How a museum is opening its doors for 'cultural exchange'

But that was purposeful; it would be all the easier to be a living artwork as he took his easel inside to drift from room to room.

Across two days, Gardner - an Aboriginal artist working from Launceston - made his way through the museum at Inveresk and the Royal Park art gallery to paint the exhibition spaces as watercolour scenes in two live art events: Through someone else's eyes.

The sessions - which ran for much of the days of July 6 and 9 - were about producing paintings as part of QVMAG's NAIDOC Week 2024 celebrations. But they weren't only for that; they were also about conversations.

Over the course of the live art-making events, Gardner chatted with a number of patrons while he painted, sharing the stories of his journey as a self-taught artist looking to perfect his craft.

"[I'm] just trying to make the next painting better than the last," Gardner said.

"[It] doesn't matter how long you've been doing something. It's how you use your time when you are doing it."

Through someone else's eyes was facilitated by the museum in keeping with this NAIDOC Week's theme: Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud.

The hope was that, as visitors spoke with Gardner as he moved throughout exhibition spaces on the day, they would be participating in a "cultural exchange of art and storytelling," as Shane Fitzgerald, the museum's general manager of arts and cultural services, called it.

And, although Gardner's event ended this week, another NAIDOC themed event has cropped up at the museum in its place: ArtStart.

Designed to encourage children's participation in the visual arts, the annual primary school student art exhibition provides an opportunity for students in kindergarten to grade six across northern Tasmania to have their work displayed at the Art Gallery.

This year, the annual favourite is brim with works created in response to NAIDOC Week's theme.

"[This is a] wonderful way to inspire young creative minds and an opportunity to learn about First Nations culture and history at the same time," said Tim Walker, a City of Launceston Councillor.

"We encourage everyone to see how pupils respond to the theme and use this as an outlet for creativity."