News
28 March, 2024
Young painter shines
Beautiful birds painted with stunning watercolours are putting young Lowood artist Jack Lait on the map, as he and his mother and siblings put their work on exhibit at the Lowood Open Door Gallery in April.
The 18-year-old artist focuses on painting scientifically accurate, realistic birds, as a way to study nature while expressing his creative mind.
“Art and science are fields that often clash, so I find it thrilling to find value in both and combine them,” Jack said.
“I usually don’t know the bird well before drawing it, so I like to go out in the field and be able to study it, so I’m learning while I paint.”
For Jack, adding science to his art gives it more depth and meaning, as it sets itself apart and can teach buyers about nature, too.
Having started drawing birds and watercolour at age 11, Jack is now the youngest member of the Somerset Art Society and uses his talent as a way of disconnecting from the busy world of humans and sooth himself in nature and art.
“To do art is to practice self-discovery and I’m very fortunate to know that at a young age.”
As much as he loves studying birds, Jack would rather focus his professional path on the artistic side of his drawings rather than the scientific, having already sold paintings in high school for $400 and claiming he doesn’t want to become an ornithologist.
“I prefer to focus on each individual bird at a time and learn about them as a draw, rather than about the groups,” he said. “We never know who we truly are, but for now I know I want to do something with art as a profession.”
Jack’s mother, Robyn Northey, will also showcase her art at “The Weird and the Wonderful” exhibit, focusing on painting silhouettes, such as sunsets, the outback, underwater and the African savannah, on glassware.
She also does a lot of 3D painting on canvas and pots, hoping the exhibit will help her make a living off her art.
“Due to where we live, we are limited in where we can sell and showcase our work as it’s diff icult to travel to bigger markets such as Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast,” the mother of three said.
“I visited the Lowood Gallery and realised people could sell art there and actually make a living so I decided to give it a try.”
Robyn, Jack, and his two younger siblings Charlie (13) and Madison (17) will have their work showcased, along with local artists Sue White and Alexis Starke, at the exhibit “The Weird and the Wonderful” at the Lowood Open Door Gallery in April.
A morning tea will take place at 10.30am on April 7 to meet the artists.
