I painted this 'en plain air', a French term meaning I painted it outdoors while camping in the Northern Territory bush.
The scene is at Top Springs, near Wugularr(Beswick), Northern Territory. Its a beautiful place on the Waterhouse River where you can swim and watch the crocodiles in the river below. I was inspired by the colour of the rocks, the reflections in the water and the textures of the trees and pandanus. Thank you to the Traditional Owners of Wugularr (Beswick) who gave us permission to camp on country.
As I work I am concerned with mark-making, to capture the feeling of a surface, which may contrast with the surrounding textures. For example, in this work I have used a variety to tools to scrape and work with the paint to build up a textured surface representing the pandanus and trees, which you can see in the detailed image. This built up texture contrasts with the smooth, serene surface of the water and reflections.
I am influenced by Doug Wright, an Australian painter, with his textural approach and strong use of colour. Also, the Australian Impressionist tradition, specifically Roberts, Streeton and McCubbin.