Many mature artists strive to create with the sense of freedom and creativity of children. Just why becomes easy to understand when visiting Tropical Talent's “Re-creation” exhibition at the Solar Cities Smart Living Centre at Horseshoe Bay.

The exhibition, which runs until Wednesday, is becoming an annual event as the students who produce the art are growing and continuing their development under the direction of Island artist and teacher Vonnie Van Bemmel.

A pencil echidna by Jesha Honey and Perry Taylor

A fish by Sebastian von Mellenthin

This year, with a recycle theme, the work is again outstanding . The youthful artists have come up with an astonishing range of works from paintings to assemblages and even a full-sized super hero, Ergon Man!

A mosaic lazy susan by Kayte Wightman

Georgia Cox's fish

A button turtle by Savannah Mortimer

Magnetic Times caught up with the Junior Tropical talent group as they began another lesson. One of the young artists, Kayte Wightman, made a lazy susan with mosaic as well as a dragon fly and a collage. Her friend, Georgia Cox said, “I made a fish out of recycled bottle tops and a butterfly out of buttons”. Georgia liked the recycled materials saying, “I'd like to make more”.

Vonnie Van Bemmel was particularly keen to acknowledge the help and support of the Solar Cities staff including Julie Heath, Kylie Dodds and Brian Kerr who “went above and beyond the call of duty with an enormous amount of their own time and effort to make this happen.” Solar Cities also provided much of the materials used by the kids in the show including many plastic cups designed to hold and display designs as well as the bags which the children were able to individualise with paintings. Vonnie added to her thanks the assistance provided by MI Rotary, MI Engineering, Brook Haven Holiday Units, Simon Fairweather and Andrew Scott.

Recycled shopping trollies become chairs by Vonnie Van Bemmel

Following is the list of Magnetic Island Rotary Awards as presented at the opening last weekend.

Best functional artwork: Mikayla Brooker.
Best Non-Functional Artwork – Joint effort – two trophies: Badai Muftah-Flynn and Brittany Wetherspoon-Creed.
Excellence in Concept Award – Joint effort – two trophies: Sebastian von Mellenthin and Felix Pountney.
Solar City Environmentally Friendly Award: Madison Dwyer
Best Use of Material Award: Jesha Honey.
Excellence in Application Award: Savannah Mortimer.
Excellence in Design Award: Joschka von Mellenthin.

Ergon Man by Julie Bentley with collage by
the Young Talent Team - Seniors.

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