~Michelle Saleeba In 2018 our major beneficiary is the volunteer run Tiny Sparks WA. From the shock, stress and heartache of having a premature baby, a group of Perth parents set out to create a peer led community that would fill a gap in the existing provision of care offered to families. Informed by personal experiences an organisation that is dedicated to being there for others has grown, and as a result the difficult journeys through high-risk pregnancy and premature birth have been made that tiny bit easier. Amber Bates (pictured below), one of the founding members of Tiny Sparks, shares the story of this compassionate and inspiring community organisation. How did Tiny Sparks WA start

~Michelle Saleeba Joanne Duffy is a familiar name in the Perth art scene and with good reason, she is one of Australia's most collectible contemporary painters. With her distinctive abstract expressionist style and use of intense, saturated colour Joanne's paintings are full of movement and emotion as she captures the changing seasons. Her love of the West Australian landscape, and the memories it evokes for her, are tangible in every piece. Joanne has had a successful year winning both the Rockingham Art Award, Heritage Category and the Wanneroo Art Award, Works on Paper Category. Here she talks about her artistic process, how she loves to get outside to seek inspiration from nature, an

~Michelle Saleeba Sunday 13th May is Mother's Day and Army Art would like to pay tribute to all the wonderful Mum's who have given their time to make the exhibition such a fabulous event since it's inception in 1974. Army Art is proud of the connection many of our committee members and volunteers have to the Defence force. With Army mums, spouses and family members, as well as serving and ex-serving members, playing a huge part in the ongoing success of the event. This year Army Art has a new Chair who has taken on the challenge of growing the event and guiding it into the future with dynamic new stakeholder investment. A challenge that Army officer and mum of four Viv Blycha is well place

~Michelle Saleeba Continuing our series of profiles introducing our marvellous Army Art volunteers I had a chat with Perth portrait artist and 2018 committee member Suzie Brown. Suzie traded the tools of nursing for paintbrushes and hasn't looked back. Becoming known for her bold use of colour and unique portrait interpretations which are intended to provoke an emotional response from the viewer. However, that desire to help others that first led her to study nursing never left, and with Army Art Suzie seeks to make a difference in the lives of others through promoting the sale of artwork in the name of charity. What inspired you to become involved with Army Art? I’ve exhibited a couple of

~ Michelle Saleeba Army Art is Perth's longest running charity art exhibition, started in 1974 by then President of the Special Air Service Regiment's (SASR) Auxiliary, Maureen Smethurst. The focus on providing a platform for emerging artists to exhibit their art work hasn't wavered and neither has Army Art's core value of serving the community by raising money for charities to assist those in need. Army Art maintains it's focus on supporting Defence charities but it has expanded over the years to provide a substantial amount in donations to a wide range of not for profits in Western Australia. This year we proudly support Tiny Sparks WA and Working Spirit, both organisations started by p

~Michelle Saleeba Karyn Hinder is the Founder of Working Spirit an organisation she set up to help veterans and serving personnel transition to civilian employment. This year Working Spirit is our Defence associated beneficiary and the genesis behind the theme for the 2018 event, Transition. Life transitions are something we all experience, whether it is becoming a parent, supporting a sick child or partner, relocating, or embarking upon a new career. The threads of our lives reweave themselves often in unimaginable and unexpected forms. Army Art wanted to encourage a proactive engagement with what can be a difficult process, to assist people as they reorient themselves and move through any

~Michelle Saleeba This week we are revisiting a past beneficiary of Army Art to find out how they are growing and continuing to support their client base. Army Art supports a broad and diverse range of charities, choosing two beneficiaries on a yearly basis. Whilst the community based selection varies, a thread of continuity is our commitment to supporting a defence associated charitable organisation each year. The Military Art Program Australia (MAPA) commenced in 2015, growing out of founder and director Leza Howie's experiences as an army wife, her time spent volunteering with Army Art and her personal experience of using art in a capacity that provided enormous relief. All of which in

~Michelle Saleeba I sat down for a Q&A with artist and Army Art committee member Joanne George to find out more about her art practice and what motivated her to volunteer for the committee this year. What inspired you to become involved with Army Art? I have been impressed with the quality of past Army Art exhibitions and participated in several as an artist. That participation inspired me to become more involved and to volunteer to help with this very worthwhile cause, which benefits both charities and artists. Tell us what is important about the 2018 beneficiaries and the work they do Support for Working Spirit follows in the tradition of Army Art backing military related causes. The aid