Bloomfield artist Lainie Franzi is inviting people to the Black Cockatoo Gallery garden party and community celebration later this month.
BLACK Cockatoo Gallery is planning a community celebration with a difference, bringing the Cairns Concert Orchestra to the tiny community of Bloomfield for a garden party that is open to all.
The gallery, owned by artists and long-time locals Ross and Lainie Franzi, is at 2622 Bloomfield Road, housing the couple’s numerous artworks and nestled among lush tropical gardens.
The pair brought the orchestra to Bloomfield in 2017 to celebrate the gallery’s 10th anniversary, and said the event was so popular they had decided to do it again.
“It’s quite nice to have a community celebration, and the orchestra loved it so much last time that they said yes straight away to coming back again,” Ms Franzi said.
“There will be loads of them all camping up the back here – I think they’re bringing up about 20 members.
“Ross will do some garden tours because he’s so keen on native plants and educating people about them.
“We’re having a special Black Cockatoo cake, as well as tea and coffee, sweet treats, scones with lilly pilly jam and a barbecue dinner and bar.”
The event centres around the orchestra and the couple’s extensive gallery, but also includes a visit from the Wallaby Creek Festival Trash Fairies, information on wildlife rescue, dinner and a bar.
As well as the current artworks on exhibition, Ms Franzi will be exhibiting her artistic passion, an illustrated manuscript which is more than 30 years in the making.
“I don’t sell it, it’s kind of my life’s personal work,” she said.
“It’s got elaborate words and pictures, some is my story, some is made up and some is just pictures.
“There are 80-odd pages in each chapter, and each chapter takes five or six years for me to do, so it’s a long-term project.”
Entry is $5 for adults and free for children, with food and drinks on sale and all proceeds from the bar going to Far North Queensland Wildlife Care and Rescue.
The Black Cockatoo Gallery garden party and community celebration is on Saturday 29 July from noon to 8pm at 2622 Bloomfield Road.
