One unkempt, scruffy little dog became a global phenomenon after he bolted onto the pages of Dame Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclarey from Donaldson’s Dairy in 1983. Based on a sketch of scraggly dog she met by chance, Dodd’s signature character has sold over five million books. Celebrating the success of all of her children’s book characters, a retrospective of her work is on display at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery.
Two concurrent exhibitions vying for attention are Stars in the River: The Prints of Jessie Traill and Across the Water: Marco Luccio. The first is a retrospective of pioneering printmaker Jessie Traill’s post-war Modernist etchings portraying both the beauty of the bush and the dynamism of burgeoning cityscape. Featuring over 100 prints travelling from the National Gallery of Australia this collection represents a leading figure in Australian art.
Marco Luccio was greatly influenced by the work of Jessie Trail so his series of prints in Across the Water are a perfect complement to the Traill retrospective. Luccio is a contemporary printmaker whose vibrant etchings capture the energy of the architectural subjects he draws, such as his visually striking images of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
These three exhibitions are on until September 14 at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Civic Reserve, Mornington open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm. www.mprg.vic.gov.au or 5975 4395.
ANDREA LOUISE THOMAS