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We talk about a timeless grandeur of the Arkaroola landscape. In this work I have tried to capture the thirst of a landscape in the cycle of life. The day is beginning to warm, there is a feeling of death. And yet there is still some sign of life in the background. There is a hope that the landscape will recover, that the trees will shed their parched exterior. That is the conundrum and the cleverness of nature, that it adapts, it survives but doesn’t quite conquer.
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We talk about a timeless grandeur of the Arkaroola landscape. This scene below the dominant Bararranna Hill holds a particular fascination. It is one of the major iconic scenes along Arkaroola Creek tracing the path of the great dreaming serpent, Arkaroo. This scene projects a primeval emotion typical of the harsh and robust environment. The rock faces are sharp and steep with few trees successfully finding a crevace to set their roots. Interest in the scene is enhanced with the foreground water, and we have the curiosity of what lies around the next bend as we make our way up to the Bararranna Waterhole. There are still many questions that the landscape asks of us.
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A Special Australian Landscape
The inspiration for this painting came from a visit to the Streeton Exhibition in Sydney early 2021. Quite a number of Australian impressionists took to the beaches around Sydney and produced many notable paintings.
This painting takes you to Manly Beach and a view across to Shelly Beach.
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The early morning catches an interesting mood. The air is clear, the sun is bright, it is not yet hot, the day is full of promise. The light catches the awning's vivid red and the communication tower at the end of the jetty. There is some fascination with the water lapping the shore, the ripples and the shadows under the jetty.
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While the land is harsh and dry, it holds a rugged, colourful beauty. Reds, blues and purples have to be experienced to be believed. It is truly a wonderful country that Namatjira and Hermannsburg have encouraged us to share.
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East Point Reserve, Darwin
A great Australian Landscape
The tropical sunsets over Darwin are spectacular. I want to capture for the balance between the sunset and the fading light on the water, and then there is the tropical cloud with the sun departing but leaving an illuminated skyline and upper cloud. There is something special about a “graceful” Darwin sunset at East Point Reserve.
I am always looking forward to a week or two in Darwin each year to catch up with friends and a bar-be-que with on the foreshore.
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The mighty Cooper Creek weaves its way through the great Australian Outback. The “river” has such a certainty about it, that it is hard to see this as Burke & Wills country. How could these explorers perish with abundant food sources. The painting is about meaning. We look to the reflections in the water and wonder what went before.
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Inspiration comes from the Streeton Exhibition in Sydney early 2021.
A number of Australian impressionists took to the northern beaches Sydney and produced some notable paintings.
Painted from a 2019 trip to the secluded and laid-back coastal town of Norah Head on NSW's Central Coast. You can just imagine the unspoilt coastline Australia's early settlers would have come across. -
We talk about the patience of the fisherman. In this work I have tried to capture the solitude of the fisherman. Half looking out to sea, contemplative, not really expecting a bite, but at peace with the waves lapping up around the ankles. The Francois Peron National Park, Denham WA is a special place.