community, with key sponsors including Ron Jeffery Realty, Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce and our long-standing backers – the Gympie Community Branch of the Bendigo Bank,” Ms Butt said.

“These three have provided a total of $6000 for our major project this year – Mary Valley Alive! It’s our 20th anniversary exhibition which tells the story of the Mary Valley through its flora, fauna and people.”

Ms Butt said in 2010, the original Mary Valley Alive! exhibition captured the place, time and events during the highly emotive Traveston Crossing Dam. The artworks from this exhibit are freshly presented and now collectively join the new artworks for Mary Valley Alive 2020.

The exhibition will be displayed as part of the Mary Valley Art Festival.

The entry form for the festival will be released by the end of the month, and artists are being urged to put brush to canvas with more than $8000 up for grabs in prize money.

Mary Valley Artslink is looking for volunteers who would like to get involved behind the scenes and the group is always keen to hear from people with suggestions for workshops and projects.

If you prefer to be involved with something a little quirky, planning for the Mary Valley Scarecrow Festival in October is also underway.

Mary Valley Artslink also offers life drawing classes on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at the Imbil RSL Hall.

If you want to find out more about any of these events, contact Ms Butt on 0419 024291 or email info@maryvalleyartfestival.com.au

For the full calendar, visit http://www.maryvalleyartslink.com.au/events