Exhibitions 2026
Recovered Futures, King George Square, Brisbane (9-14 October)
A professionally curated annual exhibition showcasing powerful stories of resilience, recovery, and hope through the work of artists with a lived experience of mental ill-health, either personally or through their roles as carers and family members.
Gillian’s latest works explore the delicate and interdependent threads of connection in our relationships with each other and the environment. Here she posits the necessity of struggle; of staying with discomfort to resolve conflict, heal wounds and sustain both relationships and the Earth.
Where do I belong? Logan Art Gallery, Queensland (20 June - 29 August)
Installation photographs by Louis Lim.
Jingeri jimbelung (hello friend). Where do I belong? begins with a greeting and a question that resonates across species, landscapes, and communities. As a major survey exhibition, it brings together contemporary artworks reflecting on coexistence, environmental change, and our fragile relationship with Australia’s native birds.
Within the exhibition’s thematic exploration of how human actions have damaged and may yet heal the natural world, the Migaloo Press Artists Collective presents Nurture our Nature. Utilizing a Victorian-era salon-hang installation, the works examine the heavy impact of introduced species—such as gamba grass and feral cats—on native bird habitats and critically endangered migratory species.
Source: Exhibition catalogue, Where do I belong?, Logan Art Gallery.
Exploring the ramifications of human introductions on Australian ecosystems, Gillian Richards examines how species alterations drive environmental decline. Initially brought to improve cattle farms, gamba grass (Andropogon) intensifies fires, destroys habitat, and drives native bird decline. Feral cats, introduced as pets and for pest control, prey on wildlife, while critically endangered migratory Orange-Bellied Parrots—now fewer than 50 in the wild—face imminent extinction.
F R I E N D S , The Line and Rail Artspace, Queensland (May 30 to July 4, 2026)
A focused iteration of the Petrie Terrace Gallery exhibition, curated by Logan Art Gallery to feature a selective collection of works within an intimate architectural space.
FRIENDS highlights the creative practices of eight artists, brought together through friendship, connection, and shared experience.
This exhibition presents the work of eight Queensland artists whose richly diverse practices weave a vibrant tapestry of connection – to each other, to place, and to the diasporic threads that shape their identities – expressed through mediums as varied and dynamic as their stories. The exhibition invites visitors to engage with artworks that are both deeply personal and collectively resonant, offering a thoughtful and compelling viewing experience.
F R I E N D S, Petrie Terrace Gallery, Queensland (19 Feb - 1 March)
F R I E N D S brings together the work of eight Queensland artists whose richly diverse practices weave a vibrant tapestry of connection—to each other, to place, and to the diasporic threads that shape their identities—expressed through mediums as varied and dynamic as their stories.
Gillian Richards brings a poetic sensitivity to Held Between Us: Bound to Earth, Bound to Each Other. Through the interplay of fragile fibres and strong timbers, she reveals the tension, vulnerability, and endurance that sit at the heart of relationships. Her works speak to both ecological and interpersonal care, reminding us that to remain connected, whether to each other or to the Earth, is an ongoing act of attention and commitment. — Dr Niomi Sands, Manager Creative Industries, Logan City Council
Exhibitions 2025
Recovered Futures, Brisbane Town Hall & King George Square, Brisbane (3-8 October)
A professionally curated annual exhibition showcasing powerful stories of resilience, recovery, and hope through the work of artists with a lived experience of mental ill-health, either personally or through their roles as carers and family members.
Gillian’s local Jabiru Island wetlands inspire her latest artworks and central to this are the diverse responses to the environmental toll of development. By inviting viewers on a journey of exploration, she hopes to spark conversations, encourage meaningful discussion and foster greater awareness, compassion and connection to our natural world. – Gillian Richards
Botanica: From Earth to Sea, Lockyer Valley Regional Gallery, Queensland (21 February – 16 March 2025)
A collective exhibition with the Migaloo Press Artists Collective, exploring through printmaking, the rich beauty, diversity, and habitats of the natural world.
This exhibition delves deeply into the beauty and diversity of plant communities across South-East Queensland, as interpreted by the members of Migaloo Press Artists Collective. united by our love for printmaking and the natural world, we bring together our individual perspectives on the habitats and species that inspire us. 15 artists…90 artworks
2024
Recovered Futures, Brisbane Town Hall & King George Square, Brisbane (4-10 October)
A professionally curated annual exhibition showcasing powerful stories of resilience, recovery, and hope through the work of artists with a lived experience of mental ill-health, either personally or through their roles as carers and family members.
‘Two Cats’ is a relief print celebrating our strong relationship with our domestic moggies, despite their dignified ignorance of scratched furniture and mischievous behaviours. But alongside this joyful relationship, I often wonder about responsible pet ownership. When do our indulgences for outfits, toys, events etc. cross the line and become excessive? And who determines what’s excessive anyway? The multibillion-dollar annual Australian industry juxtaposes our love for our pets with digital screens portraying widespread human and wildlife suffering and devastation. And I can’t help wondering… Gillian Richards
Exhibitions 2023
Recovered Futures, Brisbane Town Hall & King George Square, Brisbane (7-13 October)
A professionally curated annual exhibition showcasing powerful stories of resilience, recovery, and hope through the work of artists with a lived experience of mental ill-health, either personally or through their roles as carers and family members.
I created ‘Fragments of Consciousness’ to explore the ephemeral nature of fast fashion and its impact on the environment. The artwork portrays stakeholders trying to hold firm to wisps of paper, symbolising their fleeting presence on the planet but lasting and irreversible impact. Imagery of paper littering the landscape represents the discarded messages of sustainability and ethical practices, lost amidst the rush for profit. Instead, we urgently need to acknowledge the consequences of our choices and seek a sustainable pathway. – Gillian Richards
Walk gently. Logan Art Gallery, Queensland (14 June - 22 July )
Installation photograph by Louis Lim
In Walk gently at Logan Art Gallery, Gillian Richards and Rachael Lee explore ways to live more harmoniously with the natural environment. Through a shared mapping narrative, they navigate their responses to an environment in crisis.
For her contribution, Gillian presents an immersive range of works—featuring poetry on the entrance wall, artist books, unbound books, monoprints, and sculptural poetry— questioning existing patterns, sharing knowledge, and learning from past mistakes to forge a more sustainable path.
‘During the global lockdowns we witnessed Earth recovering through a collective slowing down and reduced consumption. It was a glimpse of what is possible if we return to simpler ways and walk gently.’
2022
Recovered Futures, Brisbane Town Hall & King George Square, Brisbane (9-14 October)
A professionally curated annual exhibition showcasing powerful stories of resilience, recovery, and hope through the work of artists with a lived experience of mental ill-health, either personally or through their roles as carers and family members.
One of the things that struck me during our global lockdown, was its proof that we can change. We can stop the madness and choose a slower and more gentle life that has less detriment to Earth and all life and ecosystems. ‘Weeping for Tomorrow’ is from my poem, ‘Standing Still, Straight and Sanctioned’; examining our unsustainable way of living and our need to walk with and learn from our First Nations people. This artwork reflects the colours of Australia’s soils, sands, vegetation, waters and skies. The monoprint’s flowing lines and cells are barely visible. Initially, it is the stronger bold text that holds your attention but it draws you in to fully-engage with the poetry, almost like a choreographed artwork beckoning you to move, to walk, to search, to make sense, to question. Will we listen and learn? Will we walk more gently? Or will we weep for tomorrow? – Gillian Richards
