Tucked away in the greenery of Kings Scrub and just minutes from Dayboro, Running Duck Studio is a hidden treasure well worth a visit.
Run by local artist Danielle Latta, Running Duck Studio is a unique art gallery open on the last Sunday of each month. Danielle has converted a caravan into a petite and special gallery which sits on her hinterland property.
Working predominantly in pen and ink to create smaller works, she recently branched out into using Chinese calligraphy brushes to create giant pieces on plywood depicting animals such as lions and elephants being hugged by children.
With a wide range of art pieces, there are ample opportunities for all kinds of art lovers to spark conversation, encourage discovery and learn from the artist herself.
The broader COVID Life Art collection is a snapshot of life during the pandemic – facemask-wearing friends sharing a hug, a child pushing a friend and a pooch in a wheelbarrow, Wine O’clock in which a curious kitty can be seen supervising wine being poured into a teacup with a clock showing the time as 11.50, and house-bound sunbathers hanging out of windows to capture some vitamin D.
Danielle’s works are created predominantly in black and white, but the Colour Gallery contains pieces splashed with blue hues, shades of rusty brown and brilliant yellows and greens.
Her love of the environment shines through in the Endangered Species collection, which features striking portrait-style images of endangered Australian wildlife such as Tassie devils and cassowaries alongside African animals including lions, elephants and black rhinos.
A portion of the money from the sale of Endangered Species pieces is donated to funds aligned with each species.
Danielle’s range extends from traditional wall-hung pieces to art books, digital art and functional art.
The functional art collection features loose and close-fit t-shirts printed with a selection of Danielle’s charming designs.
Having spent around six years as an artist for Disney back in the days when they were still doing pencil and paper drawings for animated projects, much of Danielle’s work has a whimsical touch, capturing her subjects with gentle humour.
She says her time with Disney strengthened her pencil stroke technique, with each character drawn over and over again.
She says her style has evolved over time, from early works concentrating on fantasy to more detailed art that draws strongly on keen observation, capturing a glimpse of poignant moments in time - from a child fishing, friends huddled under an umbrella and the swish of a horse’s tail to a giraffe nuzzling its young, birds in flight and an ode to COVID nurses.
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