Skywhale artist explores evolution and nature in workshops ahead of exhibition

Artist Patricia Piccinini said the children's school holiday art camp workshop on Thursday afternoon was an opportunity to explore ideas about caring, relationships and environment - themes that were salient in her own work.

"These are ideas I've been working with for 30 years," she said, "'when we change nature what is our responsibility?'"

Ms Piccinini said her Skywhales design explored the "extraordinary" evolution of whales from land dwelling creatures that were a bit like pigs.

"These pigs went into the water and they became enormous," she said.

"They've learnt to not breathe underwater for half an hour and slow their hearts down.

"Is it improbable that they could have gone into the sky? If they did go into the sky, what did they look like? And how do we relate to something like that?"

She said Skywhalepapa showed care.

"Here we have this male of the species and he's showing us that caring is not gendered, its not just for women," she said.

"It tells us that care is not even just for humans, it's available for all of us, and carers are heroes."

Ms Piccinini is presenting two book readings on Friday at Lavington Library and Albury LibraryMuseum and will give an artist talk tonight at MAMA.

The Skywhales will float from Lavington Oval on Saturday at dawn, weather permitting.

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