Kookaburra Casuarina

This large statement painting features a pair of Laughing Kookaburras on a stylised Casuarina tree with a strong Japanese aesthetic. I've always been drawn to the beauty and simplicity of Japanese wood block prints, and I'm fascinated by how they influenced the European Impressionist painters, and paved the way for Modern art. This painting features many hours of intricate white line work – a feature of my work, make sure you look at all the photos for close up shots of the fine detail.

The colours in this painting are sublime; Deep Prussian blue and blue grey tones, with mustard/ochre on a soft blush background. Looks perfect with neutral decor. This work is ready to hang, unframed. The sides have been painted but it would look extra lovely framed in a timber float frame as shown in the mock ups.

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I’ve been making art for most of my life, though the path here hasn’t been completely straightforward. What was meant to be a one-year trip from the UK to Sydney in 1994 somehow turned into a permanent move, and Australia has felt like home ever since.
A lot of my work begins outdoors; walking, noticing plants growing through fences, strange colour combinations in nature, or bringing home flowers and cuttings to paint in the studio. Painting has always been a way for me to slow down and pay attention. It’s where I feel most myself.
Before returning to painting full-time in 2015, I worked across surface pattern design, printmaking and graphic design, and those influences still shape the way I paint today; through colour, rhythm, line and composition. I’m also deeply inspired by the simplicity and spontaneity of Chinese and Japanese ink painting, calligraphy and woodblock prints, though my work has gradually evolved into something much looser and more contemporary over time.
Since returning to full-time practice, my work has been exhibited in solo and group shows across Australia and selected as a finalist in prizes including the Calleen Art Award, Lethbridge Prize, Bluethumb Art Prize and the National Contemporary Watercolour Prize. My paintings and prints have also been licensed onto homewares and collected internationally.
I still feel genuinely grateful that I get to spend my days painting, and I hope that sense of joy, calm and curiosity finds its way into the work itself.