Flowering Gum IV

Fairy Floss, my favourite of the flowering gums. This oil pastel painting captures its soft pink and white blooms evoking a sense of warmth and natural beauty. To see more of my works, search Michelle McKinnon above.

I use artist quality oil pastels which are a premium drawing medium. They are heavily loaded with rich pigments, have a buttery texture, and excellent lightfastness, allowing for vibrant colors and long lasting artwork.

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More work coming soon! I’m Michelle McKinnon, a South Gippsland based artist working primarily with oil paint, creating native flora still life paintings and limited edition art prints.

My practice centers on still life paintings of Australian native flora. I’m drawn to their character and quiet beauty, as well as their strong structural, almost architectural qualities. A single stem or carefully arranged grouping can hold just as much presence as a wider landscape.

I grow many native plants in my own garden, not only for their beauty but as food and shelter for local birds and insects. Spending time observing these plants — how they grow, move, and are structured — is an important part of my process. I often create my compositions from imagination and memory, using what I’ve studied and observed to sketch and develop each painting in the studio.