The opening night for Strength, Love and Joy – an exhibition of works by local treasure Phillipa Leader, is from 5.30 till 8.30pm on Thursday the 24th of April.

Philippa Leader was a Northern Rivers artist for over 30 years and was one of the alternative artists to move to the area in the early 80’s. This exhibition is a celebration of her life as an artist and commitment to the arts in our region. Philippa was a local art teacher who explored diverse mediums such as fibre art, sculpture, drawing and painting.

For the past decade Philippa faced a terminal illness that ultimately took her life in 2024. This exhibition is a showcase of Philippa’s life work. Sixty hand painted pieces form “The Book of Strengths” which is presented as a collection as a card set of the 60 paintings each with words of inspiration, each card with a unique meaning that formed Philippa’s philosophy. The exhibition will be the launch of “The book of strengths” card pack, with the original paintings as well as a display of her private collection of her own work.