Wayne wants to share his colourful artworks with Wagga

Wayne Emmerson is one of the Riverina’s most prolific artists and, for the first time, his work is on exhibition in the front window of The Little Yellow House Gallery and Studio.

From cheery creatures to vivid landscapes and beach scenes, Wayne loves to put bright colours to canvas and his positive attitude shines through in his work.

“I mostly like to paint animals but I sometimes do landscapes as well,” he said, explaining that pictures on the iPad and visits to the zoo were great for inspiration.

“My older sister is an artist too and that’s mostly how I picked up the painting ideas. My first painting was a giraffe after my sister took me out to the Dubbo Zoo.

“We’re also going to the other zoo at Darlington Point [Altina Wildlife Park] for my birthday soon.”

Wayne will turn 70 this year and said he spent more than four decades working with Kurrajong Disability Services, creating survey markers and other products in its timber workshop.

Now, he loves nothing better than riding his brightly decorated scooter down to The Little Yellow House for an afternoon on the paintbrushes.

Wayne has been painting with owner and artist Maggie Deall since she opened her doors in 2021.

“Wayne’s been coming along for almost three years now and he’s been painting here the longest,” said Maggie with a laugh.

“He’s also the most colourful person in the history of the world. Ever since I’ve known him, he always wears really bright colours. Always purples, pinks and blues.”

As he prepared to get back to work, Wayne slipped on a custom-made apron decorated with bees.

He explained that his father was a beekeeper and, while he still enjoyed painting them, he could no longer get too close to the real thing.

“If you try to work with them in the middle of the day, they get real cranky and I got bit on both my hands and they swelled right up!” he explained.

“So I can’t do it now. I can’t go near ’em.”

Wayne’s bee paintings have been a hit with customers and he’s become one of the studio’s best-selling artists.

“I’ve sold maybe 50 paintings now. Whoever wants them can see them on Facebook,” he said.

“My favourite thing to paint now is the beach and the beach houses. I like doing those. Very interesting. You get to choose your colours.”

Wayne is extremely proud of his window and hopes that people will take a look as they make their way past the gallery on Tompson Street.

“I like painting. It’s good,” Wayne said with a casual shrug before picking up a brush and adding a splash of iridescent yellow to his latest landscape.