Oil on canvas, stretched and ready to hang.

Signed on the front.

Driving headlong down Hobart’s Macquarie Street on a dark and wet night, the lights shine out, casting golden trails and coloured strands across the dark road. The directional markings stand out, shedding the water necessary to form reflections. The road ahead seems golden and promising, with the cross on the War Memorial guiding the way. Where are we going? What are our plans? Where are we headed? Questions to answer.

The concept of this painting and its various symbols were brewing in my mind for months. I took reference photos along the length of the road (while other people were driving). I decided on this vantage point as the golden light was strongest and the cross on the War Memorial clearest. The final image is a compilation of several that I took and required some cross-checking during daylight to ensure I had a reasonable grasp of the architecture. The painting process began with a careful “gridding up” of the main buildings and progressed with oil paint, including much glazing and scumbling.

This piece won the City of Hobart Award at the 2023 Charity Art Show run by Rotary Hobart.