From hobby to exhibition

Artist Zofia Lickova. (Damjan Janevski) 416703_01

“You don’t have to be a professional to create art.” That’s the message Zofia Lickova hopes people will take away from her exhibition at the Melton Library and Learning Hub.

The Melton resident’s ‘This is Freedom’ is on display at library until September 30, showcasing paintings she has created in recent years.

The exhibition features artworks offering Lickova’s unique perspective on landscapes through geometric shapes.

The artistic journey traverses three countries significant to Lickova’s life: her upbringing in Slovakia, past experiences in Scotland, and her current settlement in Australia.

Lickova said painting has always been a part of her life, “on and off”, but she found there were always something “more important than hobbies”.

That all changed during covid, with Lickova allowing herself the time to explore her art.

Lickova said she wanted to exhibit her work locally to ignite community interest in local art and celebrate hobby painters.

She began researching local opportunities after visiting Melton Library soon after moving to the area about 18 months ago from Scotland.

“I saw paintings on the wall and I was way too shy to ask the librarian how I could get my paintings on the wall, so I did some research,” she said.

The result is ‘This is Freedom’, a collection of works primarily created with acrylics.

The collection invites viewers to delve into the beauty of colour palettes and experience a visual journey influenced by renowned abstract masters, from W Kandinsky to the Cubism of Kazimir Malevich and Frantisek Kupka, as well as the expressionism of Lyonel Feininger. She also draws inspiration from her uncle, Blazej Balaz, an art professor.

‘This is Freedom’ can be viewed at Melton Library and Learning Hub, McKenzie Street, Melton, during the library’s opening hours.

Details: shorturl.at/Mg6lI

Laura Michell