GROSE Wold artist Selina Hitches has an ambitious dream to see the Hawkesbury become the art capital of the world, and her first step towards that begins on October 21.
Hitches is the curator of the World Polo Championship Art Exhibition, which will boast just over 150 sculptures from across Australia, and will be judged by Charles Billich.
The exhibition will be open during the World Polo Championship, which will run from from October 21 to 29 at the Sydney Polo Club grounds in Richmond.
One of Hitches’ pieces, pictured, serves as the World Polo Championship equivalent of the Olympic torch.
Hitches said she had always been creative, but having children, a job and a mortgage meant she had no time for an outlet, until about five years ago, when she took up sculpting again.
She plucked up the courage to approach Sydney Polo Club and ask if she could exhibit her work on the grounds.
“I came down here and asked them if they would be willing to display some of my sculptures down here,” she said.
“I became the resident artist at Sydney Polo Club and now all my works are in the polo gardens.
“Not long after I came up with the idea of having an exhibition.”
The exhibition will feature some well known artists, such as Alan Somerville and Evert Ploeg.
Hitches said it was a chance to make Hawkesbury known on a global scale.
“The Hawkesbury is an amazing place, and this is my opportunity to showcase to the world that the Hawkesbury could be the art capital of the world,” she said.
“I've got 92 artists with just over 150 works. We've got some brilliant artists and also emerging locals.”
Hitches said she knew of some rather large sculptures coming to the Hawkesbury.
“We have three-and-a-half metre stainless steel hens coming down from Queensland, and I've got two life size steel elephants being loaded onto a truck in Victoria,” she said.
“A council in Perth is loaning a sculptor's giant horse, it will make a journey all the way here, see the polo and take the Hawkesbury story back and it will be permanently installed in WA.”