The Gums of Paroo River

SECOND PLACE - Aspects Art Show Goondiwindi 2024.

The Gums of the Paroo River painting was developed after a solo trip to Cunnamulla - an eight and a half hour drive from my home. The drive was long, bumpy and the scenery constantly changing as I observed the landscape turn from suburbia, to semi-country towns and finally to complete outback vistas, with red soil.

Outback Queensland comprises a different ambience to what we are adapted to in the cities. I spent several days capturing the beauty of life along the Paroo River. Out west is what can be called truly wild Australia. Some of the bird species were familiar to me, whereas many of the birds (and trees) I saw were spotted for the first time. Mulga parrots, red-winged parrots, pink-eared ducks, Australian ringnecks, treecreepers, and many more, which will be depicted in my paintings in due course.

This scene, although a reconstruction of a landscape, is faithful to the feeling one experiences along the Paroo. Old, twisted, river red gums line the river bank. Their natural beauty created by the earthy tones of their bark and the soil and sand that is reflected on their surface. The pink-eared duck is symbolic of my time as a solo artist in pursuit of subjects.

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Dario's art is based on realistic depictions of the natural environment and the fauna found within it, including birds, mammals, and fish.

These days, he likes to paint the Australian birds he finds on his travels in remote regions of Australia. Dario has been to the Northern Territory to find inspiration for his art, and frequently travels to outback areas of Queensland to discover its natural wonder. He is particularly interested in painting the beautiful Eucalyptus trees found along rivers and in dry, remote areas. The myriad birdlife such as cockatoos and galahs are found in his work, as well as raptors such as eagles, which are popular with the public.

Dario continues to find new ways to portray his subjects in watercolour, acrylics, oils and pencil, with each medium offering slightly different techniques to capture a subject's essence. His goal is to develop a 'subtle' style of portraying Australia's delicate beauty, with smooth and soft renderings when required, and just the right amount of garishness that can be found in the country's red soils, green and blue tones of foliage, clear azure skies and saturated colours of the birds' feathers.

As of late, fish and underwater sea creatures have captured Dario’s attention, perhaps signalling a return to his childhood roots. In those early days, Dario enjoyed practising drawing the many species of whales, sharks, and sea-dwelling dinosaurs. It is safe to say that with the many various ecosystems such as corals, sand banks, and sea forests, Dario is sure to find inspiration as he has done while exploring the terranean landscapes.
Dario believes that art, and an awareness of the threats facing the natural environment should be promoted more passionately than ever. In a world that seems to run on a continuous cycle of entertainment, advertising, drama, violence, extremism, and individualism, Dario feels that it is his duty to showcase his concerns in the form of powerful and moving artworks. He is strongly driven by the conviction that the best way to do this is by painting nature with purity and accuracy. If people are not shown what is at stake, why would they care? An artist, just like a musician, has the means for producing such interest, just like the great writers like Bob Dylan or Billy Bragg did when they wrote about war and violence.

There is more to do, and Dario continues to seek his next challenge.