Poetry in art at Customs House

An exhibition at the University of Queensland's Customs House will feature 31 watercolours by Brisbane poet Silvana Gardner, who created the art works to accompany an ode to her son.

Named after the poet's latest book, The Bluetongue who loved a wooden crocodile, the exhibition runs from February 19-March 17.

The book's central characters - a bluetongue and a wooden carving of a crocodile - are key figures in the watercolours.

Mrs Gardner said an abandoned baby bluetongue that she rescued from her cat provided the inspiration.

'Someone gave me a New Guinean wooden carving of a crocodile and I put it near an empty aquarium in which I kept the bluetongue until she was mature,' she said.

'The bluetongue's movements towards this carving reminded me of how lizards court, and so the book deals with adult themes of unrequited love, rejection and victory over loss.

'Like the book, the watercolours are simple enough for children to enjoy but may also appeal to adults, especially women.'

The book is the second in a trilogy of illustrated poetry, and dedicated to Mrs Gardner's youngest son, a university student, Michael.

'There's a special link with each son in each book,' she said.

Mrs Gardner, a University of Queensland arts graduate, dedicated the first in the series, The Rainbow Cat, to her eldest son Julian, a former Wallaby and now breakaway for the Italian team Benetton.

This year she plans to complete the trilogy with a book for her second son, Simon, a professional guitarist.

Mrs Gardner said her passion for her children, art and poetry were reflected in her adaptation of the University of Queensland's motto scientia ac labore, meaning 'by means of knowledge and hard work' to amore ac labore , meaning 'by means of love and hard work'.
Mrs Gardner's twist on the motto appears on the University coat of arms featured in the exhibition.

On creating poetry, she said: 'Writing a poem is not just a flutter of emotion. Initially writing poetry is a subconscious epiphany but perfecting the form requires some objectivity.'

The book costs $25 and is available from Customs House during the exhibition.

For more information, contact Ms Gardner (telephone 07 3262 4241 or 3262 2145).