Artist Pennie Scott with Wagga MP Dr Joe McGirr at the opening of Bird Peace. Photo: Supplied.
Pennie Scott is a familiar name across the Riverina and Hilltops regions for her work in journalism, politics, and regenerative agriculture, and she has recently added “artist” to her diverse CV.
Her second exhibition, Bird Peace, is a collaboration with internationally renowned bird photographer and artist GG Jolliffe and is showing at The Curious Rabbit Cafe in Wagga.
“I did art at school a few decades ago and while I don’t think I was outstanding, I really loved it,” Pennie said, explaining that drawing and painting are part of a broader creative approach to life.
“I write, which is a creative expression, designing gardens is really creative, and for me, learning about ecological systems is a form of creativity and I can see the dots join in an exhibition like this.”
Pennie describes her art practice as “muddled media” and has used a variety of approaches and styles to capture avian and ecological diversity in the prints and paintings in the exhibition.
“My art practice has been very spasmodic and it’s only been in the last 18 months that I’ve really given it a bit more time,” she said.
“I’ve always thought, Oh, it’s an indulgence, what are you doing? You’re never going to make a living out of this – so I said to that sense of imposter syndrome: Go away!”
For Pennie Scott, art is a natural extension of her environmental activism. Photo: Supplied.
For Pennie, Bird Peace is all about sitting in the company of birds, wondering at their beauty and diversity and celebrating the colours and sounds that they bring to our world.
“Apparently, songbirds all over the world originated from the Australian species,” Pennie mused.
“That’s pretty awesome. Imagine a world without bird song!
“I’ve always thought that you can’t care for something if you don’t know about it, so bringing this forward to people’s consciousness and mindfulness is one of the reasons behind the exhibition.”
Crow in Paris. Photo: Pennie Scott.
Co-exhibitor GG Jolliffe has contributed a series of intimate bird portraits and mixed-media pieces that capture the unique character of her subjects.
“When you see the portraits of her birds, she just captures their eye and their body movements. It’s just how a crow will look at you, or how a magpie will just cock its head a certain way,” Pennie said.
She explained that GG Jolliffe’s work is about “earth jurisprudence” while her own is about environmental and social justice.
“There’s no doubt that I’m an activist and I’ve used different forms of activism like writing, rattling cages, and literally banging on doors,” she laughed.
“Now I’m using art for the appreciation of these fabulous feathered friends of ours that bring so much joy into our lives simply by their song and the contributions they make to our ecological systems upon which we rely for our quality of life.”
Bird Peace will be radiating joy and wonder on the walls of The Curious Rabbit Cafe until 1 October.
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