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The Love of Bribie is a solo exhibition by long-time Bribie Island resident Ron Powell, reflecting a deep personal engagement with the landscapes and histories of the Pumicestone Passage and the wider Moreton Bay region. Powell’s paintings are informed by decades of lived experience and research. In the past he was engaged by the Moreton Bay Oyster Company to research and document the oyster industry, producing a substantial written record of its development and practices. This research underpins the exhibition, positioning Powell as both artist and observer of a changing environment. The works acknowledge the ecological and cultural significance of oyster reefs — once central to First Nations communities and colonial industry — while also recognising the lasting environmental and cultural damage caused through extractive practices. Rather than presenting judgement or conclusions, Powell offers quiet visual reflections that invite contemplation, allowing history to be approached as one perspective among many. Presented alongside this exhibition is an active research and concept development project led by artist and curator Felicia Lloyd,supported with funding from Moretone Regional Council and State Government, via the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF). During the exhibition period, Lloyd will work within the gallery space, inviting visitors to share stories, memories, and knowledge connected to Bribie Island and the Pumicestone Passage. This public engagement will inform her new body of work to be exhibited in a solo exhibition at the Caboolture Hub Gallery in August 2026. Together, the exhibition and research process create space for listening, exchange, and reflection — acknowledging that understanding place is shaped through shared stories and ongoing dialogue.
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