Studio Visit with Nina Machielse Hunt

Photographs by Katherine Sullivan, Words by Nina Machielse Hunt

"Its been over 5 years now since I moved away from the central west of NSW and in that time my creative spaces have been many and varied. I have spent creative time en plein air with crayons and bottles of water and a big hat. I have rugged up against the winter in drafty sheds applying thick oil paint with large palette knives. I have luxuriated in the air-conditioned spaces further up North with shells and pencils alone. My family and I have been gypsies of late.

Most recently I have found a studio to call my own in the Woolshed Valley, bushranger country north eastern Victoria near Beechworth. A sweet old tin shed at the foot of our 55 acres and family home. There's ample room to stretch the linens, prepare the rabbit skin glue, and have several large works on the go at the one time, which is how I prefer to work. The impressive granite boulders, huge old gum trees, creeks with traces of gold, a menagerie of birds, rock wallabies and huge wombats... the Australian bush is endlessly inspiring for me. I think I will always respond to my immediate natural environment."

Nina's work makes up one half of Tango, a new exhibition opening this week at The Corner Store Gallery in collaboration with local artist Tonya Graham. Nina and Tonya have collaborated on many art ventures including establishing and co-curating a commercial gallery in Millthorpe, NSW. They have exhibited together in Orange and Sydney and have been active members of the Central West of NSW art scene for the past 10 years.

Tango opens Thursday October 22nd with an opening night on Saturday October 24th from 6pm, we'd love to see you there!