Middle Dam

Painted en plein air at a rural property central to my family history, Middle Dam was created on a salvaged timber board featuring a pre-existing cut-out, which has been intentionally incorporated into the composition with an inset pale blue painted panel.

This void becomes a focal point within the work — both formal and symbolic. It suggests a space of absence and presence, evoking ideas of memory, inheritance and connection to place. At the same time, it functions as a kind of visual reservoir — or sky-reflecting dam — within the landscape, holding personal associations with my late grandfather and the enduring imprint of his hermetic rural life.

Framed with recycled hardwood stakes sourced from the native plantation my family established on the property after Grandad’s passing, the work remains grounded in its material origins. It reflects on the intersection of personal history and Australian landscape painting.

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Julie Purcell combines graphic design training with fine art skills.

As a child of the 80's, late twentieth century video games inform Purcell's distinctive rendering style. In some ways, this early home entertainment influence shapes not only her artistic process but also her understanding of human nature and the world around her.

After starting out in corporate design, Purcell earned a BFA (Hons) from Queensland College of Art in 2017. Since then she has exhibited in group and solo shows; judged art competitions and has herself been the recipient of multiple art prizes.