19/04/2026
Many of the painting titles in Earthsong reference birds, animals and insects in warm acknowledgement of those tiny custodians of our landscape.
Artwork 1: - “Where bellbirds greet you (Henry Littledyke Reserve Poowong)” en plein air, ground earth pigments as oil paint on linen.
The hills around this reserve ring with the echoes of Bellbirds. Sadly, their presence has had a detrimental impact on the eucalypt trees in recent years, resulting in severe dieback. Their unmistakable call is also featured on the ‘Earthsong’ recordings which accompany the exhibition.
Artwork 2 - “The mosquitos almost carried me off (but I stayed for the xanthorrea) - (Gelliondale State Forest Hedley)” en plein air, ground earth pigments as oil paint on linen.
And
Artwork 4 - “The Stewardship of ants” ground earth on canvas.
Both these works were made in response to the remarkable coastline skirting Corner Inlet marine sanctuary. I painted the first study plein air on dusk, and found the mosquitos so relentless that I had to abandon my post and finish the painting from the car! The second iteration (the large work) reflected on the sheer number of ants that I’d observed moving around carrying little grains of sand, and broader - how vast amounts of landscape are shifted and relocated by such tiny creatures. These invertebrate architects build remarkable structures that rival what humans do, and grain by grain are responsible for great changes in the landscape that go mostly unobserved. How much we still don’t know about our world, or how it cares for itself in spite of us.
Artworks 4 and 5 were painted plein air at Bullock Island. A private conservation project managed by , the island is teeming with life, and it was a privilege to visit.
Artwork 4 - “If I stayed longer I might have become one of the kangaroos” earth pigment as oil paint on linen
Artwork 5 - “By the clicking of soldier crabs and cooing of black swans” earth pigment as oil paint on linen.
Artwork 6 - “Looking for crayfish (Ritchies nature reserve Korumburra)” earth pigment as oil on linen.
🤎🦘🐜🦞🪶🤎
