Coral Coast Dreaming

I painted this after a trip I did to Cape York which is the very top of Australia in Queensland. Lots of adventures were had on the way and the tropical vegetation and beaches we passed through were just stunning.
I wanted to capture the beauty of the beaches like Port Douglas and Mission beach with a dramatic semi abstract version of some palm trees as soon as I returned.
The first layer of the painting was done using inks and acrylic paints applied with large brushes, blowing air through straws onto the wet surface with flicks of paint sprinkled with smaller brushes. I then turned the canvas over several times so the paint dripped to form intriguing drip lines.
I knew I wanted to paint a brightly coloured tropical seascape with palm trees so their placement was dictated by the most interesting textured areas on the canvas from the first layer. The big broad leaves of the palm were left as the negative area and the middle section became a translucent blue to represent the tropical coastline.
I think it would make a perfect statement piece of art in a modern beachside residence. It is dramatic and bright and would certainly compliment a large white/ neutral living area or foyer.

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I settled in the beautiful Sunshine Coast in 2016 after living in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne all my life. I worked for many years as an Interior Designer which has provided me with many skills in my new career as an artist. It has given me a good understanding of harmonising colours and a thorough knowledge of balance and proportion, colour mixing and an attention to detail with a good eye for fashion trends and forecasts.

I thoroughly enjoy my new early retired lifestyle as it gives me more time for my creative artistic pursuits. My Artworks are in acrylic paint on canvas and are semi abstract exploring organic, botanical shapes inspired by Noosa’s beaches, parks and the surrounding hinterland. My work is characterised by many layers with positive/ negative techniques and mark making and sometimes graphic elements. More recently I have broadened my scope to include landscapes and seascapes, although they still do have semi abstract themes.

I love my new life up in Queensland and the casual, friendly laid back attitude that everyone has up here. The sunny skies and less hectic lifestyle and the fulfilling nature of doing what you love contributes to a lovely lifestyle. I consider it therapeutic to paint in my studio as I’m escaping from the world. I listen to favourite musicians or interesting podcasts while I’m painting and often start a canvas without knowing where it might lead. My painting is mostly intuitive and the strokes seem to guide me on to different ideas constantly.