Drawn to Water presents original artworks from the Gallery’s Collection by Anna Eglitis, Percy Trezise and Arone Raymond Meeks. Their works have been used to illustrate well known story books that present engaging and imaginative images of native animals and peoples of the region. Water, as a life force and a symbol of unity and togetherness, is a common thread in each story.

In Sisi and the Cassowary by Arone Raymond Meeks, Sisi’s tribe live near the ocean but travel inland to the waterfall to swim. Her adventure begins when she surfaces from a deep dive and finds herself in an unfamiliar place. A media presentation of Sisi and the Cassowary in collaboration with Patty Preece and Dr Jan Cattoni - Creative Arts and Digital Media, CQU Cairns Campus has been developed for this exhibition.

In Percy Trezise’s illustrated book, The Land of the Magpie Goose People, the children of the Kadimakara People must navigate around the Great Lake (Balanorga) and travel through many lands as they try to find their way back home. In their travels the children traverse many rivers and swamps while camping each night near creeks and lagoons.

In Creatures of the Rainforest, all the animals and plants that are illustrated by Anna Eglitis are reliant on water for sustenance and life. Their reliance leads to coexistence and dependency – the echidna drinks water from freshwater ponds while the mosquito flies above the waterlilies that grow in them, and the ibis and jabiru stand in the river looking for food where the barramundi swim.