Cooling Down

Cooling Down really captures that nostalgic and serene moment, bringing out feelings of innocence and playfulness. I love how it shows children interacting with nature, celebrating joy and the freedom of childhood. The soft blues and greens in the colour palette create a sense of tranquility that makes you want to dive into the peacefulness of the scene.

I play with light and shadow to create that reflective quality on the water, suggesting both movement and calm. It’s that kind of balance that might remind you of your own past experiences by the water. The girl in the painting is engaged and attentive, while the boy is super relaxed, which shows this cool dynamic between adventure and contemplation. It’s these details that can spark warm, fond memories of childhood moments and those carefree summer days.

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I am a professional artist based in the Yarra Valley area of Melbourne. Artist StatementMy goal is to create artworks that are visually beautiful, calming and organic. My paintings are highly decorative; however, I feel they also serve as a reflection of the beauty and complexity that nature provides. I like to create art for real people to go into real homes that are a visual feast for the eyes and will be enjoyed for generations. I am primarily inspired by the natural tangle of vegetation that can be found everywhere near my home in the Yarra Valley.

My paintings are a direct reflection of my surroundings and an imaginary world – a secret garden in my mind. A whimsical place that I can go to escape and be lost within. I begin with a combination of splashes, bleeds and runs in different colours that I then combine with finer foliage details. I use the repetition of brush strokes and natural motifs to create a consistent rhythm within the painting, which helps to create order in the chaos of colour. The contrast between the broad strokes and fine details creates texture and depth in the pieces.

My colour palate is governed by my mood and the general feeling I want to create within each painting. I generally work with analogous colours combinations because I feel they best reflect the natural harmony of nature, the subtle warm or cool changes of the seasons and foliage provide endless inspiration. However, I am not afraid of colour and often experiment with combinations not traditionally associated with nature and landscapes.