Tranquillity in The Gardens

Beautifully presented in a Tasmanian Oak floating frame - this is the original painting in oils on canvas. It’s a big painting at 120cm x 90cm and brings a sense of calm and tranquillity to any room.

You’re not going mad, there’s no actual garden in the painting. The name refers to an area in the Bay of Fires Conservation area called The Gardens. An cold but clear afternoon spent rambling over rocks, finding little beaches like this one. The water is so calm, all you can hear is the gentle lapping on the white sand. It’s one of those places that you feel like you’re the first to discover, but then are disappointed when your climb over some rocks and see other people enjoying the same unexpected joys as you are. I have no idea how I made that foreground rock look like you could reach out and touch it. I’m sure I couldn’t do it again if I tried. My favourite part of this painting is the reflection of the rectangular rock in the water, which is the epitome of tranquillity.

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Mine, isn’t your classic artist story. I wasn’t born with a paintbrush in my hand. In fact, as a child and young adult (and older adult) I showed little promise.

Then, I got to my mid/late forties, around the age when you stop giving a fig about what other people think. I went to an art class near my home on a whim and made a discovery. I can paint!
I often refer to this time as “When I found out I could paint”. Seems strange that this was locked up in me all that time. My life has two eras. Before Painting and After Painting. I’m now 5 years into my After Painting era and feel like a different person.

I see life through different eyes. Everything I look at, I see light and shadow, colour and hues. When I see a sunset, an ocean, a rock, flowing water, still water, reflections, I think about how I would paint it. I spend more time thinking about painting than actually doing. I love painting and my new perspective. And I want others to enjoy my labour of love. I hope you do.

I guess my love of seascapes comes from growing up in the Queensland coastal town, Hervey Bay. The ocean is part of me and I feel like, wherever I live, I can’t be too far from the coast. Even if I don’t go to the beach, I have to know it’s nearby.