I painted this work from a plein air sketch, made at dusk in Windsor, NSW. As the light began to fade, everything became quieter. the colours softened, the distant hills almost disappeared into the sky, and this old tree seemed to stand out even more.
What drew me wasn't just the tree itself, but the feeling it gave me. It looked like it had been standing there for a very long time, watching the seasons come and go, storms pass through, and the landscape slowly change around it. There was something peaceful and honest about it.
Back in the studio, i wanted to hold onto that feeling rather than simply copy the scene. I kept the loose brushwork because that's how i remember the evening-alive, fresh and full of movement. The foreground has an energy of its own, while the tree stands quietly, almost inviting you to stop for a moment. I love painting places like this because they remind me that beauty doesn't always have to be dramatic. Sometimes its found in an ordinary paddock. Those are the moments that stay with me, and they are the moments i hope to share through my Paintings.