"The works on display in this South Western Times Art 2020 exhibition challenge us, they show us who we are and what we value, they remind us of where we have come from and where we are going. " - BRAG We would like to congratulate our artists - Sue Smorthwaite, Simon Hemsley and Paula Wiegmink on being selected to submit their works for this year's survey. Paula Wiegmink, "Magpie manoeuvres" Surprise at how smaller birds manage to not only attack but to successfully fend off larger birds of prey was the inspiration for Paula's artwork. The behaviour of 'mobbing' is a term used when smaller birds fend off larger birds protecting their nests and environment. Speed enables these birds to successfully fend off hostile predators. They usually attack the bigger bird from behind or above to avoid the larger bird's talons. This only goes to show that being small is not necessarily a limitation. Sue Smorthwaite, "Reef Knot" Using colour, form and texture, Sue has brought to life the natural state of our reefs, in order to highlight the rapid reef degradation and coral bleaching occurring in our oceans. These are reversible if we as individuals and a country dedicate our efforts towards it. The knot can be viewed as the tipping point in one direction, which can, by definition, be undone and the process be reversed. Simon Hemsley, "Under the Microscope" Melanoma is a major health problem for Australians due to our outdoor lifestyles and the depletion of the ozone layer exposing us to extreme UV exposure at times. Simon's submission aims to increase people's awareness of this. By looking at hisopatholoy specimens he was able to relate it to abstraction in the environment. Nature is continuously changing, from natural harmonious cycles to permanent reshaping, and Simon has found that skin cancer has a similarity as it can start as a small change of pigmentation but rapidly invades the local tissues - growing, eroding and ultimately engulfing. Then there is the visual similarity between nature on a grand scale when viewed from above , compared to the viewing of histological specimens under higher magnification, and it is striking. Simon hopes to remind and inspire viewers to life each day as it comes as tomorrow is uncertain for many of us.