MULTI-talented First Nations artist and former Canberran, Sarrita King, will return to town next week for a solo exhibition gallery in Woden Plaza.

34-year-old King, a trained journalist as well as artist, describes herself as an “artist of today” as she combines methods and techniques from past and present times.

Recently relocated from Canberra to her hometown Darwin, where she prefers to bring up her sons, she is probably best known for her “Lightning Series” of paintings where she depicts the cracking, searing flashes that cut the sky.

She’ll be in Canberra next week for a hands-on demonstration at the front of a pop-up gallery facing Big-W, the brainchild of art aficionado Keith Murphy, who himself recently moved to the ACT from Melbourne.

His exhibition space not only holds art by legendary artists including Rover Thomas, Clifford Possum and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, but recent work by young artists like the King sisters, Sarrita and Tarisse, both daughters of the late artist William King Jungala.

When I popped into the gallery, I was struck by the variety of artistic merchandise, including glasswork, sculptures, wallets and pendants featuring the work of named artists and even a range of arty budgie smugglers by Sarrita King that might be the envy of Tony Abbott.

Murphy said “young artists today are very adventurous when it comes to crossing the boundaries in art and are keen to try new media.” As well, he said, lockdown had inspired artists to branch out into different areas of art and craft.

While Sarrita’s forte is in her large-scale paintings and she has been exhibited as far afield as Paris, Tarisse’s 3-dimensional art had been developed into striking metal sculptures like the panther and turtle on display. During covid when face-to-face meetings between artists and maker-artisans were impossible, Murphy said, the art of negotiating, designing and reworking online had been mastered and was now being put to good effect.

Sarrita King, “My Country,” shop 42, Westfield Woden. February 10 to 19. Opening 6pm, Friday, February 10. The artist will be in the gallery noon – 9 pm, February 10. noon – 5 pm, February 11, noon – 4 pm, February 12.