Wetlands features 25 stunning acrylic paintings by Gordon Sonnenberg, a dedicated artist and teacher with a lifelong passion for capturing the beauty of Australia’s landscapes. This collection, painted over several years on Wathawurrung and Gunaikurnai Country, captures the ever-changing light and mood of the swamps and lakes of the Bellarine Peninsula and Gippsland Lakes regions.

Despite a lifetime of painting, this is only Gordon’s second time exhibiting his works. His first, at Chapman & Bailey Gallery in Abbotsford, raised funds for breast cancer research. Gordon has always preferred to gift his works in support of various causes. This continues with Wetlands, where all proceeds are going to support the Artist in Residence Program at Worawa Aboriginal College in Healesville, helping young Indigenous students explore their own creative journeys.

Each piece in Wetlands began as a plein air sketch, capturing the fleeting interplay of light and water before being transformed onto stretched linen in the studio. Gordon’s practice blends traditional techniques with a personal approach, resulting in works that are as immersive as they are intimate.

A passionate educator, Gordon has been teaching art since the early 1970s and has spent the last 25 years inspiring students here at the Balwyn Community Centre, where he still leads three classes.

The Wetlands exhibition runs from 5 May until 24 May 2025 in the upstairs art space at Balwyn Community Centre.

Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday 9am – 3.30pm