Akubra

Finalist – Burwood Art Prize 2026

Offered professionally framed, Akubra explores the quiet poetry of an everyday urban corner. A solitary bicycle, vintage Akubra posters and the geometry of a pedestrian crossing are held together by the dramatic interplay of sunlight and deep shadow.

The painting is less concerned with recording a particular location than with capturing a fleeting moment when light transforms the ordinary into something memorable. Strong architectural forms and carefully balanced colour create a sense of stillness, while the familiar Australian imagery introduces a subtle thread of nostalgia.

Like much of my work, Akubra is an exploration of light, space and presence—those overlooked moments that invite us to pause and see the everyday afresh.

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I loved to draw and paint from a very early age. I was fascinated by the capability of artists to bring to life the world around them; to represent form, light and shade; to create three dimensions within two.

Simultaneously I was drawn to photography. From my earliest self-processed black and white prints to the sophistication of modern digital manipulation, I have always taken pictures.

In my professional life I established and ran successful creative businesses in London, Luxembourg, Malaga, Berlin and Sydney. I held senior roles in prominent design practices and advertising agencies, including the creative directorship of Europe's first online service.

More recently I taught design at universities and design schools in Sydney, Australia and Southern Spain with particular focus upon sustainable design thinking, human-centred design and developing successful design practice.

I began my career as a junior illustrator in London. It's therefore appropriate that with more time on my hands these days I should return to my first love.