Immersed in nature

A combination of Mrs Sheppard's landscape paintings and Mr Murphy's woodwork will feature in the exhibition on display at The Q from March 17.

"The idea is...you get a sense of the place not just of the landscape but our place in it and how it all works together," Mrs Sheppard said.

"In this current exhibition, there is a definite feeling of what it's like to be in the landscape; to experience its power and presence."

Mrs Sheppard's paintings are a diverse collection of landscapes across Canberra, Queanbeyan and the coast as well as architectural sketches of local buildings.

The artist said it's the first time viewers will see more of her expressionistic style of work, an exit from her usual impressionistic pieces.

She said rather than a traditional approach of meticulously sketching scenes, she's adopted a method of pouring the paint onto the canvas and wiping and pressing.

"It's a balancing act to get the emotion and expression as well as retaining the appearance and character of the landscape," she said.

"It's more about the feeling of the place rather than what it looks like. I like painting local scenes because I still like people to be able to identify with the location."

This will be the fourth time the two artists have exhibited together and Mrs Sheppard said having the different mediums is an advantage as their works won't compete with one another.

Mr Murphy works features many wildlife carvings for which he uses both local and exotic timbers.

"It makes the exhibition quite homely, you have your paintings on the wall and your woodwork on display," Mrs Sheppard said.

"It give it a homely, warm atmosphere."

'Immersed in Nature' will be at The Q Exhibition Space from March 17 - 28. The official opening will be held on Tuesday, March 17 from 6pm.