The Land, Ocean and Home art exhibition at The Old Fire Station wraps up on Thursday, offering visitors a rich, international celebration of art, nature, and personal storytelling.

The exhibition featured the works of three artists: Arja Välimäki from Finland, Magdalena Pillai, and Brigita Hammell from what was formerly Czechoslovakia. 

Though their styles and mediums were vastly different, each artist brought a unique interpretation to the themes of land, ocean, and home.

Arja Välimäki explored the theme of ocean through vibrant, dreamlike seascapes. Her relationship with the sea is deeply personal - and rooted in both trauma and transformation.

“I come from Finland, which has 100,000 lakes, so I learned to swim quite young,” she said.

“But I actually had an accident in the ocean where I stepped on a stingray. It went right through my big toe tendon - I was in a lot of pain.

“After that, I decided to put my energy into art, and over time I transformed that painful, strange experience into something positive - a love for the ocean through painting.”

Her seascapes resonated strongly with local surfers and scuba divers who saw their own connections to the ocean reflected in her work.

Brigita Hammell focused on the idea of home, drawing inspiration from her roots in Czechoslovakia. Her paintings and sculptures delve into the meaning of family, belonging, and the safety of familiar surroundings.

“I've called the exhibition Home because it’s all about appreciation - of home, family, your surroundings, and the feeling of safety,” said Hammell.

She added that she prefers to let her artwork speak for itself.

“They have strong images - they talk for themselves,” she said.

“I do love naming them; they’ve got quite distinctive titles. I like to paint in a surrealist sort of way, and I think the images say what I’m trying to express better than I can explain in words.”

Magdalena Pillai represented land with her handcrafted jewellery, inspired by the fluid, asymmetrical forms found in nature.

“I’ve been doing this for about 23 years now,” said Pillai. “I moved to Kiama 15 years ago, and most of my work is inspired by the variety of natural landscapes on the South Coast.”

Her jewellery pieces, made from sustainably recycled sterling silver and mixed metals, reflect a deep connection with the environment - both in design and practice.

The exhibition ran from 7–13 August, and while it may have ended, the work of these three talented artists continues online. You can explore more through their websites: Arja Välimäki, Magdalena Pillai, Brigita Hammell.