A NEW exhibition celebrating the colour and character of the Sunshine Coast’s wildflowers has officially launched in Coolum, with Design Wilds now on display at Galley Lane.

The exhibition features repeat-pattern designs inspired by local wildflowers and the wallum heathlands, which are currently bursting into bloom across the region as spring weather heralds their peak.

Galley Lane is an initiative of the Coolum Art Project (CAP), a sub-committee of the Coolum Residents Association, which works to activate art within the Coolum region.

Currently, CAP has use of the exhibition-style cabinets which flank the walkway space from the Frank St carpark and are located next to Yum Gelato.

Curators Sue Davis, Marni Stuart and Lisa Chandler said the exhibition was an opportunity to celebrate the plants which are such an important part of the local landscape and ecology and includes works by artists who participated in workshops and wildflower walks as part of a Design Lab at UniSC earlier this year.

The designs can be used beyond the gallery, with the patterns suitable for repurposing on posters, fabrics, clothing and accessories.

The curators hope that by bringing wildflower imagery into everyday life, this will also help build greater awareness around the need to protect the fragile environments where the plants grow.

The official launch was held at Galley Lane on Friday, August 14, with the exhibition now open to the public through to mid-September.

The project includes work by many local artists and workshop participants, and people can also join a wildflower event this spring by searching for the ‘Wild/flower Women Projects’ at location Coolum on Eventbrite.

This project was made possible by funding from the Grants Program at Sunshine Coast Council and is also supported by The Wildflowering Collective Inc and the University of the Sunshine Coast.