Local artist Yvonne Fenech will present her latest exhibition, Ocean Magic, at Byron Spaces Gallery, located within the Byron Community Centre, this winter.
Opening to the public this weekend, the exhibition explores the movement, light and energy of the ocean through a series of immersive works inspired by Fenech’s lifelong connection to the sea. Admission is free, with the exhibition open weekdays from 10am to 4pm.
A surfer and swimmer since her youth, Fenech has built her artistic practice around a fascination with the ocean. Her work captures the shifting colours, fluid motion and power of waves, from the calm energy beneath the surface to the intensity of a breaking swell at dawn.
“The ocean continues to inspire me through its energy, movement and light,” Fenech says. “From the changing colours of each season to the forms that emerge beneath the surface, there’s always something new to experience and translate into my work.”
Fenech first arrived in Byron Bay in the early 1980s and describes paddling out at Broken Head as a defining experience in the way she observes and paints the ocean. The deep blues and turquoise tones of the area, combined with waves breaking over rock formations, continue to influence her work.
Living in the Byron Shire has also shaped her creative perspective. Ocean Magic reflects both the natural beauty of the coastline and a sense of nostalgia for Byron Bay’s earlier years, when community, creativity and a nature-focused lifestyle were central to everyday life.
“Byron Spaces Gallery feels like the perfect home for this exhibition,” she said.
“As a community-based space, it reflects the spirit of what Byron has always been about, a place grounded in creativity, simplicity and shared experiences.”
Through the exhibition, Fenech hopes visitors will experience a sense of joy, lightness and connection, while taking a moment to reconnect with the natural world.
Ocean Magic forms part of the Byron Spaces Gallery seasonal exhibition program, an initiative of the Byron Community Centre that provides free exhibition space for local artists and accessible arts experiences for the community.
Exhibition Details
What: Ocean Magic by Yvonne Fenech
Exhibition Dates: Weekdays until Wednesday, 5 August
Hours: 10am–4pm
Venue: Byron Community Centre, 69 Jonson Street, Byron Bay
Admission: Free
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