Council opens a door to Enchanted Worlds in latest exhibition
Published on 25 June 2026
Scenic Rim Regional Council is inviting the community to step into Enchanted Worlds of imagination, whimsical characters, fairytales and playful stories in its latest exhibition.
The Enchanted Worlds exhibition which opened last week at The Centre Beaudesert features works by three Scenic Rim artists, Maki Horanai, Lilly Piri, and Fran Clancy.
Their diverse styles and perspectives take gallery visitors on a journey of discovery celebrating the power of visual storytelling, the beauty of creativity and the limitless possibilities of human imagination.
Scenic Rim's Community, Arts and Culture Portfolio Councillor Kerri Cryer, who officially launched the exhibition at the weekend, said Council was proud to present a delightful, whimsical collection of works highlighting the artists’ unique approaches to crafting imaginative worlds that inspire curiosity and delight.
"The collection of creations by each artist is impressive and Lilly, Maki and Fran are to be commended for the exceptional body of work featured in this major exhibition," she said.
"Lilly and Maki are experienced exhibitors and while this is Fran's debut exhibition I hope it will be the first of many more to come.
"As well as showcasing their arts practice, this exhibition also highlights the wealth of creative talent in the Scenic Rim.
"I'd like to acknowledge the work of the exhibition curator Irene Girsch-Danby and the Cultural Services team for staging another spectacular showing at The Centre Beaudesert which included a magically presented room for the launch.”
Born in Hokkaido, in northern Japan, Maki Horanai grew up in this small seaside village playing or sitting on the beach, always aware of nature’s movements, with these early experiences deeply influencing her work.
"I try to find attractive movements and patterns from nature and our lives: rocks, clouds, sky, birds, houses, the moon, trees," she said.
"They make unusual shapes that emerge on my canvases in an unreal or other-worldly way.
"My paintings look to others like a dream or fantasy, but I always want my art to somehow touch our real world."
Brisbane-born Lilly Piri has lived on Tamborine Mountain since 2021 and has held solo and group exhibitions around the world, her works having been acquired by numerous galleries and private collectors.
She invites audiences to hop through the looking glass into her enchanting world of march hares, moonlit nights and starry unicorns as she explores fairy tales, and the 'witching hour' between midnight and 4am.
Lilly has a deep love of fairy tales, which she read as a child in suburban Brisbane and then in Germany, where she heard wolves at night and was struck by how terrifying the stories must have been in their own time.
Based in Tamborine, Fran Clancy has been shaping clay for decades, her work reflecting her sense of curiosity and playfulness which allow each piece to unfold organically under her hands.
"To this day I cannot explain the joy I get from the feel of clay and how it can be manipulated from mud to beauty," she said.
The free Enchanted Worlds exhibition runs until 5 September 2026 and can be viewed during gallery hours Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm with the exception of public holidays.
Attached image: Lilly Piri's Marigold Moonrise 2025