Protea from the Garden

Acrylic, Canvas, Framed by Artist

49cm (W) x 49cm (H) x 2cm (D)

Certificate of Authenticity Included

Framed by Artist

A$800

Arrives 20–22 Sep

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Artwork Description

'Protea from the Garden' is a tribute to the striking sculptural beauty of the protea flower - a bloom that has always fascinated me with its bold form and textural complexity. I picked these from my garden and then arranged this trio in a soft-cream vintage jug to contrast the strong, fiery hues of the flowers with a calm, classical shape. The background is intentionally muted to let the proteas speak for themselves.

This work blends natural realism with a warm, domestic stillness - celebrating everyday beauty through close observation. The goal was to capture a moment of balance: wildness tamed, but not diminished, by the containment of a vessel.

This painting is a study inspired by Dutch still life traditions and the earthy, grounded compositions of botanical artists. I was also influenced by the protea’s symbolic meanings - strength, transformation, and resilience - which I tried to convey through form and colour.

Artist Bio

Sue Roberts trained at the Cambridge College of Art and Technology, where she received a Diploma in Visual Art before moving to London to work as an illustrator and graphic designer.

After relocating to Sydney with her husband and young family, Sue stepped away from professional practice for a time. When she returned to the studio, it was with a renewed focus and a commitment to further study. She completed diplomas in painting and printmaking at Hornsby TAFE, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Art Sculpture from the National Art School in Sydney.

Working fluidly between painting and sculpture, she has been widely exhibited and is held in private and institutional collections. Her accolades include the Kooindah Waters Acquisitive Sculpture Prize and the CCAT Travel Scholarship. She has been recognised across a range of juried exhibitions, including the UWS Sculpture Exhibition, Sculpture in the Vineyards and the Ewart Art Prize.

Through shifts in geography, disciplines and life stage, Sue has continued to follow a central thread: an enduring fascination with landscape - not just as subject, but as memory, emotion and elemental force.

Much of Sue’s practice is grounded in close observation of the natural world - echoing the contrasting topographies of both hemispheres: her early years in the rolling hills of northern Englands Lake District to the bold and often rugged forms of the Australian bush. Acrylic is her primary medium, though she moves fluidly between materials, allowing each piece to dictate its own process.

Commissions

Sue's studio is in Sydney