Exhibition at the Botanic Gardens

An exhibition featuring Pearl Beach artist Ms Marijke Greenway will be held at the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens from October 23 to November 5.

The exhibition will be held in the Palm House and showcase 150 paintings of Ms Greenway's journey along the waterways, bush and beaches of the Central Coast.

According to Ms Greeway, the Peninsula landscape has provided a huge amount of inspiration for her artworks.

"How can I not be inspired with the sea in front, the bush behind, creeks and lagoons, wetlands and forests with magnificent gums, the beautiful mangroves, and tidal lines on mud and beaches," Ms Greenway said.

"Then there is the evidence of habitation, especially early settler's cottages and jetties with moored boats or anchored boats that urge you to hurry before the wind pulls them around and the water gets too ruffled to see their reflections, as the reflections themselves are a good enough reason to paint boats.

"There are the many boat sheds that change their coats of paint as the years go by, as do several of the old boats that have been around for years.

"Each time you return to a painting spot, something has changed and sometimes you are glad that you recorded it in paint before it changed too radically."

Ms Greenway and her husband John moved to Pearl Beach to retire in 1999, where they continue to make themselves busy in the local community.

She said the Peninsula was such a wonderful place to live and paint because of accessibility and variety of subject matter.

"I am sure that Sydney and surrounds offer as much beauty as our Peninsula, but can you get there easily, park your car close enough to the chosen painting spot and feel safe enough to stand there, even alone?" Ms Greenway asked.

"Ninety per cent of my work is done in front of the subject.

"I much prefer being outside, on site.

"My personal heaven is brush in hand, bush in front and the song of magpies overhead."

Clare Graham, 15 Oct 2009 Interviewee: Marijke Greenway, Pearl Beach