Scratch the Surface returns for a 10th year of art with hidden meaning

An annual arts exhibition will return to the Bribie Island Community Arts Centre later this month, showcasing new works that explore what lies beneath the surface.

Scratch the Surface will run from 17 February to 1 March 2026 at the Matthew Flinders Gallery and feature works by local artists.

The artist lineup feature Glenda Charles, Sue Gardner, Matthew Mortimer, Sue Davy, Tina Bower, Deb Scott, Aaron Butt, Cheryl Mortimer and Corinne Purcell.

Artworks from each of these artists will reveal hidden meaning, both physically and conceptually, through carving into clay, incising painted canvases, cutting and appliquéing textiles, or subtly disturbing a surface to reveal something unexpected underneath.

Now a decade-long tradition at the Matthew Flinders Gallery, Scratch the Surface continues to intrigue locals.

“Scratching beneath the surface is always a tantalising theme,” Bribie Island Community Arts Society say.

“You look once, twice and more to see what they’re saying.”

One of the featured artists is BICAS printmaker Cheryl Mortimer. Cheryl says the theme continues to resonate with local creatives because it reflects a universal urge to express what isn’t immediately visible.

“The local artists involved are drawn back to this theme because of the need to create, and because there is always more to say.”

Ms Mortimer was Highly Commended in the 2025 Matthew Flinders Art Prize, and her work sits alongside a wide range of responses in this year’s exhibition from more traditional interpretations to contemporary and abstract pieces.

Scratch the Surface offers a quiet but powerful reminder that there’s often more going on than meets the eye.

The Bribie Island Community Arts centre is open free to the public Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm, and Sundays from 9am to 1pm.

Event Details

Scratch the Surface
Bribie Island Community Centre - Matthew Flinders Gallery
17 February to 1 March 2026

Locals can find this exhibition, along with other upcoming arts and cultural events, on Moreton Daily’s events calendar, which is regularly updated throughout the year