Hakea in Bloom

There is something special about waiting for a plant to flower, when the first blooms appear almost unexpectedly, transforming something familiar into something worth stopping for.

This painting was inspired by that moment.

Working in oil paint, I used bold colour, texture and expressive brushwork to capture not only the appearance of the hakea but also the feeling of seeing it in full bloom for the first time. The warm amber glass, vibrant turquoise table and soft blue-grey background create a sense of lightness and optimism, while the textured surface celebrates the physical act of painting itself.

For me, still life painting is never simply about recording what I see. It is about preserving a memory of how a moment felt. This painting is my way of remembering the simple joy of noticing something beautiful in the everyday.

Follow

Jess is a Geelong-based artist whose creative practice has been a constant throughout her life, from childhood through to today.

In 2022, she formally studied Visual Arts, deepening a lifelong instinct to create.
While much of her adult life was spent as a high-performing athlete, art was never set aside; it continued to evolve alongside her.

Jess paints to explore not just a subject, but the experience of it.
The way it felt, and how it shifts as it is reimagined through texture, movement and mark.
Each piece is less about capturing something as it was, and more about allowing it to evolve into something new.

“I’m not drawn to a place or a thing. It’s a feeling. Something that stays with me long enough that I know I need to paint it, even if I don’t fully understand it yet.”

Her memoir, Why Not Me? A Lifelong Journey of 1%’ers & Becoming a World Champion is one part of a broader life shaped by discipline, curiosity and creative expression.