An art exhibition depicting young people’s views of the Light Electorate was opened yesterday.

Local artist and very active community member, Ms Judy Gillett-Ferguson, officially opened the “Light through Young Eyes” exhibition at the electorate office of local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo.

The exhibition is part of the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) 2017 Festival and is included in the Gawler Business Development group “ Art in August” trail, with young people taking pride of place.

In her opening reMarks, Ms Gillett-Ferguson said artists have, in fact, been at work in our district a very very long time – for millennia in fact.

“Artistic creation reaches back for thousands of years to the spiritual art of the Kaurna people, the first Gawler artists, who lived here before white settlement and many of whom live here still.”

“The young artists exhibiting here today were given the challenge of looking at the electorate of Light through their young eyes. And that's exactly what they've done in a kaleidoscope of colour, design, composition, subject matter, style and media!,” said Ms Gillett-Ferguson.Mr Piccolo said the SALA initiative in his Electorate Office came about because he was keen to see how the community viewed the area and its people, through the medium of art.“This year young people were invited to submit works of art, in any medium, expressing how they see any aspect of our community,” Mr Piccolo said.

“The artworks submitted by the young artists cover historical, natural or the built environment, and the people who make the community what it is.

”Artworks have been submitted by students from Xavier, Gawler and District, and Trinity Colleges, young people who attend Ann Shannon’s Art School at the Hewett Centre, and children who attend the Kingfisher Day Care run by April Stanley-Banks.

Mr Piccolo said the artworks reflect a range of mediums with many having accompanying statements that outline the artist’s motivation and explanation of the artwork.The exhibition is open to the public Monday to Friday, 9 am until 5 pm throughout August. People attending the exhibition are encouraged to vote for the “People’s Choice” award.

Mr Piccolo thanked members of the Gawler Community gallery for their assistance in mounting the exhibition.