This month, Victoria Park Centre for the Arts is set to welcome a new solo exhibition from Western Australian artist Sarah Eve, titled Ancient & Ephemeral. From Friday, May 22, to Tuesday, June 2, Sarah Eve offers a visual exploration of the Australian landscape through a collection of abstract realism paintings, accompanied by an artist talk and Q&A, and a painting workshop.
Sarah Eve is a Perth-based artist, a traveller at heart, and deeply engaged in her creative community, frequenting local exhibitions and collaborating on community projects – we sat down with her ahead of her first solo exhibition to chat about the details, what we can expect, and what comes next for Sarah.
Congratulations on the solo exhibition! How does it feel to have a whole exhibition dedicated to just your art?
It feels like a massive achievement, especially considering I’ve only been painting professionally for around two and a half years. In that time, I’ve created a large body of work, and I’m proud of what has grown from that journey.
What feels most special is seeing all the paintings displayed together in one space. Usually it’s just me in the studio, immersed in a solitary process, so having the opportunity to share the collection publicly feels incredibly meaningful. I’m excited to see what people connect with and to have conversations around the work.
I’m especially looking forward to the opening night on Friday. It’s going to be a real celebration and I’m honoured to have the wonderful artist Jill Ansell officially opening the exhibition for me. I’d love people to come along, bring a friend, ask questions, and spend time with the artworks.
What can visitors expect from Ancient & Ephemeral?
Visitors can expect to be transported into some of the most beautiful and ancient places in Australia. The exhibition is filled with bright, bold colour, movement and a sense of whimsy woven through the environments I’ve captured.
Many of the works are inspired by my travels through places like the Pilbara, Kimberley and Margaret River regions, and I think viewers may find themselves reflecting on their own memories and experiences of the Australian landscape. I hope the works spark conversations about connection to place, memory and why certain landscapes stay with us so deeply.
What do you hope visitors take away from the exhibition? What should we be thinking about?
I hope visitors leave with a renewed sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty and resilience of the landscape. These ancient environments have stood silently through millennia, witnessing the evolution of life and humanity. I want people to reflect on the idea that while we are visitors within these places, we are also caretakers of them. I hope the exhibition encourages people to slow down, admire the land, and reconnect with their own experiences in nature.
Could you speak to us a little about your intentions and thinking behind these works?
My practice is grounded in a fascination with ancient rock formations and the stories they hold. I see these formations as the Earth’s first sculptures, ancient structures shaped by time, weather, and elemental forces.
Through my paintings, I aim to honour and celebrate the landscape, particularly the epic rock formations that have endured across deep time. To me, rocks are not static objects; they feel alive with movement and presence. Across cultures, these places have long held significance as gathering places, ceremonial sites, landmarks and symbols of connection. Working in Abstract Realism allows me to express both the physical structure of the landscape and the feeling of being within a place. I use exaggerated colour, expressive linework, and movement to evoke atmosphere and immersion rather than simply documenting a landscape realistically.
You’re set to host a painting workshop alongside the exhibition, which is exciting – I imagine this is quite a different practice from painting for pleasure. How has your experience as an artist informed how you approach your workshops?
My workshops are very much about encouraging play, experimentation, and curiosity. That’s actually how my own painting practice began – simply exploring paint in an intuitive and experimental way before developing my abstract realism style. Workshops feel less about producing a perfect painting and more about creating space for curiosity, play, and connection.
Because I also work full-time as a visual arts teacher, I’m very conscious about creating a supportive and accessible environment for everyone, regardless of skill level. I never want people to feel pressure to “paint like me.” Instead, I want them to learn techniques while developing confidence in their own style and creative expression. I’m passionate about giving people the freedom to explore intuitively and enjoy the process.
I’m also running a free artist talk on Saturday, 23 May at the gallery, where I’ll be sharing more about my artistic journey, influences, techniques, and process, followed by a Q&A.
What comes next for you in terms of your artistic journey?
Looking ahead, I feel my work is naturally becoming more site-focused, with deeper explorations of specific Australian landscapes and their layered relationships to story, geology, and emotional connection. I’m also interested in opportunities for artist residencies, both within Australia and internationally, where I can spend time within new environments and respond to them in an expanded way through painting.
I’m especially looking forward to travelling to Kalbarri later this year to begin developing a new body of work inspired by the extraordinary rock formations along the Coral Coast and the Murchison River. That landscape is so rich in geological history, colour, texture, and scale, and I’m excited to translate that experience into paint.
Later in the year, on 7–8 November, I’ll also be participating in the Bassendean Open Studios. This is always a special event, as it opens my studio to the public and offers people a chance to step inside my working space, see where the paintings are made, and gain a closer insight into my creative process and works in progress.
The best way to stay connected is through my newsletter, Instagram, or Facebook, where I share upcoming exhibitions, new works, and ongoing projects. You can also explore more of my work through my website and sign up for monthly updates, subscriber-only offers, and announcements about future commissions and exhibitions.
Ancient & Ephemeral opens Friday, May 22, and runs until Tuesday, June 2 at the Victoria Park Centre for the Arts, and is open for visitation 10am – 4pm, Monday – Saturday.
