A Nest in the Hills – Exhibition Opening Soon
Published on 28 November 2025
Mudgee Arts Precinct’s latest exhibition A Nest in the Hills: The Symbiosis of Women and Birds in Contemporary Australian Art explores the rich, multifaceted relationship between women and birds. Opening on Friday, 12 December, the exhibition examines how artists interpret this connection, revealing its symbolic, ecological, cultural and deeply personal dimensions.
Australian birds have long captivated female artists, a fascination traceable to the extraordinary achievements of Elizabeth Gould (alongside her husband, John), whose seminal book, The Birds of Australia (1840–1848) remains a landmark in depicting the nation’s unique avifauna. Their legacy continues to shape how artists engage with and represent birdlife today.
A Nest in the Hills brings together contemporary female artists from across NSW whose works articulate their own connections to birds − whether encountered in urban environments or within the vast rural landscapes of the Mid-Western Region.
These artworks reveal a spectrum of narratives: family and memory, culture and identity, place and belonging, the fragility of the natural world, ecofeminist perspectives, and, above all, a profound affection and respect for the birds that inspire them. The exhibition spans a broad range of mediums including painting, photography, sculpture, installation, textiles, ceramics, sound, drawing and lithography.
Featuring some of Australia’s finest contemporary artists, alongside six artists from the Mid-Western Region, the exhibition includes works by Petrina Hicks, Anna-Wili Highfield, Deborah Kelly, Lucy Culliton, Leila Jeffreys, Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Michelle Cawthorn, Dianne Fogwell, Kim V. Goldsmith, Nicole Ison, Denise Faulkner, Fleur MacDonald, Aleshia Lonsdale, Kim Harding, Michelle Steven and Pamela Welsh.
The exhibition will be on display from 12 December 2025 to 15 March 2026.
An exhibition walk-through with participating artists will take place on Friday, 12 December at 5pm, followed by the official exhibition opening at 6pm. All welcome to attend the walk-through and opening. No bookings required.
Mudgee Arts Precinct is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm. Entry is free.