ARTIST Sue Lovegrove combines her knowledge of Persian miniature painting as well as European watercolour traditions, in the watercolour and gouache paintings on paper showing in “Shimmer” at Beaver Galleries 81 Denison Street, Deakin, from 10am-5pm, Tuesday to Sunday, August 8-25. In the same period Beaver are showing works by GW Bot, Dianne Fogwell, Helen Geier, Judy Holding, Kyoko Imazu and Melinda Schawel. Opening 6pm, Thursday, August 8. All welcome.

KEITH Looby was ANU artist in residence from 1973 to 1974 and Canberra Artist of the Year in 1992. Winning the nation’s biggest prizes, collected by MOMA in New York, he was also notorious for speaking his mind, a habit which cost him a string of failed business relationships, marriages and friendships. Now a new documentary by filmmakers Iain Knight, Merilyn Alt and Sean Murphy ask whether he deserves another moment in the sun. “Looby” will screen at Canberra Museum and Gallery from 6.30-8.30pm, Thursday, August 8. Free but bookings essential to cmag.com.au

ANCA’s “Meet Makers” will showcase collaborative works which were produced during creative exchange sessions held at Hands On Studio, housed within the M16 studios. In it seven practicing Canberra artists were invited to work in partnership with seven Hands On Studio community artists—Brian Allan with byrd, Karen Bondietti with Merryn Lloyd, Harry Boyd with Joel Arthur, Robyn Chick with Amanda Stuart, Therese Gibbon with Tony Steel, Mattie Templemen with Dionisia Salas, and Simon Whiteside with Tom Buckland. Opening 6pm, Wednesday, August 7. All welcome. The exhibition runs until August 25.

“NOCTURNES” by artist Jen Plumstead is a series of little images of the night, the sky, the mountain and the space in between, seen just after twilight, once discernible features in the landscape become one-field, under a veil of Indigo that finally turns to Prussian blue. Exhibition opening at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Furneaux Street, Manuka, 6pm Thursday, August 8. The exhibition continues until August 18.

“GEO: Art of the Collection” is a collaboration between ANU School of Art & Design and Geoscience Australian. It is a response to Geoscience Australia’s vast and marvellous collection of rocks, minerals, crystals and fossils. At Project Space, ANU School of Art & Design Gallery, 10.30am-5pm, Tuesday to Friday, and 10.30am-2.30pm, Saturdays, from August 7–31. Opening by chief scientist at Geoscience Australia Dr Steve Hill, 6pm, Wednesday, August 7. All welcome.