True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow — UNITED. The second exhibition by True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow expanded the circle. This time, Ukrainian and Australian artists came together, united by solidarity and a shared belief in the power of art to help.
Seventeen artists participated in UNITED, a collective effort where local creatives gathered their talent for a clear purpose — to raise funds for humanitarian aid supporting Ukrainians affected by the war.
Held at Curl Curl Creative Space Gallery from 21–24 July, the exhibition became a meeting point of cultures, generosity, and creative voices. We are deeply thankful to everyone who took part, visited, supported the artists, and contributed to this cause.
Trained in the classical European school of realistic drawing and painting, I’ve worked across many mediums, but today I am best known for textural acrylic and oil works that focus on the individuality of Australian flora. My process begins with shallow sculptural relief backgrounds that capture the forms and textures of the bush. Onto these surfaces, I layer subtle hues and naturalistic details. From afar, the paintings often read as abstract compositions; up close, they reveal intricate studies of colour and form. As a newcomer to Australia, painting became my way of connecting with this land — learning its trees, flowers, and light through observation. I believe that when we truly know something, we begin to care for it. My work invites viewers to see the bush not as a uniform green mass, but as a collection of distinct, vibrant individuals.
Ukraine: Secrets of Resilience was an exhibition by True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow, presented at Sydney Town Hall to mark one year since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. I wanted to find a way to help people in Australia understand what war is — not in abstract terms, but through human experience. That idea became Secrets of Resilience. I went through a year of devastating news and personal testimonies, selecting stories that resonated most deeply and spoke about survival, loss, strength, and endurance. From these stories, I created a series of posters combining documentary photographs, written accounts, and artworks — my own and those of fellow artists — alongside real objects carrying personal and symbolic meaning. Each element was chosen carefully, so the exhibition could be read, felt, and experienced rather than simply viewed. Working through so much human pain was emotionally demanding. Revisiting these stories left a lasting mark, but I believe the process was necessary. The exhibition allowed many visitors to imagine themselves in a place of conflict and offered a glimpse into how people continue to live, endure, and remain human under unimaginable circumstances. It was not an easy exhibition — but it was an important one.
