When Jane Seymour heard she was going to a gold rush town, she pictured a quaint, historic town.
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But she was surprised and impressed to see a bustling city with a great reputation for arts and culture.
“I came here thinking I was going to the outback to see a small gold mining town and a few kangaroos,” she said.
“But (Bendigo is) this amazing place with a contemporary gallery. I could be in New York or London or any major metropolis.”
Most well known for her role as Dr Quinn in Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman, Bond girl Solitaire in Live and Let Die and her comedic role in Wedding Crashers, it was her artistic side that attracted her to the gallery.
Seymour toured the Edith Head exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery and played tourist in the region for the rest of the day.
“It’s uncanny coming from Hollywood to Bendigo to see a Hollywood exhibition. Edith Head is one of the greatest (costume designers) of all time,” she said.
“Costumes are probably most important aspect of a film after the script. The look and design elements are so important.
“I collect costumes and have kept almost every costume from my hey day. I also collect vintage clothing, am passionate about fashion and can make my own clothes.
As well as her passion for fashion, Seymour is an accomplished artist.
“I always loved doing art. My parents introduced me to art at an early age and I had a wonderful art teacher at school who taught me to express myself in bigger way,” she said.
“When I turned 40, I lost all my money in terrible divorce and was at the bottom of the barrel. I gave the last money I had at an art auction to prevent child abuse.
“That artist taught me how to do watercolours and my world opened up to me. While I was doing Dr Quinn, I was always painting on set. That's how it started.”
Bendigo Art Gallery senior curator Tansy Curtin said it was wonderful to show Seymour through the gallery.
“She understands the significance of costume design and the significance of keeping those costumes,” Ms Curtin said. “As an artist she was interested in our collection and particularly loved the work of (Australian artist) Rupert Bunny. It was nice to show her artwork she wouldn’t see in LA.”
Seymour will also visit Uluru, Cairns, Hamilton Island and Sydney before jetting to New Zealand ahead of going home.