‘Gunditjmara Country’ explores place, family and spirituality

This nonagenarian is proof you should never give up doing what you love. Her amazing collection of landscape paintings, showcasing memories of her life, is on display in Bundoora in her first solo exhibition.

Aunty France Gallagher works out of her home studio in Epping.

At 93 years old, Aunty Frances Gallagher must be among the oldest debut artists ever.

But for the next month her life’s work of majestic landscape paintings will be on display at Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre in her first solo show.

A proud Gunditjmara woman, Aunty Frances works out of her home studio in Epping.

The Gunditjmara artist paints landscapes from throughout her life’s memories. Picture: Supplied.

The retrospective exhibition Gunditjmara Country shows off Aunty Frances’ tribal lands and ancestral memories and explores the significance of place, family, spirituality and social displacement.

Her son, Uncle Trevor Gallagher, co-ordinated the exhibition on his mother’s behalf.

Uncle Trevor said his mother has had years of enjoyment from her brushes and explored all the memories of her life from her Epping garage.

“She remembers her Gunditjmara country and puts it all in her canvases,” he said.

But it’s not always easy for such an experienced artist.

“These days when it’s cold Aunty finds it hard to get out in her workshop,” Uncle Trevor said.

Aunty Frances’ work is on display at the same time as three other exhibitions.

James Butt’s video work Colliders explores landscapes, time and space.

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The Victorian Quilters present One Step Further, a prize show exhibiting work from leading textile artists from Australia and New Zealand.

And Colour and Fantasy reflects on the early pioneers of the studio pottery movement in Australia.

The exhibitions will end on September 1.

Details at the Bundoora Homestead website.