Catching Gold

I've always loved Australian poet Dorothea Mackellar's poem 'My Country', and while I was creating this painting, snippets of this verse came to me…



I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges, Of drought and flooding rains,
I love her far horizons, I love her jewel sea,
Her beauty and her terror - The wide brown land for me.
 

The big sky, distant hills, and sun drenched vineyard set in a wide dry valley all spoke to me of what I love about Australia – it's vibrant colours. So this painting was pure joy to create!

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Often I paint from life using the energy of the moment and my observations to create intimate soft pastel paintings of people and landscapes. I focus on creating an imagined colour palette rather than local colour to create mood, as well as bold mark making to interpret my subjects.

I'm formally trained in graphic design and art in some form has always directed my decisions. I have always painted and over the years have received awards, sales, commission requests and more recently awarded APANZ an artist member honour award within the New Zealand pastel community. I've since returned to Australia and am sharing my artwork with an Australian audience.

Artist CV:
I have a television episode of 'Colour In Your Life' showcasing my mixed media portrait technique of host Graeme Stevenson and this can be viewed on YouTube.
I have taught acrylic painting, inspiring young students (and then their family) through the ‘Art In Schools’ program.
In 2022 I began a practise of weekly Plein air painting in New Zealand's South Island which continues today in Australia.
Seeing a need within the local community, in 2024, I instigated monthly life drawing sessions, inspiring others to get involved in the benefits of sketching from life.