Dubbo artist Susan Yaghjian showcases the Macquarie-Wambuul River in her first large solo exhibition at the Western Plains Cultural Centre (WPCC) as part of the HomeGround professional development program.
The exhibition titled, It's All About the River focuses on a series of views of the Macquarie-Wambuul River. The exhibition pays homage to the river as it stretches across regional landscapes, revealing both its beauty and its harsher realities.
Artist Susan Yaghjian said HomeGround has been a fantastic opportunity that has given her permission to delve deeply into a subject she is passionate about.
"It has presented me with the opportunity to step outside of the safety of my normal art making to try new things and experiment. The HomeGround program has been important in that it has given me a tangible goal to work towards with a timeline and a specific focus.
"I am really looking forward to exhibiting at the Western Plains Cultural Centre to see what impact my work will have on the audience. I am hoping that people will walk away with new insights into the Macquarie-Wambuul River that will be both pleasing as well as thought provoking," Ms Yaghjian said.
Dubbo Regional Council Curator Natasha Lunniss said Susan's HomeGround exhibition utilises a combination of ink, watercolour, acrylic and natural pigment-based painting.
"The exhibition showcases the ability of art to not only depict a subject but to create spaces of reflection surrounding it. The exhibition captures all aspects of the river and its role as a record of place, time and human presence."
"Through the HomeGround program, I have seen Susan grow her confidence to not only push the boundaries of her own artistic style and voice, but the self-belief that she is capable of bringing together a collection of works into an exhibition," Ms Lunniss said.
Visitors are invited to meet the HomeGround artist Susan Yaghjian at the in-conversation event at the WPCC on Saturday 17 October 2026 from 2pm.
Susan Yaghjian has been involved in art her whole life, having come from a family of artists. Whilst she has been drawing and painting for many years, Susan has only focused on it full time in the past few years after retiring from high school teaching.
The HomeGround program is professional development program supporting the creative arts sector and nurturing regional artists, supported by Dubbo Regional Council and Orana Arts. HomeGround is sponsored by Bruce and Wendy Gray.
For more information about the exhibition or the HomeGround program, visit www.westernplainsculturalcentre.org.
