A Means of Escape

A one room shed serves as a studio for this Queensland artist. With louvre windows on three sides and shelves around three walls, it is a place of refuge and creativity.

- Trevor Lang

Cathy Carson lives on a sheepproperty in western Queenslandand really enjoys painting scenes relating to the animals and people that form part of her rural life and work. Men mustering sheep or cattle; stockmen riding bikes with sheep dogs riding pillion; weathered stockmen’s faces; horses and cattle competing in campdrafts. All are subjects she has drawn and loved.

She has been commissioned to paint quite a few ‘campdrafting’ or ‘dog’ pictures and thoroughly enjoys this style of work.

Cathy’s property is her family’s home and life, as well as being their business. Unfortunately the seasons and the markets have not been particularly kind for the last few years, so she has used her art as a means of escape and enjoyment. She has found this to be more than effective in coping with the pressures of rural life during challenging times.

“It is the most wonderful therapy!” Cathy explains. “Droughts, water shortages, loneliness and poor commodity prices all fade into the background when I’m ensconced in my shed, painting.”

“I have cleaned out, painted and airconditioned a one room shed. I use it as my ‘art shed’. It is some distance from the house, and I can escape the office, the phone and the UHF radios. It has louvre windows on three sides and shelves around three of its walls. It was originally used as a storeroom in the days of station cooks and big numbers of men.”