Gum trees at dawn

a stand of large gums set against distant hills and an expansive sky. Broad, energetic brushstrokes and layered colour fields create a sense of open air and shifting light, with turquoise, rose, and soft green tones suggesting early morning or late afternoon glow. The central trees anchor the scene with weight and presence, while smaller forms recede into the landscape, giving depth and rhythm to the composition.

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Toby is an Australian painter. Working primarily in oil, he blends the luminosity and atmospheric depth of Australian Impressionism with contemporary figurative fragments to explore place, identity, and the emotional residue of history. His paintings often draw from the light-scorched coasts and hinterlands of Queensland, inflected with subtle echoes of European modernism and classical forms.

Toby holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Queensland, where his research focused on Australian modernism and the avant-garde magazine Angry Penguins. His academic background informs his visual practice, bringing a deep awareness of art-historical lineage, narrative, and the psychological charge of images. Alongside painting, he lectures in art history and theory at university and collaborates with leading contemporary artists on installation and artwork creation.

His paintings are held in private collections across Australia, and his practice extends across studio painting, archival research, and collaborative contemporary projects.