The public had its first look at the celestial and symbolic unicorn paintings of Yarra Ranges artist Lynette Orzlowski at the Re’em winery on Sunday 26 October.
This ever-changing exhibition is on display indefinitely and will be continuously updated by Ms Orzlowski.
Ms Orzlowski said she had “little butterflies in [her] heart” at the opportunity to showcase her art in Re’em.
“I’m ecstatic, it was basically just an opportunity that was given to me.”
Her roots in Seville and Healesville were influential in her fascination with everything equine
“I’ve been around them all my life, horses have always interested me and the unicorn and the pegasus are two magical creatures that I’ve always been in awe of,” she said.
Though she’s been an artist at heart since “knee-height to a grasshopper”, only since November 2024 has she painted full time.
“Throughout my life I’ve been married, had a kid, and divorced. I’ve worked in many different jobs, so a jack of all trades, master of none.
“But the one thing that I have come back to all the time is art.”
“It’s been a lot of work, but it’s in my blood, so I love doing this sort of stuff, even though it’s hard work, it’s very rewarding.”
The opportunity to showcase her work at Re’em is fitting, since Re’em means unicorn in Hebrew.
Ms Orzlowski has become known for her unicorn paintings, which are often made using a mixed media of different forms of paint.
Her paintings are rendered in a realistic way, creating an element of “magical realism” in her work.
“So when you look at some of my work, especially my pastels, they’re quite realistic.
“The unicorns… some are realistic and some are a little bit more contemporary and impressionistic, but they’re still leading to the point that they look like real horses,” Ms Orzlowski said.
She sees unicorns as a symbol of guidance, innocence, and divine connection, and even the more realistic paintings brim with magic and spirituality.
“Animals have messages for us and sometimes when we see them, they’re actually trying to tell us something, so I was tapping into that.”
