Spiritual Resilience

This work was made after a visit to the grass trees at Basin Reserve, Drysdale. Their presence had a profound impact on the artist. The grass trees in this work function as spiritual sentinels, clustering together in communion, embodying resilience, endurance and faith. Their sculptural crowns and rhythmic fronds are rendered with repeated, tactile marks that archive touch and time and glow as communal altars within the landscape. The use of modelling paste creates the tactile feel of the grass tree fronds, wooded landscape and ferned undergrowth.

A utilitarian power pole occupies the painting’s fulcrum and reads as a contemporary cruciform. Associated words to the Cross are used as detailed collage. As symbol, it negotiates multiple religious and spiritual meanings: a marker of faith, a sign of settlement and civilisation, and the growing impact of technology upon communities and our planet. Against a ritualised dusk of pinks, purples and gold, this vertical line both interrupts and anchors the scene, prompting a simultaneous experience of rupture and refuge.

The painting deliberately holds contradiction, inviting viewers to enact their own spiritual reading—seeing sacredness in the living landscape, unease in human intrusions, and hope in communal forms.

Through glazing, gestural mark-making, and sweeping colour, the painting invites viewers into a spiritual encounter with place—asking them to witness how religious symbol, ecological presence, and community interweave in moments of crisis and continuity.

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Jacqueline is a Geelong-based Australian artist with over 30 years of experience creating original artwork that spans figurative painting, abstract expressionism, nature-inspired landscapes, and commemorative portraiture. From vibrant geometric compositions layered with minimalist linework to expressive charcoal life drawings, memorial portraits and richly textured botanical scenes, Jacqueline’s art reveals a deep sensitivity to form, movement, and place. Her recent explorations of native Australian flora reflect a growing commitment to ecological conservation and cultural heritage—transforming landscapes into living narratives. Her multidisciplinary practice is defined by the soul story of her subjects, and is evident through the striking energy and sensitivity of her artworks, compelling storytelling and technical expertise. Jacqueline's art regularly demonstrates a deep connection to Creation, the human experience of spirituality and consciousness, attempting to capture the mystical interconnection of the soul, each other and the natural world.

Her landscape art draws inspiration from native Australian flora and fauna, rendered in vivid palettes and layered textures. Her self-taught technique integrates gestural impasto, nuanced glazing, and precision mark-making to evoke depth, texture, and atmosphere, creating immersive environments that evoke both ecological vitality and spiritual resonance. Works featuring Kakadu, the Australian Grass trees (Xanthorrhoea) and radiant forest canopies of the endangered Bellarine Peninsula Yellow Gum reflect her commitment to conservation and storytelling through nature.

Jacqueline’s figurative works range from minimalist ink line drawings to expressive charcoal studies, capturing the vulnerability, strength, and quiet dignity of her subjects. Her memorial portraiture is especially poignant—crafted with warmth, realism, and sensitivity, each piece serves as a timeless tribute to personal legacy and memory.

In her abstract compositions, Jacqueline explores spatial tension and emotional rhythm through bold colour fields and gestural linework. These pieces invite introspection and offer a contemporary take on the minimalist storytelling of the naked human form.

Her business Arternity Studios, specialising in a Memorial Portraits since 2007, is now expanding to explore and feature contemporary Australian landscapes.

Jacqueline recently exhibited two landscape paintings at Artisan's of Australia gallery, Curlewis, as part of the "Woodlands of the Bellarine" exhibition held between 16 July - 11 August 2025. "Grass Trees Fire Spirit" and "The Return of Yellow Gum" were widely received, with both artworks sold 1 week after the exhibition closed to a local private collector. Limited-edition embellished prints of these artworks will soon be available via Bluethumb Art.

Jacqueline's original artworks have resonated with collectors of Australian art seeking authenticity, beauty, and deeper meaning. Her portfolio reflects a lifelong dedication to the artistic exploration of consciousness through art, with each piece offering a unique narrative shaped by memory, energy, soul and place.

Jacqueline accepts commissions and warmly invites you to connect and explore your own soul story through the mystery and beauty of her art.