Beauty of coastline captured in works

When Warnbro artist Barb Green picks up a paintbrush she goes to her happy place, where she creates colourful interpretations of the WA coastline.

Her bright artworks and fellow artists' sculptures will fill Rockingham Art Centre this weekend for the opening of Coastal Keepsakes.

The coastal-themed exhibition will feature 25 paintings in gouache and acrylic by Green, and 20 bronze sculptures and a number of mixed material sculptures by Esperance artists Chris Siemer and Phil Shelton.

Green said her love of art was born when she was a child and had been an ongoing passion through her high school years and adulthood.

"It all started with my grandmother Helga … she was probably the most creative person I could think of," she said.

"From quite a young age, we'd go there every weekend to see her and we'd always have some art to do - craft, painting or drawing."

Working in marine science for 20 years, Mrs Green said she had always been obsessed with the beauty of WA's coastline and after finishing her career last year, she turned her full attention back to art.

"I love the colour of the coast and sea and am inspired by it from every vantage point, whether it be underwater, atop water, standing on the beach or looking over the sand dunes," she said.

Green described her work as colourful, exaggerated and abstract.

"There is certainly no realism in my art at all, but I draw from real things, I do my own interpretation," she said.

"I hope my paintings make people think about how beautiful the coast in WA is, especially here in Rockingham."

It has been 15 years since Green has held an exhibition with Siemer, who plans on retiring in the near future.

Mrs Green said the South Coast and Esperance were second loves and where she had lived for six years and met artists Siemer and Shelton.

She said the exhibition was an ode to Mr Siemer because of his plans to retire.

The exhibition will be held at Rockingham Arts Centre on Kent Street, Rockingham, from May 9 to May 16, from 9am-5pm.