From The Archives features artworks by six early members of Albury-Wodonga Artists Society –  John Mason, Val Boult, Sheila Maguire, Jeannette Pockley, Marilyn Forrest and Yvonne Ellwood.

The exhibition can be seen at Paintbox Studio, Gateway Village, Lincoln Causeway, throughout November, with an official opening to be held on Saturday at 3pm.

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Albury-Wodonga Artists Society began in 1987 when some people who had been studying art decided to stay together as a group. Without a permanent base early on, the artists met at each other’s homes and painted outdoors all over the district.

Mr Mason said the then Jenny Craig building became the society’s home in 1994 before a move to its present location about a decade ago.

From 11 original artists, AWAS quickly grew to a peak of nearly 100 members and sits at about 79 now.

“It sort of evolved, it started off as a group of oil painters and now we’ve got pastellists and water colourists and still lifers, all sorts of things,” Mr Mason said. 

An active contributor to community and school exhibitions, the society also ran the art sections of the Albury and Wodonga shows.

Member Heather Green, who organised the From The Archives exhibition, said planning began months ago.

“We wouldn’t exist without these guys, really, truly wouldn’t, and so we just wanted to say thank-you to them,” she said.

Ms Forrest said she was excited by the idea.

“Thanks to you we felt appreciated,” she said.

The 30 paintings, five from each artist, have been collected from past works.

“Some of them came off family members’ walls,” Ms Green said.

“I’ve dug mine out from under the bed and the garage,” Ms Boult admitted.

But she still paints (“I couldn’t imagine not doing it”) as do most of her fellow exhibitors.

“I loved it as a child and then you don’t because there isn’t time,” she said, adding retirement allowed her to rekindle her interest.

Sadly Yvonne Ellwood died as the exhibition was being planned, but her family has supplied her works.

The society’s inaugural president, events organiser and newsletter writer, Margaret Moran, will return to Albury to open From The Archives.