For the first time they are excited to announce that there will be $3600 in cash prizes awarded to winning artists.

This year's exhibition will feature local sculptor Wayne Trethowan. Wayne has lived in Binalong for 20 years.

Wayne became a sculptor almost accidentally.

As a small town, Binalong is well known for its generous spirit in supporting locals in need and it was for one of these fundraising efforts that Wayne was approached to help.

Galvanised by the need to donate something for the auction he produced two garden sculptures of rusting and swaying bullrushes, an effort which both delighted and surprised the community.

Who knew that this dark and ruddy bushman nurtured a secret talent for the creative?

As a child Wayne grew up in Weethalle, a small wheatbelt town west of West Wyalong in NSW.

Weethalle is pretty much a blink and you'll miss it town so becoming a shearer allowed him to venture beyond his home of flat, golden plains and explore the rest of Australia.

Wayne let shearing and farm work lead him to towns in western New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

Before finally settling in the pretty village of Binalong he spent many years living and working in Cobar, Barellan and Adjungbilly, on the north western edge of the Snowy Mountains .

When Wayne talks about Adjungbilly his eyes light up as he reminisces about the farm work and the wild countryside.

He describes the thousands of grass trees growing on the sides of the hills where he worked and rode horses daily.  

Both the joy and hardship of his life's work combined with the unforgiving nature of steel and his love and respect for nature come together to produce his beautiful sculptures.

His keen observation of animals and the way they move is Wayne's next venture.

As he explains, he is fascinated by the controlled energy of working dogs and hopes to be able to reproduce this animation in steel.

"I want to capture that moment when a dog is set, trying so hard to hold still, almost shaking before it takes off,” he said. 

You can tell that Wayne really loves the process of creating a sculpture.

He describes how he looks at a piece of old farm equipment and how it takes form in his imagination.

As the sculpture progresses, "I walk around it with a beer in my hand and think, I need to do this and tweek that. ...I try to imagine it in someone's garden”. 

Working in sheds and on farms all his life meant that Wayne learnt many necessary skills along the way.

He actually began welding as a kid and later did a course in arc welding.

From that point on he has been largely self taught and looks forward to the day when he can set up a blacksmithing workshop to produce more commissioned sculptures, balustrades and custom-made gates.

Wayne takes commissions and his work can be seen and is for sale at the Binalong Spring Art Show. 

The show begins with the opening Cocktail Party on Friday, September 14 (tickets $35) and continues over the weekend, September 15 and 16.

Entry on Saturday and Sunday is free and all are welcome.

All information, including entry forms for exhibiting artists can be found on Facebook @binalongartshow or BAG website - www.binalongartsgroup.org.au