'Utes in the Paddock' have a feminine touch

by Karen Tooth and Mark Gottlieb Condobolin Argus

Photo by Karen Tooth.

For artist Belinda Williams (pictured left) working with other artists on a project like the ‘Utes in the Paddock’ exhibit was an opportunity she just couldn’t turn down.

“It really is a unique situation having three artists - Greg Brenna, Stephen Coburn and myself-working together,” she said.
For Belinda, who has been painting full time since 1997 and hails from the NSW town of Moree, ‘Utes in the Paddock’ was perfect to promote what the country is all about. “I really felt it was an amazing platform to promote the outback, which is something that I just love” she said.

Belinda’s ute is a giant man dressed in a typical Dryazabone oilskin coat and Akubra bushman’s hat, something she says represents the spirit of the bush. “The Dryazabone and Akubra really depict aspects of the Australian outback – they are hardworking, practical, down-to-earth, dogged and reliable. And the coats aren’t too bad either.”

For Belinda, the strength of ‘Utes in the Paddock’ is in the way in which artists have embraced the concept. “There is this amazing ripple effect – all through people knowing each other and word of mouth.To Graham’s credit there are a lot of great calibre artists who are contributing to the gallery.”