Patching The Nets

From one of my old poetry books.... This one has no author.... more like a story than a poem.

“They’re patching the fishing nets down on the beach,
fishermen’s wives seated upon silky sand,
their chatter competing with the seagull’s screech.
Determined sun-kissed faces weathered and tanned,
an intricate meshwork they skilfully pleach,
workers nimble of finger and deft of hand.
Of valuable time they always make the best,
rendering the repairs while men and boats rest.

A light breeze is drifting along the seashore,
scent of seaweed and salt wafting in the air
as it warms the women completing their chore,
and the old man with his pipe who’s come to share
in the banter as endless nets they restore.
For generations folk have been toiling there,
continuous labour for the nets to mend,
a bountiful haul of fish on them depend.

In sturdy boats fishermen sail out to sea,
casting nets in the rolling, briny blue deep,
fishing folk believing there will always be,
in the ocean’s pasture, fresh harvest to reap,
providing sustenance for each family.
A gentle lifestyle to preserve and to keep;
at one with nature and all that she’s giving,
a simple and rewarding way of living”

Follow

“I do not paint the landscape. The sensation and experience of applying the inks, become the landscape.”
After many years of painting and drawing, I felt I could not express an emotional response to my vision using conventional methods and began experimenting with spirit based inks. Acid free, fast drying and translucent, they hum with a creative energy of their own. They are magical. I love colour, its subtlety, boldness, restfulness and cheekiness. These inks swirl and move of their own accord, but they need manipulation and control to reign in their playfulness and allow me to echo the soul and aura of the subject. Lately I have introduced a textured approach with acrylic paints for the foreground in my works, but have continued using the lovely swirly inky skies. My paintings evolve from my own reactions to the mood and nature of what I am endeavouring to convey. They capture spirit, movement and translate those impressions in a semi-abstract, expressionistic manner. Growing up in Brewarrina, my art has been influenced by many childhood memories of the harsh Australian Outback as well as my overseas travels. Sitting beside a campfire, mesmerised by violet heavens above; striding across purple heath covered English Moors;
blinded by the white starkness of the Antarctica or simply reading a book about Apothecary in my chair - all awaken a desire to translate those experiences into a tangible reflection of my memories. A song or piece of poetry can also inspire a painting, helping me represent the mood and nature of the subject.My studio has been hand hewn from the solid rock face on which my house is built. I actually descend though a trapdoor in the lounge room floor! I'm most creative in the early hours, working on 2-3 pieces at a time, listening to a 1950s station on my old radio. These paintings of mine, are a reflection of that endless quest to record the blessings of nature swirled around with a dram of whimsical romanticism.