When there’s too much black and white, as the winter brings to most occasions, I want to throw in a burst of colour; for opening night that was for the guests to do. A block of acidic yellow, a splash of red on the Anton Chekhov lookalike, a Kelly green coat and bold pink and red stripes in a warm cardi brought the palette to life. And that made the exhibition stand out.

Cohen’s work is always a story with her heritage bringing a touch of India and Israel, her study travels something from China, and her love of art history drawn from art deco and Mondrian. She mixes it together in her own recipe for perfection, with often a little pinch of this and that to surprise and delight. The cups in various sizes with quirky handles, the bowls and the vases too, are not to sit on a shelf but to use and enjoy.

Peter Ranyard is meticulous in his printing of this collection of his photographs from his travels and they show he’s no snapper but a thoughtful photographer capturing the ones most happy holiday snappers would reject. I fell in love with an Angel, he calls her a Lost Angel found by him at a London museum that shall remain nameless as you’re not supposed to "nick" photos despite everybody flashing away like frenetic paparazzi at the Mona Lisa in the Louvre.

His Virgin of Guadalupe might have me suspect he’s besotted with religious stuff, but not so, as we go from the Cotswalds to California, Mexico to London and plenty in between.

Raynard is the head of visual and performing arts at Narrabundah College, has a formidable photographic CV and brings a special dollop of substance with the perfect lightness of touch to this exhibition. At Form Studio and Gallery until September 2.

Contact: social@canberratimes.com.au.