Early in the planning phase for the 2024 Birchip Art Show, committee members were made aware of Hop Dac, a Vietnamese born artist who had connections to Birchip. 

Hop Dac came to Australia as a refugee in 1980, as a three-year-old with his mum and dad and one younger sibling. His parents became market gardeners in Geraldton in Western Australia, which Hop said reminded him very much of the open plains of Birchip, minus the beach!

In 1995 Hop Dac left his home in Geraldton to attend art school at Curtin University in Perth, where he continued painting and studying. Since this time Hop has pursued both artistic and literary endeavours. 

Hop currently lives and works on Wadawurrung country (Geelong/Djilang) and in August 2024, he received a $20,000 Create Grant from the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund to develop work in response to a book of his grandfather’s poetry, which is currently being translated into English. 

Hop’s connection to the Birchip community stems from his partner Kate, whose mother is Maree Harris (nee Rickard). Maree is the daughter of John and Jeanne Rickard from Curyo and oldest sibling of Maureen, Trevor and Colin.  

Maree was very disappointed not to be able to make the trip to Birchip due to ill health, but on Friday, Hop was delighted to be shown around the Rickard family farms and the home where Maureen grew up, by Chris and Melissa Rickard.

Hop painted the painting for this year’s art show raffle which was won by Lucy McLoughlan and it featured an exquisitely painted tea cup and saucer with a bird and his haw flakes, which was delightful.

Hopefully the Birchip Art Show will have more of Hop’s art on display in the 2026 show.