Out of the Shed exhibition showcases local men's creative talents

“I’m always collecting, I’ve been collecting for years and years, at some point you have to say – ‘What am I going to do with this stuff?’”

The local artist’s work will feature in an upcoming art exhibition at the Cultural Centre Foyer Gallery which opens Friday.

The Out of the Shed exhibition uncovers the works of Lance Paterson and Tim Brett as well as Mr Thwaites.

Many of the creations make use of the immense recycled collection Mr Thwaites has established at his home and studio just outside of town.

“I’m usually led by the items I find, looking at what things are and what they could be,” Mr Thwaites said.

Months of sorting, in some cases through piles of pieces collected on the shores of the region’s beaches, achieve beautiful and sometimes quirky results.

Motioning to a range of frames filled with brightly coloured pieces of beach-junk, Mr Thwaites explains.

“A lot of this has been picked up over the years, and then as I’m going through it I am thinking about what can be made, what people will find useful or appealing.

“Then of course there’s the bonus of using only recycled materials, so the environmental factor is there also.

Along with more traditional framed artworks, Mr Thwaites has created one-of-a-kind birdhouses, furniture and stunning lights that, despite their previous lives, fit into the most modern of homes.

A reclaimed timber coffee table sits atop legs constructed from old crayfishing pots, while a disused bicycle wheel has been transformed into a colourful dreamcatcher.

Piles of rope, buoys and other discarded marine items litter Mr Thwaites creative space and serve as inspiration as the process unfolds.

“I’m always grabbing bits and pieces from around me as I’m making things, there’s usually something in here that will work,” he said, gesturing around the packed shed.

“I strap the backpack on and go for a walk, you really never know what you’re going to find or how you’re going to be able to use it, it’s always interesting.”

Arts Margaret River spokesperson Anne Shepherdson said the exhibition was a great opportunity to see works and processes that would often remain hidden in backyard sheds.

“Some of the things our local men are creating in their sheds are simply amazing and they deserve to be brought into the light.”

The Out of the Shed exhibition begins with a launch event from 4pm to 6pm this Friday September 30 at the Margaret River Cultural Centre Foyer Gallery on Wallcliffe Road. 

The exhibition will run in the gallery until the end of October 2016. For more information visit www.artsmargaretriver.com