Spring in 2026 has begun and the days are getting longer and sunnier . The log fire in my home won't be required for much longer as the evenings get warmer . Already plants such as daisies, orchids , acacias and grasses are forming buds and about to flower to create an amazing sea of colour. Birds will begin making nests . These scenes will influence my paintings.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Twenty years ago I had a chance meeting with one of the famous " Brushmen of the Bush " artists from Broken Hill . He was out in the middle of nowhere, parked on the side of a lonely dirt road painting a landscape .I pulled over to have a chat . He was very talkative & began explaining the basics of his oil painting. The whole thing intrigued me. A month later I bought some art materials , made a studio in the corner of the old wool shed & began painting .
SUBJECT MATTER :
My oil paintings are about the people and the wildlife who live in the remote Outback of Australia .
I often drive off the beaten track and experience the beauty and harshness of the Outback with its floods, droughts and bush fires . Spectacular thunder storm clouds grab my attention , towering high in the sky marking the horizon with deep contrasting greys and mauves , highlighted by flashes of lightening.
Flocks of colourful parrots , bilbys , numbats , emus & groups of kangaroos roam free . Graceful Gum trees and large ancient rock formations with their stark , majestic appearance .
The billabong is also a favourite subject of my landscape paintings because they attract thirsty animals and people fishing and swimming . Sometimes a rare platypus can be seen & they are a haven for water birds such as Spoonbills & brolgas .
Watching people do all soughts of unique and wonderfull things as they go about their daily lives. All of which are subject matter for my paintings .
ART STYLE :
My Art style is known as " Naive " as I was not formally trained in Art School &
" Colourist" because I prefer using pure bright colours
To apply the oil paint to canvas , I mostly use brushes , sometimes a bird feather , occasionally a palette knife or my fingers , to achieve the desired effect .
The canvas edges are painted , so it is ready to hang without a frame.
Feel free to ask questions or make comments via Bluethumb.
Let me know if there are any paintings you would prefer on a larger or smaller canvas or you would like a specific scene done from your description.
Every oil painting is original and authentic , signed and dated on the front . A printed explanation of the influence behind the painting is attached to the back of canvas.
So there you have it.
Thanks for reading my profile.
And have a healthy and happy 2026.
Regards,
Little Heath.