A PERFORMANCE by noted Murrumbateman cellist and former “CityNews” Artist of the Year David Pereira was the centrepiece of a packed 15th birthday celebration at Aarwun Gallery in Gold Creek on Friday evening.

Indeed so packed was the gallery that Pereira found himself jostling for seating space with eager patrons as he made his way to his music stool.

Flanked by David Boyd’s painting “Beauty and the beast under the flame tree,” loaned to Pereira to give him inspiration for a commissioned performance, gallery owner Robert Stephens thanked him and all his loyal artists who had turned up to celebrate.

Using an arithmetical conceit, Stevens had titled the celebratory exhibition of works by 15 artists, “5 x 5,” and for one night only was offering a 15% discount.

He commended the selected artists, telling those present that when it came for art. It was advisable to “listen to the artists.”

Pereira told the animated crowd how he had been invited to enter into a creative act by Stephens when he had loaned him the Boyd. But a painting is very different for a composition and after looking at the work for quite some time, he consulted composer and ABC music broadcaster Andy Ford, who advised him to improvise his musical response.

That is exactly what Pereira did, in an intense five minutes of haunting cello that conjured up a sense of longing and remembrance of things past.

Then it was time for the artists and their many admirers to return to their celebrations.

The exhibiting artists are as follows: Melissa Barber, Jutta Chalk, Velia Newman, Andrew Kelahe, Michael Parker, Sandra Hendy, Simon Palmer, Jan Stapleton, Melanie Miller, Ted Lewis, Ian Lakey, Robert Pengilley, Mark Waller, Sandra House and Ken Knight.

“5 x 5,” at Aarwun Gallery in Federation Square Gold Creek, 10 am to 5pm 7 days a week.