The Keeper Of Secrets

The Keeper of Secrets imagines a quiet guardian moving unseen through the sky, a bird entrusted with the hidden thoughts and stories we carry but rarely speak aloud. In flight against a soft blue sky, the bird holds a delicate key tied with red thread, a symbol of the quiet trust placed in it. The ribbon above bears its title, as though gently announcing its mysterious purpose.

The red threads wrap around the bird like whispered words or invisible connections, suggesting the many secrets it carries. It knows them all, where they came from, where they belong, and how to keep them safe. Yet it remains silent, watchful, and kind, holding these fragments of human experience without judgment.

Painted with a sense of calm and symbolism, The Keeper of Secrets speaks to the comfort of knowing that our hidden thoughts and memories can exist somewhere safely in the world. It invites viewers to imagine a quiet companion in the sky, faithfully carrying the things we cannot always say aloud.

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Jacquie Hughes is an up and coming artist based in Perth, Western Australia. A self-taught painter, she began painting in 2015 and started honing her craft to focus on subjects such as people, animals and landscapes in 2019. Previously, her works mainly consisted of charcoal abstracts and drawings, but she has since moved on to working primarily with colourful and contemplative acrylics on canvas. By viewing her work you are stepping into the world she has created inside her head, filled with carefully selected hues inspired by nature and imaginary landscapes; and with creatures of exaggerated sizes expertly placed to draw in the viewers’ attention. Her brush strokes flow smoothly over every piece with care and grace, bringing to life every scene as if the viewer was transported there themselves in a dream.

Jacquie’s use of acrylics is relaxed and alluring. She expertly weaves in both the real and the whimsical to present a delightful spectacle in each piece. Be enchanted away to a fairy-tale land with her tranquil and soothing designs, perfect for any setting to relax and reflect on the captivating fantasies the mind can generate. Her illustrative expertise tells a story of its own, weaving together familiar scenes of the world around us while incorporating unique and memorable mythical imagery. “My work encapsulates the breath-taking characteristics you would imagine in a marvellous realm of fantasy and dreams. The mind is a fascinating place where you can envision endless possibilities. I found the perfect way to capture my thoughts and imaginations by brushing them out on canvas for the world to see,” she states, in regards to her artistry. She transmits her own feelings right onto each piece itself, breathing a personality into it that each onlooker may interpret in their own way.

Jacquie partly uses her own home for inspiration, where she resides with her husband and two children. Although equipped with a beautiful garden and her own personal space to create each canvas, she still allows her imagination and the universe inside her mind to take over in the creative process. Her artwork has been sold in Europe, America and all over Australia. It’s possible to take home a stunning original piece by Jacquie Hughes, either through the Bluethumb online gallery or the yearly markets in Perth Western Australia.

Featured Artist on Bluethumb
Selected by Bluethumb curators for originality and quality