Artist Chick Olsson, left, with fellow wool grower Martin Oppenheimer at a Balmain exhibition last year.

WOOL grower Charlie Olsson and the Animal Justice Party’s Mark Pearson might appear to sit on different sides of the fence when it comes to sheep welfare.

Mr Olsson is a director of the company that created the mulesing pain relief treatment Tri-Solfen and a director of the Australian Wool Growers Association of Australia.

As a member of the New South Wales legislative council, Mr Pearson has supported the banning of mulesing and in 2016 won unanimous support for a motion that encouraged the breeding of flystrike resistant sheep and the use of pain relief for surgical mulesing in the wool industry.

NSW MLC Mark Pearson

The pair have debated contentious sheep welfare issues for years, but now have joined forces to open a public art show that showcases the beauty of New South Wales. Titled, ‘Colours and Shapes of NSW’, the exhibition at the Parliament House of New South Wales will showcase paintings from four artists, including Charlie Olsson himself and Alejandra Sieder, Marisabel Gonzalez and Michelle Olsson. Mr Pearson will open the show on Friday 7 June 2019 at 6pm.

Mr Olsson said he took up painting as a child.

“Colours and Shapes of NSW represents the diversity of the State’s landscape, flora and fauna.

“Each artists’ personal perception of NSW comes through in various forms, from abstract to contemporary,” he said.

Mr Olsson said being able to show the paintings in Parliament House is a great privilege and is a fitting location for the exhibition which comprises of 45 paintings.

Mr Pearson said  he is very happy to support the exhibition, particularly because it depicts the brilliant nature of Australia within New South Wales.

“Art brings together humankind, no matter how diverse in culture or conditioning, especially when witnessing the majesty of fauna, flora and matter through such compelling formation.”

Colours and Shapes of NSW, hosted by The Hon. Mark Pearson MLC, is showing from 4 – 27 June 2019 at the Parliament House of New South Wales. Entry is free and doors are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.