Where Fish Dream of Golden Light

Inspired by the distinctive Leatherjacket fish found in the coastal waters around Phillip Island, Where Fish Dream of Golden Light celebrates the quiet beauty hidden beneath the ocean's surface. Surrounded by swaying seaweed, shimmering textures and glowing gold leaf, the Leatherjacket glides through a dreamlike underwater world where sunlight dances like liquid gold.

Created with layers of acrylic, resin and genuine gold leaf on wood, this piece captures the feeling of peering into a secret reef - peaceful, luminous and full of wonder. It is a celebration of the extraordinary marine life that calls Victoria's southern coastline home, inviting the viewer to slow down and discover the magic that exists just below the waves.

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Elizabeth Allen is an Australian artist based on Phillip Island, Victoria. Working primarily in acrylic and gold leaf, she creates joyful, contemporary artworks inspired by the coast, wildlife and wide-open skies of regional Australia.

After a life-changing sea change from Melbourne to Phillip Island in 2022, Elizabeth found renewed creative inspiration in the natural beauty surrounding her. Her work captures moments of wonder—little penguins returning home at dusk, shy Australian marsupials, whales breaching offshore, country roads stretching towards distant hills, and skies alive with colour and light.

Known for her vibrant palette, painterly textures and uplifting themes, Elizabeth's art is designed to evoke a sense of connection, nostalgia and happiness. Drawing on her experiences as a breast cancer survivor, mother and nature lover, she creates pieces that celebrate resilience, belonging and the beauty found in everyday moments.

Elizabeth is the founder of My Island Creations, a working art studio and retail space on Phillip Island where she creates her original artworks by hand. Her work has been collected around the world and is held in private collections.