WAMA is honoured to be the recipient of the intriguing wildlife art collection of the late Bill and Maureen Mann of Horsham, celebrating artists who are inspired by wildlife and the environment. WAMA plans to exhibit the collection within the local community before displaying it in WAMA’s permanent art gallery to be built near Halls Gap, continuing the Mann’s passion and vision to connect people back to nature through art.
The collection comprises of 67 pieces of artwork from both local and nationally based artists, collected over almost 30 years personally by Bill and Maureen starting in the early 1990’s.
Some of the artists who feature within the collection include Robert Mancini, Robert Ulmann Pete Marshall, Nicholas Pike, Brett Jarrett and local Halls Gap artist Steve Morvell who has known the couple from the onset of their collection acting as an advisor as it grew.
“I meet Bill and Maureen when I was a young artist trying to make ends meet.” said Morvell
“I remember them coming into my studio, buying a couple of pieces and then coming back a few months later to buy more and this went on for the next 30 years. We soon developed a relationship, and I was able to help them develop their collection of wildlife art that they had such a deep appreciation for.”
“Bill and Maureen were both very passionate about representational wildlife art, particularly supporting local artists and were very mindful conservationists. They would be very pleased to have the collection managed by an organisation that shares their passion for wildlife art and the role it plays in connecting people back to nature and WAMA is the perfect fit.”
WAMA Patron, Glenda Lewin said she is delighted that WAMA is receiving the collection and plans to exhibit parts of it within the community ahead of the WAMA site development where it will be housed within their dedicated nature inspired art gallery.
“Within the near future we plan to have both an online exhibition and live showings of the collection within the local community, said Lewin
“We are giving the collection a good home and are doing with it what its intent is – to inform people about nature and the importance of it. In a nutshell this is what WAMA is all about, to inspire and enrich people’s appreciation for nature. We feel very fortunate to have the collection and to be able to serve its purpose.”
Located adjacent to the national heritage listed Grampians (Gariwerd), WAMA is creating a wildlife and art precinct that inspires, educates and stimulates our connection with nature. WAMA will boast a dedicated Wildlife Art Gallery showcasing art inspired by nature, set within botanic gardens and wetlands, that will nurture and protect rare species of plants and animals.
WAMA will be a unique tourist destination that celebrates the relationship between, art, science and nature.
