By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
ANDREA and David Hopgood found solace through art.
More than two years after losing their son, Fraser, the couple found a type of solace in drawing, painting and sculpture making.
And the finished products will be on show at their house in Berwick later in August, when they hold a very special, and personal, sculpture exhibition for the public.
“Art and sculpture gave us quiet time to reflect on the life that we once lived and the new, different life that we now must try to lead,” Andrea, an art teacher, said.
“As a result, we have created some things of beauty from items that also had a different previous life,” she said.
It’s no surprise that the Hopgoods are holding the exhibition at their house. The property, known as Quorn Cottage, is a weatherboard home that dates back to the 1860s, and is as much a part of the exhibition as the sculptures themselves.
“Recently, we have removed some very old Cyprus trees from our block, which were extremely tall, very old and quite a landmark,” Andrea said.
“But they had become dangerous and some were infested with white ants causing branches to fall regularly. So, more changes had to be made.
“We were keen to find a way to keep a reminder of the trees that have been on the property for so many years and with the recycle exhibition in mind we decided to repurpose the logs and build a wall.
“The wall has now become a new landmark, lots of people have been watching its progress and stopping and taking photos or even driving in to have a look and ask questions.”
And with their unique sculpture exhibition set for Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August, Andrea hopes even more people will come by Quorn Cottage to have a look at her self-made sanctuary.
“Our home has become a sanctuary a bit. I’ve stopped working, I’ve been pottering around at home and trying to create some art work and trying to be positive and proactive,” she said.
“Nurturing what’s here, trying to busy myself with pleasant activities.
“I find I can’t concentrate for as long as I used to. But you can paint and cry and sculpt and cry. Those types of things don’t care if you cry while you’re doing it.”
For more information, contact Andrea on 0408 072 491, or email andrea07@bigpond.net.au.
