She’s painting her way to China, but first, Dempsey Mitchell will make her artistic debut at Art Speaks

Like any typical nine-year-old, Dempsey has a packed schedule — she’s a student at Guthrie St Primary School, a dancer at Amy Newton Dance Studios, and a budding pianist under Tricia Baggs.

Unlike most nine-year-olds, she’s about to make her artistic debut.

Riverlinks Eastbank is hosting Art Speaks, an exhibition Greater Shepparton City Council’s Creative City Strategy facilitated, from Friday, June 28.

The exhibition lowers the velvet ropes separating the established artists from the emerging, featuring 18 local artists, including Dempsey and her 11 bold and colourful canvases.

Watching her work, it’s clear why she was selected.

Dempsey wields a paintbrush fearlessly, swirling and curving the bristles in an energetic, restless composition to the sounds of Sia, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.

“I’ll be listening to music, and then I’ll just go crazy,” she said.

“I like curves and using all the colours I have.

“Most of the pictures, especially the big ones, are all swirls.

“I tried to draw a beach, then a river, and then I just made it into a big giant mess.”

Impervious to self-doubt, Dempsey’s approach to her work is to go with the flow, happy to be fully immersed and swept up in it all.

It may seem like child’s play, but it’s the product of years of devotion.

“I’ve always been painting. I think I started when I was probably four or five, and I fell in love with doing artwork,” she said.

“Whenever I have spare time, the only thing I do is draw.

“I like to be actually doing something, not just staring at a screen, especially if I’ve had a rough day ... art makes me feel better.”

Painting and drawing can do wonders for a person’s self-esteem and self-worth.

As for selfishness, it’s not in Dempsey’s vocabulary.

Where others would have gone straight to Kmart, Dempsey is drawn to incorporating sustainability into her creative practices and frequents op shops and garage sales, eyes peeled as she navigates bins, shelves and boxes in search of the tools of her trade.

She likes the rush of the rummage.

She also likes to save a penny or two.

Because Dempsey is on a mission, and that mission comes with a hefty price tag, a plane and a ‘great wall’.

“I’m trying to save up $500 to buy a ticket to go to China to meet my Uncle Scotty one more time until next year,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to hopefully selling all of my artwork (at Art Speaks) to get there.”

Dempsey’s mum, Jamie Lea, explained that Uncle Scotty was one of her best friends from high school.

“He and Dempsey are very close, and he lives in China with his wife,” Ms Lea said.

“He told Dempsey that if she saves up, he’ll double the amount, and she can come to China and visit them.”

A determined Dempsey possesses a level of self-motivation that many adults would envy.

She’s upbeat, unaware of her own maturity, and has an abundance of heart that will guide her in any direction she chooses.

“One day, I want to have an exhibition at SAM,” she said.

With this dream in mind, will Dempsey pursue a career in the arts when she grows up?

For now, she’s keeping her options open.

“I’m still thinking about it,” she said.

“I really like doing science — doing all these potions in my mud kitchen.

“I also really like to do fashion with my friends.

“I’ve already made one (a crop top), but I haven’t sewn it together yet.

“But I really like doing art.

“Art is everything.”

The opening event for the Art Speaks exhibition is on Friday, June 28, at 6pm, at Riverlinks Eastbank, 70 Welsford St, Shepparton.

Following the opening, the Creative City Networking Session: Market Ready will commence at 7pm.

The Art Speaks exhibition will be open Monday to Friday, 8.15am to 5pm, until Sunday, July 14.