In the Quiet of the Land

Regional Arts Triennial 3 - Update from Guest Curator, Japneet Keith

“As we move toward the final stages of In the Quiet of the Land, the third iteration of the Regional Arts Triennial (RAT 3), it’s inspiring to see how each artist continues to deepen their connection to the land, place, and story through their work,” Japneet said.

“This statewide project, presented across 13 regional hubs celebrates the diversity and vitality of creative practice in Western Australia’s regions.”

“As a curator, it’s deeply rewarding to witness these works evolve - from concept to creation, and to share in the dedication of each artist.”

“I feel incredibly proud of how far we’ve come together, supported by the generous and passionate team at the Old Courthouse Complex. In this deep dive into process and place, the artworks have taken on their own quiet strength and voice.”

“I can only hope you will join us to celebrate this journey at the official opening of In the Quiet of the Land on 6 February 2026.”

Artist Profiles & In the Quiet of the Land Installations

Christian Fletcher - Photographer

Award-winning Australian landscape photographer renowned for his striking images of both natural and man-made environments. With over 30 years behind the lens, he is celebrated for his mastery of light and composition.

Christian’s lens has shifted inland, capturing the quiet majesty of forests and hills that define the South West landscape.

“The coast used to hold my attention, but now I find myself drawn to the forests and mountains,” he reflects. His recent documentation of the Boranup Forest—burnt and forever changed—has become both a personal and historical record. “Isn’t that the beauty of photography?” he muses. “It’s a perfect device to capture history.”

Francesco Geronazzo - Printmaker

Originating from Valdobbiadene, Italy, and holding a Master’s in Graphics from Bologna, Francesco teaches printmaking between Margaret River, WA, and Italy, lecturing at the Academies of Carrara and Bologna.

Kay Manolas - Ceramicist

Kay Manolas, a Dunsborough-based artist, explores the connection between nature and emotion through layered textures, organic forms, and luminous colour, capturing the shifting essence of coastal light and landscape.

Kay has turned her gaze beneath the surface, drawing inspiration from the delicate world of soft corals. Her current series reflects the flexible, tree-like structures of the Carijoa species—known as snowflake coral—found around Busselton Jetty. “Between the white fluffy branches lies a sheltered environment,” says Kay. “It slows down the water and creates a safe haven for fish.” Her work gently reminds us of the fragile interdependence between species and habitat.

Elaine Clocherty - Land Artist

Elaine Clocherty is a site-specific artist creating works from local natural materials in collaboration with land, community, and place. Her award-winning installations have featured internationally, exploring sustainability and connection to Country.

Merle Topsi Davis - Textile Artist

Merle Topsi Davis is a textile and multimedia artist who transforms recycled materials into large sculptures and textiles, highlighting environmental issues such as ocean pollution, over-consumerism and the destruction of natural resources and habitats.

Waljin - Mitchella Hutchins - Land Artist

Waljin - Mitchella Hutchins, a Wardandi artist, businesswoman and cultural caretaker. Leading Waljin Consultancy, fostering children, and promoting Indigenous cultural awareness. She lectures on Aboriginal issues and serves on the Perth Festival Noongar Advisory Circle.

Gary Hambleton - Ceramicist

Gary Hambleton, a potter of over five decades, crafts timeless, functional works from Old Stables Pottery and Commonage Pottery, using local minerals and natural glazes inspired by the South West landscape.

Gary is grounding his ceramic practice in the ancient geology and cultural narratives of Noongar boodja.

Using locally sourced mineral sands and natural materials, Gary is developing glazes that physically embody the land and sea. “These materials carry the memory of boodja—shaped by wind, water, and time,” he shares. His high-temperature reduction firings at cone 11 reveal the elemental transformation of earth, echoing the essence of the exhibition’s theme.

Barbara Weeks - Textile Artist

Barbara Weeks is a textile artist whose work blends traditional techniques with contemporary design. She explores texture, colour, and pattern to express connections between nature, memory, and the passage of time.

Dwardinan - Vivian Brockman Webb - Land Artist

Dwardinan Vivian Brockman Webb, is an Aboriginal artist who expresses deep connections to Country, culture, and ancestry through her paintings and Land Artworks, celebrating heritage, storytelling, and the enduring spirit of her community.

Gerald Ashcroft - Painter

Gerald Ashcroft is an artist and painter whose expressive landscapes and abstract works explore light, texture, and emotion, capturing the beauty and shifting moods of the natural environment.

Gerald’s latest canvas has reached an exciting new dimension. His abstract work continues to evolve, layered with intuitive energy and movement. “I’m absolutely wrapped with it,” he says—an artist in full flow, finding joy in the transformation of form and feeling.

Melanie Jarman - Textiles Artist

Melanie Jarman is a textiles and mixed-media artist inspired by Western Australia’s landscapes and flora. Her richly textural works explore nature, form, and material innovation through painting, felting, and sculptural embroidery.

Melanie continues to weave delicate landscapes through her signature mixed-media approach, combining freehand embroidery, painting, dry needle felting, and sculptural layering. Working with silk and cotton scrim, her organic forms reflect the contours of nature—rolling hills, native flora, and the soft rhythm of coastal air. Each piece is a quiet meditation on texture, colour, and form—a tribute to the living landscape.

Kim Perrier - Sculptor

Kim Perrier, Canadian-born sculptor and designer, creates innovative, realistic and abstract works. His diverse career spans sculpture, digital fine art, public collections, exhibitions, and collaborations with Noongar communities.

~

In the Quiet of the Land, proudly delivered by the City of Busselton’s Old Courthouse Complex, is part of the WA Regional Arts Triennial 3: Radical Futures.

The WA Regional Arts Triennial 3: Radical Futures is proudly supported by the WA Government. It is coordinated by Southern Forest Arts with support from ART ON THE MOVE through the Regional Exhibition Touring Boost. Project partners include John Curtin Gallery, Regional Arts WA, GalleriesWest and Kimberley Arts Network.