A passion for fishing, keen observation and a sense of humour abound in the art by Carolyn Marks currently on display at the Karratha Airport.

The enjoyment Marks derives from fishing and the competition and camaraderie that goes with it has inspired many of the works in this enjoyable exhibition.  In Saturday's Recycling the elusive barramundi is caught on canvas. The top and bottom sections of the painting show barramundi in the water, twisting and turning and chasing the lure. However in the central section of the painting, in which the fish is being filleted, the artist focuses on the real goal in chasing fish - eating the catch!

Fish and fishing take on an almost spiritual significance in several of the works. A dreamlike state is suggested by the smooth flowing colours and shapes making up the background for the main subject of fish.

Marks is very accomplished in a range of media - oil paint, watercolour, pastels, acrylic and ink. In her pastel drawing Shadows from an Abrolhos Jetty Marks successfully depicts the flickering light and shadow on the water. Cool and warm colours have been used to enliven and balance the composition of this very pleasing image.

The large watercolour painting How Big?, of two giant crayfish emerging from the shallows, illustrates Marks' sense of humour as well as her skill as a watercolourist. The free, spontaneous treatment of the sky contrasts well with the solidity and roughness of the carefully painted rocks.

A series of six panels, each consisting of six small ink sketches, capture images from the long drive from Perth to Karratha. This 1 500 kilometre drive is usually considered an endurance test. Pre-trip discussion focusses on how long it will take and where you will stop overnight if you are stopping at all, with the emphasis on getting to your destination with minimum fuss. On the road, the landscape flashes by, with interesting sights catching one's eye for an instant. By the end of the journey one has a fuzzy impression of gradual changes in the landscape, with no clear memory of particular features. It is therefore a real delight to see how Marks has captured the journey in snapshot size ink sketches.

Travelling in the front passenger seat, Marks did quick ink sketches of the landscape and road ahead, annotating each with details of colour. At the end of the day she used coloured ink to finish each image. These well composed sketches have been framed in sets of six, each set showing a particular stage of the journey, for example Geraldton to Carnarvon. The immediacy and vitality of these sketches is particularly appealing.

Looking through an artist's eyes gives a new appreciation of that long drive.